7 Ways Liesel Expresses Her Hate To Nazis In " The Book Thief"

This is a spoiler, this article contains things from the end of the book, do not read this unless you want to spoil the book for yourself. (Exit or go somewhere else) Now, for the people that either want a spoiler or have read it here is a list of some of the things she has done to rebel against Nazis.

1.Saving a Jew.

Liesel is holding a Jew in her basement.(pg.199) This is just looked down upon by society at time. This is also illegal and can be obviously punishable. Liesel has the choice although to tell the authorities or keep the secret. She although chooses to keep the secret and becomes very close with her Jew. “When a Jew shows up at your place of residence in the early hours of morning, in the very birthplace of Nazism, you’re likely to experience extreme levels of discomfort.”

2.Feeding the starving.

Liesel lays bread on the street for the marching Jews.(pg.440) This of course is very dangerous. If someone sees her she could be beaten but she doesn’t come up with the idea, Rudy does. He tells her while they are there and she knows that what they are doing is bad but it is beneficial for all the starving Jews. Her Papa also did it and she loves her Papa very much and she admires him very much. “They pedaled ahead of the parade, towards Dachau, and stopped at an empty piece of road. Rudy passed Liesel the bag. “Take a hand full”

3.Hating Hitler.

Liesel says she hates Hitler on the steps of a public church.(pg.115) Well after she heard that her parents were taken because of the Nazi party and she knows who the leader is, she decided to take out her anger on Hitler himself but to go against Hitler is a punishable crime so her Papa smacks her and tells her that she can say it at home but not in public. “I hate the Fuhrer,” she said. “I hate him”.

4.A burning book.

Liesel steals a book from the large book burning. (pg.120) Book burning are very common because the Nazi party wants their book to be taught to the children and that their teachings are correct. They burn all other books because of either the content is against the party or the authors are Jews, gay, etc. This goes against that idea because Liesel steals a book from this book burning even though she is not supposed to. “When she reached her hand in, she was bitten, but on the second attempt, she made sure she was fast enough. She latched onto the closest of books. It was hot, but it was also wet, burned only on the edges, but otherwise unhurt.”

5.To Mom.

Liesel write a letter to her mother after being told that she might not receive it (because she may be dead or in a camp). (pg.95) When she is speaking to Papa if she may write a letter to her mom he of course says yes. She although means her real mother but then Papa answers and there is a strange in the air that both of them know that she will not get the letters. She although still has that glimmer of hope that she will receive them. “She thought of her mother and repeated Rosa Hubermann’s questions. Where was she? What had they done to her? And once and for all, who, in actual fact, were they?”

6.A lost friendship.

While the Jews are marching through Munich Liesel spots Max and she runs up to him and hugs him. (pg. 510) This is so wrong at the time because holding a Jew was very wrong and punishable by death. Helping a Jew is very bad and going up to one while they are marching to their death with guards around them is of course wrong. The bond between Liesel and Max was although too strong to stop her from not going up to Max and hugging him and seeing him again. “Liesel shrugged away entirely from the crowd and entered the tide of Jews, weaving through them till she grabbed hold of his arm with her left hand.”

7.The Book Thief.

She steals books. (All of book) Stealing is of course wrong. But what if you were to do it to save literature? Liesel wasn’t thinking of this although she was stealing books to read them because her parents couldn’t afford books or gifts. Ever since her brother’s death when she first picked up the gravediggers handbook she wanted to read. Her love of reading was so great that she would risk a good Wastchen.

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