Victoria Spiegel Mr.

Lughod Honors English 9 13 September 2011

Contradictions Are humans inherently good? Or are we evil creatures at heart? Ask people, and in response, one receives a variety of differing opinions. Death gives its own perspective in the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Taking place in Nazi Germany, The Book Thief centers on the life of Liesel Meminger, a foster child that has been taken in by Rosa and Hans Hubermann. Throughout the novel, Liesel witnesses some of the best and the worst that humanity has to offer. Death, the narrator of the novel, has observed its share as well. The contradictory ways of humans can be baffling and paradoxical. However, it is evident throughout the examples presented in The Book Thief that our species is simultaneously capable of great good and great evil. A prominent theme that stands out from the web of ideas woven throughout The Book Thief concerns the very nature of humanity. Questions and observations through the eyes of Liesel, and also those of Death, concern the human capability to be both so selfless and so greedy. Liesel Meminger enters The Book Thief as an eleven year-old girl. She has been stripped of her parents solely because of their political views. At her young age, Liesel has already been introduced to some of the horrors of humanity. Many examples of the evils of humanity are given in The Book Thief, and this is especially true since the story is set during World War II. Burning books, destruction of homes, and death of the innocent fill the world during this time period. Death shows his feelings about the terrible events, and they are feelings of bitterness, sarcasm, and even anger. Death shows his feelings in one passage about 1942 and Deaths

experiences during that year. You might argue that I make the rounds no matter what year it is, but sometimes the human race likes to crank things up a little. They increase the production of bodies and their escaping souls. A few bombs usually do the trick... If none of that finishes proceedings, it at least strips them of their living arrangements (Zusak 308). Death sees the worst of humanity, and has deep and profound emotions about their evil. It is obvious through the horrors of World War II that humans are capable of atrocious actions. Evidently, Death sees the good in humanity. Death isnt completely caught up in the dark side of his awful and trying job, and tries to remember the strewn pieces of beauty (Zusak 309). Death seeks out the good in life and the colors as a distraction, so it is able to cope with its daunting tasks. Death certainly does observe the good. It is aware of Rosa Hubermanns kindness in one of the last passages of the novel. Death remarks, Remember that she was the woman with the instrument strapped to her body... She was a Jew feeder without a question in the world... And she was an arm reacher, deep into a mattress, to deliver a sketchbook to a teenage girl (Zusak 532). Humans can show extreme acts of selflessness and kindness, even when it is not expected. The tension between good and bad can even be observed within the same person. Zusak shows his readers this through the example of the main character, Liesel. She has the capacity to be quite hot-tempered at times, but Liesel also demonstrates deep kindness and love for others. Examples of her selfish side include beating Ludwig Schmeikel and Tommy Muller. Angered by their teasing, Liesel attacked the pair. Another example of anger taking hold of Liesel is when the mayors wife has to lay off her mother. Liesel attacks the mayors wife with harsh words. If you knew her solely from these encounters, you might say that Liesel is

not a moral and virtuous person. Yet there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Liesel reads to children during the air raids to keep them calm. She risks terrifying punishment by providing bread to Jews. She gives presents to another character named Max while he is sick. Liesel has a strong desire for good inside of her, despite her angry outbursts. Death is not able to understand how humans have the capacity for such conflicting actions. He words it this way: ...how the same things could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant (Zusak 550). Humans are delicate and confusing creatures. We have set horrors of true evil upon this world, and yet we also have carried out acts of goodness and love. We are capable of acting out of great good or great evil. It is up for us to decide which one.