Jake Wallauer
ENG 115
Prof. Moore
13 May 2020
Seminar Paper
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, occurs during the time of WWII. Hitler declared
himself Fuhrer in 1934, with the World War starting around 1939. One of the ways in which the
Nazi’s chose to try to control the future was by controlling history. This was done by destroying
first the history of the Jewish people and then books held sacred by them or detailing Jewish life.
This maniacally progressed into destroying any piece of literature, including magazines and
newspapers that the Germans felt disagreed with their way of life. Liesel is a child living during
these times and not only does she not understand the “hate” that Nazis feel for those of the
Jewish faith, but she cannot understand what would make someone hate books. In The Book
Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel is the protagonist of the story as she’s highly sympathetic, easy
to root for and goes against what she thinks is wrong, while the antagonist is the Nazi Party as
they drive the awful events we see in the novel by creating destruction, death and despair.
Liesel is the protagonist and the main character of the novel. She’s the person we’re
rooting for and whose story we are hearing. Although she has moments of human error, she tries
to do the right thing…even when it’s a crime. She was able to grow more into herself as she
gained courage to defend and further her curiosity regarding books and her thieving habits.
Through obtaining books from the burnings, “She raised the book, This. She brandished it in the
air, as if waving a gun”(Zusak 86). Liesel became more daring as she stole a book from the
mandatory book burnings, initiated by the Nazi Party. Having the knowledge of books in her life
she’s able to break out of the shell that the Nazis have shoved everyone into. Instead of following
all of their rules and beliefs, she’s going with what she feels is right. Even if that means going
against the Nazi’s wishes, Liesel is reading to gain power. The audience is also able to root for
Liesel throughout this novel. Liesel started out as a nervous and curious girl as well. This was
expressed through her desire to avoid baths and her intense nightmares. Towards the end of the
novel her inquisitive concern for books and reading helped with her strange new life stating,
“under her mattress she occasionally would pull it out and hold it. Staring at the letters on the
cover and touching the print inside, she had felt a sense of comfort”(Zusak 28). Liesel is able to
overcome her fears from the Nazi Party by finding comfort and relief through reading books,
even through these tough times. Liesel is also sympathetic towards others and is always there to
lift spirits up displaying, “Often I wish this would all be over, Lisel, but then somehow you do
