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Liesel's Livelihood Through Stories in The Book Thief 

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Liesel's Livelihood Through Stories in The Book Thief 

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Through Liesel's love of reading and words, she eventually finds her own voice that provides an escape from the violence that surrounds her and keeps her alive.

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"THE BOOK'S MEANING. The last time she saw her brother. The last time she saw her mother"(38).

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"THE BOOK'S MEANING. The last time she saw her brother. The last time she saw her mother"(38).

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This is the first glimpse that I saw of the true reason behind Liesel's lure towards books. Even though Liesel can't read, she establishes an early connection between this unknown book and her family. She holds the book tightly as if it is the last tangible memory of her family as she is thrown into a new family. From then on, learning how to read that book becomes a way for her to remember her brother and long lost mother. That one book then opens the door to her love of reading and story telling.

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"Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up"(122). 

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"Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up"(122). 

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This quote spoke to me because I saw past the actual temperature of the book under her shirt and looked more into the symbolic meaning. The book may have been on fire, but Liesel was not being eaten up by the flames, but rather desire and the hunger of curiosity. This is one of the first times I saw Liesel have a burning passion for something. The dichotomy of the freezing winter and the warmth the book also gives insight on the comfort the book bring Liesel in these bitter times. This spark Liesel feels ignites her hunger for more books and pushes her to steal again.

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"There were erased pages of Mein Kampf, gagging, suffocating under the paint as they turned"(237).

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"There were erased pages of Mein Kampf, gagging, suffocating under the paint as they turned"(237).

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This is one of the most crucial parts of the entire novel because Death explains the symbolic triumph of Max's words over Hitler's. Max physically covers Hitler's words with his, but at the same time, symbolically shows Liesel that her words can be stronger than Hitler's fear. Liesel is inspired by Max's work and fosters a new sense on confidence in her words. With this confidence, Liesel's passion for words only grows.

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"Max and Liesel were held together by the quiet gathering of words"(248).

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"Max and Liesel were held together by the quiet gathering of words"(248).

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It is through Max and Liesel's shared passion for reading that fosters such a deep connection between the two. This connection is so strong that it even withstands the war. Max teaches Liesel how to develop her own voice by using the words she learns through reading. He shows her how powerful her words can be, words which ultimately keep Liesel alive through the loss of everyone she loves. Liesel uses what Max teachers her to, in turn, keep Max alive when he is in a coma. I can see Liesel starting to realize the weight her words carry, and I can't wait to watch her develop more.

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"Out of respect, the adults kept everyone quiet, and Liesel finished chapter one of The Whistler"(382).

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"Out of respect, the adults kept everyone quiet, and Liesel finished chapter one of The Whistler"(382).

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It is in this air raid shelter that Liesel realizes how she can use her power of words for good. Before this point, Liesel had kept her stories limited to herself and Max. They had brought her comfort in her times of deepest despair, so she finally decides to share these stories in hopes of providing similar comfort. This is just another example of Liesel's courage through her words in the novel. She is able to defeat the fear in that shelter and provide an escape from the madness outside. At this point, Liesel's words speak louder than the bombs themselves.

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"The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing"(521).

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"The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn't be any of this. Without words, the Führer was nothing"(521).

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At this point in the novel, Liesel makes a discovery that changes her character forever. Through her appreciation of words, Liesel loses her ignorance and is finally able to think for herself. Her mind is cleared from the propaganda of Hitler, and she realizes Hitler is nothing without words. The audience finally appreciates the true power of Liesel's mind and the power of her words. At this point in the novel, I felt as though Liesel had defeated Hitler. She was unafraid of his manipulation and for this reason, finally began to live.

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"The fingers of her soul touched the story that was written so long ago in her Himmel Street basement"(550).

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"The fingers of her soul touched the story that was written so long ago in her Himmel Street basement"(550).

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Throughout the entire novel, Liesel has become more alive through stories and her own words. Even Death recognizes Liesel's humanity and connects her to the story of her soul after a long life well-lived. The audience can see Death in an argument with itself about the goodness of humanity. Liesel is the reason for this questioning, which I found as a connection between words and life. Just as she had overcome Hitler through her stories, Liesel was able to defeat Death in life and defe spiritual death in the afterlife.