The Book Thief Themes
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The story is narrated by ‘Death’. What
impact does this have?
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‘Death’ as the narrator is reluctant to do his
‘job’. He is sentimental and cares for souls:
- “ your soul will be in my arms..I will
carry you gently away” p.4
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Max and Liesel have been touched by death
and loss
Death is all around:
 Devastation of war
 Hatred of the Jews; loss of freedom and identity
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Frau Hermann’s grief following the loss of her
son is evident.
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Michael Holtzapfel hangs himself after his
brother dies in war
 ‘The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and
worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can
be both . . .’ (p522)
 The novel describes Rudy Steiner:
 ‘In years to come he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer – proof again of
the contradictory human being. So much good, so much evil. Just add
water.'(p 178)
 Even ‘Death’ cannot comprehend how humans can be so cruel and yet so good
at the same time.
 - He is “haunted by humans” p584
 Brutality of humanity
 Suffering endured by Max, Liesel and many other characters in the novel
 The atrocities committed in the war, the persecution and deaths of millions
of Jews
 The horrors of war, e.g. The dying pilot scene
 Erik Vandenburg (Max’ father) saves Hans’ life.
 Walter helps Max to initially escape the concentration camps.
 Hans gives one of the starving Jewish camp prisoners a piece of bread- a
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risky decision.
Max and Liesel’s friendship, developed amidst war and suffering.
Rudy leaves a teddy bear on the chest of the American pilot who crashes his
plane (Part Nine).
Hans and Rosa accepting Liesel into their home, despite their own lack of
wealth and food.
Hans’ patience in teaching Liesel and his selflessness through buying her
the books for Christmas.
Hans helps Max by allowing him to stay with the family, despite the obvious
risks.
Frau Hermann sharing her books with Liesel.
 It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams
are flowing down their faces and they stagger on,
coughing and searching and finding”. (p.570)
 Liesel stealing books and sticking up for herself at school.
 Hans shows compassion and courage, and rebels against
Hitler and the Nazis by hiding Max in his basement.
 He is trying to uphold his beliefs and morals in a society
where they are not tolerated and accepted.
 “Since 1933, 90% of Germans showed unflinching
support for Adolf Hitler. That leaves 10% who didn’t.
Hans Hubermann belonged to the 10%” p.65
 Who else shows courage in the novel?
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Liesel finds solace and sanity in books she has stolen or
salvaged from the Nazi bonfires of banned books.
 The Shoulder Shrug- stolen at the bonfire
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Liesel develops a bond with the Mayor’s wife after she is
allowed into the library.
She is striving for knowledge at a time when ideas are
being squashed.
She is comforted by reading after her nightmares.
She is able to tell her own story through her book.
Max’ books “ The Word Shaker” and “The Standover
Man”.
“she knew how powerless a person could be without
words”. (Max, The Word Shaker p.476)
 “The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there
wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing.” –
Liesel p.553
 She “wanted to kill the words” p.554
 ‘It was a nation of farmed thoughts…our Führer also planted seeds
to create symbols.'(p 475) Max's story suggests that Hitler's power
lay in the words he planted.
She said it audibly now, to the orange-lit room. "What good are
the words?"(p.553)
 I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have
made them right. (p.562)
 Liesel grows to understand how words are used to invoke and
spread feelings of hatred during the war, and how powerful they
can be (i.e. To the Nazi Party)
 Gravediggers Handbook is a link to Liesel’s past. Why?
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Storytelling – The Book Thief, ultimately saves Liesel. How?
 “The words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold
them out like the clouds and she would wring them out like the rain” p85
 “She was holding desperately on to the words that had saved her life”
(p499)
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Liesel reads aloud to calm everyone as they await the bomb raids[find a quote and highlight.]
Frau Hermann gives Liesel a blank book to record her story.
Liesel reads aloud to Frau Holtzapfel as a favour. Why does Frau
Holtzapfel enjoy this? What does she get out of this?
Max and Mein Kampf
 He carries it with him on his journey to Munich. How does the book
‘save’ him? How is this ironic?
 He uses it to make The Standover Man. (he paints over the words)
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Liesel and Rosa
 “a woman with an iron fist”
 Made to clean Frau Holtzapfel’s spit off the doorstep, made to help with the
housework and ironing
 “She did love Liesel Meminger..her way of showing it just happened to be strange. It
involved bashing her with wooden spoon and words..”
p.35
 Liesel watching Mama wearing Hans’ accordion when he is taken off to war
▪ “I came and watched you and you were beautiful. God damn it, you were so
beautiful, Mama” p.571
Liesel and Hans
 The accordion
 Education in the basement, and night-time reading
 He buys her two books for Christmas after selling his cigarettes
 Hans gains Liesel’s trust early on when she is suffering from nightmares every night
“a stranger to kill the aloneness” . He convinces Liesel to take a bath when she arrives
in Molching.
 His eyes were made of “kindness, and silver” p34
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Liesel and Max
 Max makes a book for Liesel as a birthday present (The Standover Man)
 Max and Liesel have many things in common
 Max asks Liesel to cut his hair
 The Word Shaker is a symbol of their strong friendship which has developed
throughout Max’ stay with the Hubermanns.
 Liesel diligently watched the Jewish marches looking out for Max, signifying
her affection and hope for Max.
 “Often I wish this would all be over, Liesel but then you go and do something
like walk down the stairs with a snowman in your hands” p.335
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Rudy and Liesel
 A strong friendship from the start
 “He was there for her at the beginning and he would be there later on... But he
wouldn’t do it for free” p.53
 Liesel finally gives Rudy the kiss he always wanted after he dies from the
bombs in Himmel Street.
Max’ guilt for leaving his family behind to be arrested.
Feels guilty for sleeping in Liesel’s room like a guest and
moves into the basement.
 Liesel’s guilt at calling Frau Hermann “a pathetic woman”.
 Rudy feels guilty for his father being drafted into the Nazi
Party to fight in the war.
 Frau Holtzapfel’s son’s guilt at wanting to live while his
brother is dead.
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Liesel is unsure of her identity as she is taken
away from her family to be raised with an
unknown foster family.
 She suffers ridicule at school because she cannot
read well.
 Through her education at home with Hans, Liesel
creates her own identity as she becomes
independent in her reading.
 She becomes the ‘Book Thief’.
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