TheBookThiefisaninternationalbestsellerwrittenbyMarkusZusak.Ithasreceivedthe highestpraiseandmanyawards,includingtheMichaelL.PrinzAwardforExcellenceinYoung AdultLiterature.Death,theuniquenarrator,weavesacaptivatingstoryaboutLieselMeminger,a youngbookthiefandjewhiderlivinginNaziGermany.Throughtheterrorofwar,Death,Liesel, Max,andHanslearntheimportanceofdrawingstrengthfromwhattheyloveinthefaceoftheir hardships. Deathhasanemotionallystressfulduty,but,byfocusingonthecolorsofthesky,he managestokeephishumanityandsanity.Firstthecolors.Thenthehumans.Thatsusuallyhow Itrytoseethings.(p.3).Deathhasthejobofextractingsoulsfromtheirbodieswhentheydie andhandingthemtotheconveyorbeltofeternity.(p.23).Hehas,essentially,seentheworldin allitsbeautyandhorror,andhisonesavinggraceisdistraction.(p.5).Heexplainsthathe cannotbeartoseethesurvivors.Theleftoverhumans.TheyretheonesIcantstandtolook at.(p.5).Hecannothandleseeingtheiranguishtolosealovedone,sohetriestokeephismind offhisemotionsbyfocusingontheskyinstead.Heknowsthathewillalwayshavethisjob,who couldeverreplaceme?(p.

5),sohehaslearnedthatthereisnowayhecouldgetthroughhis lifeifhedwelledworldsinjusticesandsadness.Deathusessomethingheloves,thecolorsof thesky,tohelphimgetthroughhislife. LieselMeminger,themaincharacter,alsohasalifenotwithoutitsowndifficultiesbut shefindshercomfortwithinthepagesofbooks.ThroughoutTheBookThief,thereisa continuousthemeofabandonment.Sheoftenthinkofherselfasanexpertatbeingleftbehind. (p.8).Herfather,brother,mother,Max,Rudy,Hans,Rosaallofthemleaveherbeforeshes readyforthemtogo.Whenthishappens,Liesellosesherselfinwordstocopewiththeloss. Thefirsttimeiswhenshestealsabookfromherbrothersgravesite.Shekeepsthisbookwhen shessenttolivewithherfosterfamily,asherlastlinktohim(p.28).Lieselstartstoreadthe bookwithherfosterfather,Hans,afterwettingthebedoverabaddreamaboutherbrothers death.Overthenextfewweeksofsummer,themidnight[reading]classcontinuedaftereach nightmare.(p.47).UponfinishingtheTheGravedigger'sHandbook,sheopensupabouther brotherforthefirsttime,alsosayinghisnamealoudforthefirsttimesincehisdeath.Aswellas takingindulginginotherswords,shefindscomfortinwritingherown.Lieselwritestoher biologicalmother,takingthreehoursandsixdraftstoperfecttheletter,tellinghermotherall aboutMolching,(p.34),andwritingmanymorelettersafterthat,notmailingthematfirst,just writingthemtohermotherforherself.Onher12thbirthday,shestuffsallofthelettersintoan envelopeandmailsthem,knowinghermotherwouldneverwritebackandshewouldneversee heragain.Doingthishelpedhergetasenseoffulfillment,andeasedherheartacheandsense ofabandonment.ReadingandwritingwordshelpsLieselletgoofpeopleshemissesbutcant comeback. Colorsandbooksworkforsomepeople,butforMaxVandenburg,aJewinNazi Germany,fistfightingishowheeaseshisstress.Heenjoyedthetightcirclesandtheunknown. Thebittersweetofuncertainty:Towinortolose.(p.127).Bybeingbornajewinthewrongplace andtime,hislifeisalreadyfilledwithenoughhardships.Additionaltothat,hisfatheranduncle

diedatayoungage,causinghimtotakeontheresponsibilitiesofafatherandproviderofhis motherandcousins.Hedistractshimselffromhisworrieswiththethoughtlesspunchingand kickingTheonlyremedywastomoveforwardandthrowpunches.Maxwasnotthetypeofboy todiethinkingaboutit.(p.127).Hedoesnotfightoutofangerathislife,orfortheotherboys whowerentjewsEventheenemieswereaninchawayfromfriendship.(p.127). Asisevident,allthecharactersofTheBookThiefhavetheirowndistractionsfromtheir problems.Theyuseactionsandobjectstheytakeinterestintobringthemselveshappinessin timesofsadness,tokeepthemselvesfrombeingconstantlyweigheddownbytheirtragedies. Thisisveryimportantbecausealthoughthecharactersshouldnotpushtheirproblemsaway, theyalsocannotletthemovertaketheirlives.Bytakingrefugeinwhattheylovecolors,words, fightseachofthesecharactersbattlesthroughtheobstacleslifethrowsatthem.