This will most likely be my last post on The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Not because there isn't more I could say about it, because there most definitely is. I could go on about that book forever. But because I have other books to read, thoughts to have, and papers to write, I need to move on.
(On a side note, I'm jamming out to KISS right now because I'm going to be Gene Simmons for Halloween. I'm pretty excited about it...but anyways.)
Well, I finished reading The Book Thief a couple weeks ago, but it took me a little while to finally write the paper. I had given myself such a broad topic that I didn't even know where to begin. So finally I just started thinking about why I loved the novel so much. In large part it as because it took me out of my world and into another one that I had no idea about. It also gave a fresh, new look on a lot of hard things in life, such as death and trials. Once I came up with that idea I was able to write the paper. I ended it at nine pages, but trust me, I could have kept going.
(If you're interested in reading that paper, email me.)
I also FINALLY watched the movie of it yesterday, and I sobbed. About as much as I did while reading the book, and writing the paper. It is just so heartbreaking!
My main conclusions after reading the book and watching the movie:
-Although I think they did a really good job on the
movie, I prefer the book. I think it's deeper, and
you get more of Death's perspective in there. They
tried with the movie, but it's hard to do. I was
impressed that they did so well with the movie,
but if I had to pick...
the book would win.-
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Book Thief, as well as writing about. I will definitely read it again and again. And for those of you who happen to be interested, here are some of my main thoughts I wrote about in my paper:
“Through the point of view in which The
Book Thief is written, as well as the characterization of death, Papa, Liesel,
and Ilsa Hermann, and the depiction of relationships through the book, the
reader is plunged into Liesel’s world and experiences a new view on Death, and
how the hard times in life don’t dictate our happiness. Whether the reader
likes it or not, through reading the Book Thief, they will experience Liesel’s
life, both the joy and the heartbreak.”
and
“Death is portrayed as having a
conscious throughout the novel, which makes it more relatable to the readers of
the story. Similarly, the other characters throughout the story are also all
too familiar with Death. Zusak’s characterization of Death throughout the Book
Thief parallels the way the characters view him, as an old friend they can’t
seem to escape. And Death can’t seem to escape them either. The very last line
of the novel is Death stating, “I am haunted by humans,” (page 550). Neither party cares to run into the other
again, yet there is no choice, and neither has the power to change that.”
And on that note...I'm off to write some about The Alchemist.
