Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Reading Response #1: The Book Thief
Set during Nazi occupation in Germany, The Book Thief offers us a chance to see how the regime of Hitler affected everyday German citizens like the Hubermanns, the Steins, and Liesel Meminger. The campaign to exterminate the Jewish people is an obvious and egregious violation of human rights, and we will get to that. For this response, however, I'd like you to articulate how the story of Liesel offers us a picture of how the rights of German citizens also are violated by Nazi rule. You might choose a specific right to focus on and trace it in a few passages in the novel. You might focus on a couple of pivotal moments, or on a key character, in the novel and show what we learn about rights in those instances. Remember that your response should be focused on one, specific main idea, and that you should be using evidence from specific passages in the novel to show how that idea fleshes itself out. (See the Response guidelines for more information). Make sure that you finish reading before you write, so that you can take the whole arc of the novel into account (you need to know how it ends to make a convincing argument, in other words). Responses are due, posted as a comment on this post, no later than Thursday, Feb. 2, at the beginning of class.
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In Nazi Germany, the human rights of the Jews living in Europe were blatantly violated. Despite this, German citizens themselves were also denied basic human rights. Article II of the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is most harmfully violated to Germans. Article II says, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion…et cetera.” The most prominent denial of human rights upon Germans in the period of Nazi rule was discrimination based upon differing political or other opinions.
ReplyDeleteIn Nazi Germany, political opinion that differed from the Party was strictly prohibited. To begin, German citizens were not allowed to believe in communism. If fact, if they did believe in communism, or if they were simply accused of being communists, they could be prosecuted, taken away and imprisoned, or even executed. The Book Thief displays this early on, when Liesel is separated from her mother. Before this, her brother had just passed away, probably from sickness and malnourishment while on a train to his future foster parent home (20). After burying him, Liesel is separated from her mother and transferred to her foster home (27). The reason she is taken away from her mother is not explicit, but the book implies that her parents’ communist ideas are the cause. Liesel eventually begins to figure this out, “As the word communist seized her, the remainder of the Nazi recital swept by, either side, lost somewhere in the German feet around her…She thought it again. Kommunisten.” (110). A page later, “She saw it all so clearly. Her starving mother, her missing father. Kommunisten. Her dead brother.” (111). In the end we can infer that Liesel’s parents are persecuted specifically because of their political views. Just because somebody adopts a political view that may be harmful or against the agenda of the majority does not mean they should be denied basic human rights, such as the right to free speech or the right to not be unfairly detained and punished by the government. The Nazi Party’s actions against Liesel’s family is a clear, representative portrayal of what happened to those with different political views in Nazi Germany—they were denied basic human rights as guaranteed by Article II of the Preamble.
Article II was further violated in Nazi Germany because German citizens were prohibited from associating with and helping Jews entirely. The result of associating with Jews ranged from fines, to imprisonment and perhaps even execution. In The Book Thief, we also find this. When the Hubermanns take in Max Vandenburg, a helpless Jew, they understand that they are doing something very dangerous. Hans makes Liesel aware of this riskiness, “They’ll drag [Max] away, and maybe Mama and me, too-and we will never, ever come back.” (204). Liesel understands the severity of the situation, and promises not to tell anyone they are hiding a Jew in their basement. Later on, when The Nazis march a parade of beaten Jews through Munich, Hans Hubermann feels compassion for them and gives one of them a loaf of bread (394). Immediately afterward, he asks in regret, “Oh my God, Liesel, what have I done?” (395). Hans’ kindness to the Jews would not go without punishment by the Nazi government, “On Friday, a statement arrived to say that Hans Hubermann was to be drafted into the German army…If he [refused], there would certainly be consequences.” (417). So, with a racial opinion other than that of the Nazi Party, a man could be persecuted and drafted into war for even the simplest expression of differing opinion. Clearly, what we have here is a direct violation of Article II of the Preamble, where all men should be free to express their opinions on any matter, including race. Again, for reasons such as this, the citizens of Nazi Germany were deprived of basic human rights.
The book thief allows us to look a little deeper into the lives of German families who were not granted a voice but instead stifled by fear and oppressed by a dictator. The Jews and all who stood up against Hitler were stripped of everything they owned and treated like animals. German citizens to kept their opinions behind closed doors in fear that they would be taken away from their families and lives. The Nazi rule caused a nation’s voice to retreat to a quiet murmur in spite of those who stood up against it. Hitler's reign most definitely violated the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR), which was created to protect citizens of all nations and governed by law.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we forget that the German people were also put through times of hardship as a direct result of the Nazi rule. Yes, many Germans were proud of Hitler and his hopes and ideas but not all. From the viewpoint of Liesel, we can see a glimpse of the oppression many German citizens lived under and the evident fear in the eyes of the German citizens. Hoardings of opinions were forced to remain unheard due to fear of further oppression. Liesel, the main character in the novel is exposed to many harsh realities of Nazi rule early on. From the death of her brother to the reality of the depression, her family wrought empathy from death himself. Despite many distractions through colors and books of sorts, the novel sheds light on areas of oppression and burden exemplified in their daily lives and decisions. Two examples stand out to me, the first, is when Liesel’s foster Father Hans, attempts to help a struggling Jew falling behind at a march, this is not the first time Liesel witnesses her Father helping a Jew but it is the first time she sees the consequence that follows. This consequence leads to the next example, which is of the consequence that is a direct result from the previous consequence. In fear that the Nazi’s will search their house for a hidden Jew, the family must cease shelter for the Jew in their basement. This example shows how the consequence did not just affect the individual but others as well.
Liesel’s life sheds light on just a few of the violations of human rights the Nazi rule had on her and her family and gives us a glimpse of the hidden heart of German citizens. For Liesel, she gets somewhat of a happy ending, but for most others, the horrific reality was that they did not get any happy endings in their earthly lives. The Human rights movement, unfortunately, was created as a direct result of happening such as the Nazi rule but is merely an effort to prevent something such as that to happen again.
Throughout The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, the idea of human rights and how these rights are taken away is exemplified. Many times, we only consider the concept of the rights of the victims of the regime of Hitler. However, there is an entire other side to this story. When we consider how this time period and this regime affected the average German citizen, it can be seen that they too had their rights violated. Throughout the book, one of the main characters, Rudy, is constantly having his basic human rights taken away due to the Hitler regime.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the novel, when the reader is introduced to Rudy, it seems as though he is an easygoing kid who has no worries, however as Liesel and the reader begin to learn more about Rudy, it can be seen that he actually is struggling and having his own rights taken away. For example, many of the school aged children and young teenagers during this time period were forced to join the Hitler Youth. In this program, kids were indoctrinated with the information and ideas of Hitler, from his birthday to his ideas for the country. It was with this training that Hitler and his army were preparing the next generation of blindly following leaders. Forcing Rudy, along with many other kids, to join the Hitler Youth is a violation of rights. This violates the idea of freedom to choose what kind of an education you are receiving and the right to be able to voice your own opinions, since they would have been beaten if they had talked against Hitler. Later in the story, in part five, Rudy stands up for Tommy when he is yelled at for not being able to march appropriately in Hitler Youth. (pg. 269) Rudy and Tommy are then forced to run laps and do drills. This punishment also violates not only Rudy and his right to freedom of speech, but also Tommy and his right to appropriate help for his hearing disability. Throughout the entirety of the novel, Rudy struggles with being a part of the Hitler Youth because it threatens his rights as a German citizen and doesn’t provide him with the freedom to express himself and have his own opinions.
Later in the book, Death describes more ways that the rights of Rudy are violated by Nazi rule. In part eight, Rudy and some of the other boys in his class are forced to be naked in front of the school nurse in order to be examined by her. (pg. 413) The doctor and the nurse were looking at the boys and trying to find out who were the most physically built and advanced. This entire scene violates Rudy’s right to privacy and made him feel vulnerable and victimized. Due to this examination and Rudy’s test scores, Nazi officials come to his house in order to bring Rudy to join a special force of advanced German citizens. When Rudy’s parents refuse to let the officials take Rudy, his father has to offer to go in his place. Rudy being forced to leave his family and join this special army goes against his right of freedom and the ability to choose what he wants to do with his life. Then, when his father is forced to volunteer in order to save his son, Rudy’s father’s right to decide whether or not he wants to join the army and participate are violated. Rudy then has to go without a father and his entire family is put in a rough position without the head of their household. These actions of the Nazi regime make Rudy want to go and kill Hitler himself. Therefore, throughout the novel, the right of Rudy and a majority of other German citizens are threatened. When Rudy and many of the other citizens are killed at the end, their rights are again violated. This novel helps the reader understand that the Nazi regime not only affected those who were being persecuted, but also took away the majority of the German citizens’ rights.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough biblically and in our society thievery is wrong, "The Book Thief" uses it to create good. Leisel is able to avenge injustice in her life and give others hope because of what she does. Her thievery gives her a connection to her new "papa" and to the hidden Jew in her basement "Max." She also becomes connected to the mayor's wife and her friend Rudy.
ReplyDeleteAt first Leisel and Hans spend time together as he sits with her after nightmares. As soon as he sees the "Gravedigger's Handbook" and offers to read is to Leisel, everything changes. They begin to read it together day by day and when they finish it Leisel finds another book to steal.
Rosa, Leisel's "Mama" does laundry for some wealthier neighbors for pay. She soon deputizes Leisel to receive and distribute the laundry and money. Through this Leisel becomes acquainted with Frau Hermann (the mayor's wife). She is invited in to see the library that Frau Hermann has and is amazed. They have a connection through books because Frau Hermann saw Leisel steal a book. It should be noted the while later in the book Leisel steals books from Frau Hermann, she takes one at a time almost as if she is taking what she needs and not being greedy.
Rudy (Leisel's friend) and Leisel go on stealing adventures with others, and then by themselves. On some of these outings they steal books and it gives the two a connection beyond school and stealing food.
Leisel also forms a connection to Max, who stays in the Hubermann's basement. At first she brings him newspapers so he can read the articles and do the crosswords to pass time. Later, they start to read books together. Leisel's birthday passes and Max wants to get her something, but has no money or means to do so. He takes out his copy of "Mein Kampf" (which is credited with saving his life a couple of times)and paints over the pages to create his story for Leisel to read. It is a pivotal point in the book because it not only brings the two closer, but also shows Max covering Hitler's words and showcasing his own story, making himself equal with the leader in a world were he is outcast.
All these people that Leisel has connected with as the book thief share something in common. They are members of Nazi Germany that disagree with Hitler and what he is trying to do. Even though Max is an outcast Jew, he is still a citizen and the Hubermann's treatment of him showcases their belief of his equality. It is also interesting that she lost nearly all of the people she has connected with through this. Only Frau Hermann and Max remain. The Nazi Regime did not just hurt the lives of the Jewish people, but also German citizens.
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ReplyDeleteLearn to Love the Pain
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of Declaration of Human Rights is to provide a peaceful environment among the nations of the world by defining what a “human being” is and to give rights to individuals just for being a human. The first article in Universal Declaration of Human Right states that everyone is born equal to each other. However the characters in The Book Thief witnesses how this right is violated by means of treating Jews as less than a human being. The power of ideas that are represented in a book can change society both positively and negatively. In the case of Liesel, books helps her to grow to become her own person in order to escape from Nazi regime.
In many ways The Book Thief becomes a novel that is about pain and how one deals with pain in an inhuman situation. The fifth article in UDHR states no one has the right to torture people. In spite of this fact, we read how Liesel, Hans, Rudy and Max do get tortured in an inhuman way for being Jews and for helping a Jew. Their human actions such as showing kindness ironically causes them to be treated inhuman way. Hitler’s book called Mein Kampf is partly the reason for them being victimized. Even though the ideas that are represented in Mein Kampf imprisoned German citizens into a dark world, the citizens like Liesel and Hans try their best to stay as human. For example when Max gets sick partly because of the snowman that they build in the house, Liesel asks Hans “Why did we build it?” in a terrifying voice, fearing to be blamed for Max’s sickness. Hans replies back to her saying “Because we had to,--It made us human”. In order to see our beauty as humans, we need to do things that keeps us human.Such as being compassionate towards others and show a love for the needy.For Liesel, having the righteous people like Hans in her life made her grow up to learn what it means to be a human.
At the end we learn that Liesel is being encouraged by notebook that Ilsa gives her. she grows a passion towards creating her own book. Unlike Mein Kampf, Liesel want to use the power of ideas to build a strong sense of what it means to be a human rather than who isn’t a human. She says that "I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." Perhaps she hates the words that change society in negatively way but loves the words that build a stronger society. Max describes the book that put him into a painful situation just as being beautiful, since the same book helped him to escape from that inhuman situation and he learned to love the pain of it because it helped him escape from the darkness.
Although it is clear to say that every human being deserves equality and choice in life, The Book Thief illustrates how the Nazis were able to seize the freedom of choice from the Germans. Because of that, we are able to reveal the crumbling of a country under a strong ruler. Picture this, Germans being forced to burn all their books, hindering them from growing in knowledge. Which then led to the fall of the economy, where people were struggling to pay for food. Not only that, we are also able to see how the young generation are being stripped away from their innocence and being brainwashed in growing up without a choice.
ReplyDeleteDiving into the book we slowly unravel the development of Rudy Steiner, a young innocent boy growing up in the era of the Nazis. Rudy started off as a young boy with his own hopes and dreams. He looks up to a black Olympic runner, Jesse Owens, as his role model. Thus, he develops great athletic skills through his runs on the track. Not only that, Rudy falling in love with Liesel, and wanting to earn her kiss through impressing her shows how naïve he still is. As the chapters goes on, we see the innocence of Rudy slowly being stripped away. His ability to strive for a brighter future was no longer a possibility from the day he was sent to Hitler’s youth group. He starts to see the cruelty of the world. When Fraz Deutscher, the leader of the group, forces Rudy and Tommy to run laps after Tommy’s mistake during the march, we can see how the Nazis expected to bring suffering into the young generation. After this event, it struck Rudy that this is a broken and imperfect world, and learns that making the right choices under the rule of the Nazis can lead to severe punishments in the future. And yet, he stands as a firm believer in his decision of doing what is right regardless of the consequences. After showing his resistance to the Nazi Party, such as skipping Hitler’s youth meetings, we start to see his persistence in believing in his own choice. He sees the suffering that is going on around him, and tries to piece the broken pieces back together, although he himself is being trapped inside it. Rudy chose to give his bread to the Jews even though he is starving, and he knows he will get in trouble for going against the rules of Hitler. Later, we see that he pays for his persistence by having his father being drafted, and taken away by the Nazis.
Comprehending the underlying meanings that The Book Thief brings allows us to see what a privilege it is to have rights as a human being. Reflecting upon the rein of the Nazis, we see how these Germans had to be in a constant battle to gain their rights as a human being. Which is something that we, as human beings, often take for granted.
The Germans were a superior people who used World War II as a primary means to achieve their goals. Their goals were the Nazi party targeting Jews as the main enemy, killing six million of them. These are racist beliefs on the Germans behalf. The ideal child was to be blond haired and blue eyed, and anyone who didn’t fit that description was persecuted or thrown in a concentration camp. In The Book Thief, the characters endure hardship under the Nazi regime that almost disables their way of life. They violate their rights as German citizens, without any consideration.
ReplyDeleteIn the Book Thief, I feel as though the people are not properly taken care of. The economy is going downhill and financial status decreases in many of German citizens lives during the war. Liesel arrived on Himmel Street in desperation. Her mother, fleeing from persecution, had Liesel protected by staying with foster parents. However, Himmel Street is not the most ideal place. “Whoever named Himmel Street has a healthy sense of irony. Not that it was a living hell. It wasn't. But it sure wasn't heaven, either” (ch 5). Himmel street is poverty stricken. There are no jobs, and the people living there are financially unstable. WWII is taking a toll on it’s people, and the Nazi regime who has complete power, isn’t doing anything to help its people. There is no way for the people to prosper without their rights and freedoms.
The Führer's will become the foundation for all legislation. Yet, people have the right to their own freedoms. They should not be dictated on who they can or can’t speak to or stay in their home. This right is violated and overruled by the Nazi regime.
Most German citizens have learned to keep their mouths shut but, it shouldn’t be like that. Freedom of speech and expression have been completely obliterated. The right to hold opinions without interference is non existent. The scene where Hans Hubermann can’t even give a piece of bread to another human being who is starving, is heartbreaking (ch 58). Also, the Hubermann’s can’t even host Max because he is Jew. The secrecy of having another person living in your home is absurd. There are restraints on how German citizens ought to live that violates the the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. When the Nazi party denied Jews access to certain stores, German businesses were suffering. Rudy Steiner’s father owns a tailor shop. Since the Germans living on Himmel street are so poor, his business doesn’t thrive. And it doesn’t help him that there are no Jews around either.
Overall, the right to freedom of opinion and expression are lacking in the Book Thief and in Nazi Germany at the time. The rules and regulations of the Nazi regime should not be indoctrinating in the citizens. They should be able to formulate their own opinions and beliefs. Liesel and Rudy are two exemplary characters who stay true to and express what they believe, and don’t let anyone tell them different.
During the Nazi rule, Germany, germans and the world, I would say, were in a spot that many would not want to remember. The rights of Germans, being those German Jews, or Non Jews, were taken.
ReplyDeleteTalking specifically of the right of making a simple decision is violated. As we can see in The Book Thief, many decisions that were taken had consequences that nowadays would be classified as invasion of privacy, or against human rights. Thinking specifically of being what today is considered a “good citizen,” one that takes care of his children and thinks what is best for them, on the time of the Nazi rule was considered being a “traitor.” In an specific events on the book, I can think of this right being violated. Which is when Rudy’s father, Alex Steiner and his wife Barbara received the news that Rudy was qualified, and was expected to go to the school that Nazis were creating, an “elite group of German citizens in the name of the Fuher.”
Alex and Barbara fought for the sake of their son, and did not wan’t him to go to that school, which is parents are supposed to do, to fight for the sake of their children and choose what is best for them; however, at that time, the right choice to be made by the parents, which they did, had the worse consequence. Making the right and ability to make a decision almost a crime. When Alex decides on not to let Rudy be taken to the certain school, he receives the punishment of going to the battlefield, like Hans Hubermann had received earlier in the book, got his name written down, having to serve for the Nazis against his will, for having a good heart. Parents are supposed to have the right of decision making for their children until they are old enough to make them themselves, therefore, Alex was making a decision for Rudy, that Rudy could not make himself yet. He did not want Rudy “running barefoot in snow and jumping in 3 feet of water after that.” Germans, as any other citizen in the world had and still have the right to be a human, therefore, they do have the right of decision making. All in all, the right of decision making was taken away of the German population.
During the Nazi regime led by Adolf Hitler, the lives of people labeled “Jew” or “flawed” were destroyed by society’s opinion and concurrent actions. Concentration camps were filled and neighborhoods were vacated. Those left in the houses and communities were forced to adapt to a new world as well. Change and violations of rights were particularly evident in the new family dynamic found in German households as their privacy, structure, and modes of survival became new in order to please the Fuhrer.
ReplyDeleteFirst, article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states the privacy, family, and homes shall not be interfered with. However, the Nazi Party invaded privacy by conducting random house inspections such as the one in the Hubermann household on pages 342-345. If Liesel had not been so lucky as to know the Party members were coming, her family would have been surprised and subject to men randomly searching every crevice of their house for stowaway Jews. In accordance to both article 12 and 16, families are supposed to be protected and together. Unfortunately, the Nazi Party considered individual family members their property and would take them as they pleased. This was seen when Rudy was playing dominoes with his sisters. On page 409, the soldiers try to explain to Rudy’s parents that he is considered to be “elite” by Hitler’s standards and should go away to a special school. Since they refuse, Rudy’s father must go to war and leave his family without a man of the house. This is the same punishment Hans receives (417). The last part of article 12 forbids attacks on reputation and honor. It is shown that the Hubermann family suffers from Hans’s not-so-Nazi beliefs and actions. It is hard for him to get work and has to rely on playing his accordion late at “dirty holes” (43). Therefore, Rosa must find work and have Liesel help her instead of play.
The final family aspect that is devastatingly changed is in violation of article 19- freedom of opinion and expression. Parents are responsible for brainwashing their children. At the fire, Liesel concludes that her parents were communists and that they were taken by the Fuhrer (115). She spats that she hates Hitler in front of Hans. He slaps her and drills that she must never say that again outside of the walls of their house. She must say, along with the rest of her family, “heil Hitler” and convince the world that she means it (116).
ReplyDeleteIt should be noted that during the Nazi Regime in Germany, anyone that stood against Hitler including citizens, faced harsh penalties, even death. The Book Thief provides examples of how the Nazi rule violated human rights amongst citizens through the lens of a German girl named Liesel Meminger. Through this character’s story we see how devastating life was for all those under his rule.
When looking at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and comparing it to instances that can be seen throughout The Book Thief, it is clear that the Nazi regime violates numerous Articles. For example, Article 2 states, “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion…” However, in The Book Thief it is evident that this is not the case for German citizens. In the beginning of the novel Liesel is taken away from her mother and it is said that her father is a communist and who has out of the picture due to those beliefs. The novel describes an instance when Liesel starts to learn why she was taken away. It states, “Up until now, at the BDM, they had been told that Germany was the superior race, but no one else in particular had been mentioned” (110-111). Later, the author writes, “Not once, however, had the communists been mentioned until today, regardless of the fact that people of such political creed were also to be punished” (111). This text allows the reader to see that during this time Germans were only allowed to believe that Germany is “The superior race.” However, this goes against Article 2 because it says everyone is entitled to all rights and freedom regardless of their race.
In addition to Liesel being separated from her family she is also not able to speak her mind. After the author talks about communists, Liesel starts to blame the dictator who caused her to be taken away from her family, Hitler. Liesel is discussing what happened to her mother with her foster father Hans. She asks, “‘Did the Füher take her away?’” (115) When Hans tells her that yes he believes he may have Liesel then states, “‘I hate the Füher… I hate him’” (115). This results in Hans slapping Liesel across the face, and telling her that she can never say that again. To negate her previous statement she then had to say “Heil Hitler” to show her support to him. The fact that Hans had to tell her to say “Heil Hitler” highlights the tension German citizens faced when speaking freely about their leader. This goes against Article 19 in the Declaration which states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference…” This proves how regardless of what you wanted to say or believe you were not able to if it was not honoring to Hitler, or to the ideas he wanted the German citizens to follow.
Lastly, Article 16 clause 3 states, “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.” Throughout the novel, Liesel’s Papa Hans exhibits compassion for the Jewish people. For example, during a parade of Jews he throws one of the men a piece of bread. The immediate consequence is he gets whipped. In the long run, the reader is made aware that the Nazi regime targeted Hans into being drafted into the army. The book states, “Many people must have seen their punishments coming, but only a small percentage welcomed it. One such person was Hans Hubermann. You do not help Jews on the street” (416). Due to his kind act on the street he was taken away from his family and placed into the army. When Liesel reads his draft letter, she can tell that, “The words had been punched forcefully into the paper” (417). The family knows that Hans is being punished for his actions, therefore their family is being broken up although the Nazi regime tries to mask it. As we can see through these instances, and many others within the book, the rights of German citizens were infringed upon by the Nazi rule.
There are few literary works of the WWII genre that depicts the German struggles of the war, particularly Non-Jew German citizens. The book The Book Thief not only emphasizes the injustice that happens for the German citizens, but also how the injustices affect a child like Liesel. Throughout the novel, we see constant examples of how the human rights of the German citizens were violated, and how the German population lived in fear in a dictated society. When Hans gave Max refuge in his home, we see the fear of disobeying the unjust laws, and what implications would persist on the family if caught.
ReplyDeleteThe Declaration of Human Rights was designed so everyone had the right to safety and freedom without discrimination. Those who were Jewish were discriminated, taken and brought to concentration camps, and those who tried to spare he lives of their Jewish friends, colleagues and associates were risking their own lives. Going back to the conversation between Liesel and Hans when Hans reveals to Liesel who Max is, he must emphasize the stress to Liesel the importance of not telling anyone who Max is and where he is hiding. He stresses on how if discovered, everyone would be taken away, causing Liesel to break out in sobs. The fear is real for Hans, Rosa and Liesel, and if discovered, they could face prison or death. This instance speaks a lot about the German society and what rights are being violated. The injustices towards the Jews invoked a lot of people to act and help, but also scared many away. We saw the daily struggle of Hans and Rosa to keep Max safe, but also keep the family safe. This is just one of the examples of how speaking out and acting out against the regime was frightening. They were oppressed, unable to speak out against the regime and live a normal life. They are forced to “Heil Hitler” in public, and if refused, they would be penalized and suspicion would fall on their family. This is just one example of how the human rights were violated for the German people at this time. Living free of fear from unlawful persecution is essential for human rights. The fear is real for Liesel’s family as well as other people living in Germany at the time. Hitler’s power has an overpowering force against all people of Germany, whether they are Jew, Communist or Aryan. This book emphasizes this, by the story Liesel and her journey of living with the Hubermanns and the harboring of a man who was being persecuted for nothing but his ethnicity and religion. This very emotional novel describes the fear of even having a different stance on the Hitler Regime and the actions some German people took for the sake of the injustices happening at that time.
In Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, the reader is drawn into the world of Nazi Germany by the narration of death through the perspective of Liesel Meminger. Liesel enters the story with the reader witnessing the tragedy of her brother passing away on the train in pursuit to their foster parents. Immediately, this leaves a void in Liesel’s life causing nightmares. It is during the burial of her brother in the snow that we encounter the first book, The Gravedigger's Handbook. Liesel is fascinated by the book, however she is poorly educated and thus cannot read. However, when she arrives at the Hubermanns (her foster parents home), her foster father, Hans begins to teach her how to read as remedy to her nightmares. This moment is what sparked Liesel love of books and stories. In the words of Death, “The book thief had struck for the first time the beginning of an illustrious career” (29). Furthermore, books (despite the joy and exhilaration of stealing) would play a role in Liesel life as a consolation to the tyrannical realities in Nazi Germany.
ReplyDeleteThe first instance that the reader becomes aware of the violation of certain books (specifically ones that were about or promoted Jewish culture) is in part two, A Girl Made of Darkness. Death notes that “The Germans loved to burn things. Shops, synagogues, Reichstages, houses, personal items, slain people, and of course, books. They enjoyed a good book-burning, all right-which gave people who were partial to books the opportunity to get their hands on certain publications that they otherwise wouldn’t have” (84). While there are multiple violations of human rights, A-2, A-3, A-12 and A-17, to name a few; I am going to focus on Article 27 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 27 states, 1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. 2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author. In the case of Liesel, Nazis Germany burning and prohibiting books of interest to Liesel’s, is an infringement on her right to freely to enjoy reading (which falls under the arts).