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In Markus Zusak’s novel “The Book Thief”, the main character, Liesel Meminger tries to survive through World War 2 in Nazi Germany while being illiterate and trying to learn how to read, write and make new bonds trying to fit in. Throughout the book the author wants the reader to see that words aren’t just ideas, story’s or just meaningless letters, they are a power a force greater than any whom helped Hitler to come to power, control people's minds and actions even to the extent of a whole races life. Ultimately showing us how words are the difference between life and death. Words hold astronomical value in the book thief representing all kinds of stuff (such as good, evil, sadness, happiness, despair and a lot more), which means that they are amongst the most powerful ways in which people could connect/bond with one another. Words are power they can influence people they can change people's minds, feelings, thoughts, they can create hate, love, happiness words themselves have the power to change anyone, words create bonds, they can be the difference between life and death, they are even the source of Hitler's coming to power he himself decided... “the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words. ‘I will never fire a gun,’ he devised. ‘I will not have to’” (Zusak 445). Furthermore, in the book thief words mean a lot, they have a lot of power and one of the ways this power is shown is by the bonds created by words. Liesel Meminger (the main character) is a young orphan who is illiterate at the start of the novel, she wanted to learn how to read as people at school made fun of her. Hans Hubermann and Liesel gain a friendship after Hans discovers she is illiterate and starts to try to teach her the alphabet and how to read. Their bond grows stronger and stronger from their nights of reading in their basement. Their relationship started and is centred on words it gives them the ability to bond greatly with one another; “With a smile like that, you don’t need eyes.” Hans Hubermann stated (Zusak 68) Liesel and Hans's relationship is the main reason that she is able to settle into her new house on Himmel St. Their love grows extremely strong, showing the massive power of words that brings people closer together. Hans Hubermann told Liesel “With a smile like that, you don’t need eyes.”(Zusak 68) after he discovered Liesel's nightmares he would stay with her and comfort her back to sleep and help her through them, one of these days Hans drew Liesel after one of her nightmares he drew her without eyes and she asked why and he answered her “With a smile like that, you don’t need eyes.”(Zusak 68) clearly trying to comfort her this quote shows them bonding together after several days of reading and learning together in the basement becoming closer together. This quote clearly shows the bond that grew between the two after all the nights in the basement and care Hans showed her. After a while… max shows up at Hans Hubermann’s house caching in the favour that he promised him and his mother, that he would do or give them anything they needed after Max’s father saved Hans’s life in the war and Hans was filled with survivors guilt. While Nazis were raiding Jewish homes max fled to Hans’s houses looking for refuge hoping Hans would do as he promised which is what he did. When max seeks refuge in Liesel’s house they start to establish a small bond but it isn't until Max dreams of the outside and being free when he's in the basement that Liesel’s descriptions of the weather outside to Max officially created a strong bond between the two. After Christmas, The greatest gift Max gives Liesel in the novel words in the form of the “The Word Shaker,” the story he writes for her. In it, he suggests that words are the most powerful force there is, indicated by the fact that Hitler uses words and not guns or money or some other instrument to take over the world. The story essentially dramatizes the way Liesel has used words to create a refuge for herself in the midst of Nazism, and Max was able to find shelter in her words as well. After receiving the book Liesel fell in love with it “Liesel went through The Word Shaker many times”(Zusak 309) showing her love for Max strengthening the bond she had with him through words. “Liesel went through The Word Shaker many times”(Zusak 309) Liesel remembered Max fearing for him, the book was the last of him she had, it was a very special present that he left her “The Word Shaker” represented the bond/ the connection they had with one another through words showing the power of words and how it holds the connections and bonds of people being it the description of the weather or the daily newspaper. Lastly, in the book thief words are shown to mean a lot, they have a lot of power they have more power than anything else and one of the ways this power is represented in the book is by the bonds and connections created by words. Secondly, The Book Thief isn’t full of only powerful words used for good the power of words could be used by anyone for good or bad. Words have immense power, words can change the outcome for a whole country even an entire race. Words are what Hitler used to come to power nothing more just words truly showing the immense almost unreal power of words. Hitler was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and Führer ("Leader") of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. He used words, speeches and propaganda to take over Germany as its leader he then spread his hate and propaganda onto the Jewish race which he ordered to be executed, which later on led to the invasion of Poland and caused world war two to commence (which is when The Book Thief took place). Unfortunately The Book Thief isn’t full of powerful words used for good… what could one expect from a book narrated from death? Quite predictably, it gets darker from here. The power of words as shown by the Fuhrer can be used for manipulation and deceit arguably more than for goodness. Using sinister, and slimy propaganda, Hitler was able to catch the attention of the all of Germany with words and words alone getting them to believe something that weaker words would never get anyone to do destroy a whole race for no probable cause or reason. Adolf Hitler, a man without the qualifications, manipulates his way into being the leader of Germany; “Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words. ‘I will never fire a gun,’ he devised. ‘I will not have to’” (Zusak 445). The only reason that Adolf Hitler comes to power in Nazi Germany is the genius and power of his words. He never utilizes the brute force of a gun; he simply wields the ability of his words to get what he wants. Hitler’s use of the manipulative power of words as arguably one of the best in history, rising to power and getting 90% of a country to hate, and want the death of an entire race, from the simple use of speech clearly indicates the immense deceitful power of words. They say… “stick and stones may break your bones but words may never hurt you”(African Methodist Episcopal Church) that isn't so true anymore... is it? Words are clearly shown to be unimaginably powerful, and Hitler understands this power and uses it to his advantage… Hitler says “I will never fire a gun I will not have to’” (Zusak 445) he understands the power of his words and propaganda on Germany and knows words have more of an effect on people than guns… words are Hitler's weapons doing more than any gun ever could, killing 6 million nearly an entire race of people and taking over an entire country. To elaborate… It’s Hitler’s birthday during world war two, on Himel st. they start burning all Jewish books and begin celebrating the whole town is there including some Nazi officers. The purpose of the burning is to make sure everyone thinks of the jews like Hitler does and that all the teachings that oppose Hitler are destroyed so that his propaganda may stay for as long as possible without being tainted by truth. Much of Hitler's power as a leader is derived from his skill with words. In Max's novel for Liesel "The Word Shaker", he sees that Hitler decided to "rule the world with words" and calls Germany "a nation of farmed thoughts" (Zusak 445). The grand idea was that Germany would be a better country if all Jews were killed, the propaganda was spread via forms of large communication platforms like public speeches, books, newspapers or on the radio. In Max’s daydreams, he fights against Hitler in a boxing ring. Max lands a strong hit, then Hitler begins to call out to the audience of Germans, telling them that Jews are an pests that Germany needed to get rid of, and started telling them to “climb up into this ring” and “defeat this enemy together” (Zusak 254). Hitler, a mischievous speaker, uses words as a means to seduce, control, influence, and mobilize an entire nation. Liesel says it best: “Without words, the Führer [is] nothing” (Zusak 521). his weapon of choice was the deadliest of all, words. when Hitler said he’ll "rule the world with words"(Zusak 445) it meant that Hitler wanted to spread his propaganda his hate amongst the world as he had already discovered in Germany that words are the most powerful weapons against an unprotected mind… it worked on a nation why not all the nations… he had already decided to rule the world with words not guns. Hitler calls Germany "a nation of farmed thoughts" (Zusak 445) which means Hitler was planting what he wanted the German citizens to know limiting what they knew of the context and planting there minds to think do and say what he wanted (in other words he wanted them to do his bidding) revealing the power his words have. Hitler said, “climb up into this ring” and “defeat this enemy together” (Zusak 254). representing Hitler's persuasion of words telling all of Germany to do his bidding killing the Jews as represented by Max, himself not needing to do anything but speak. Liesel says “Without words, the Führer [is] nothing” (Zusak 521) this clearly shows that all the power Hitler has is in his words and nothing else. Words have immense power, Hitler shows that by bending a country to his will and killing over 6 million people belonging to one race. words have the power to change anything. He came to this power with words, propaganda and hate he then spread his hate across Germany, white supremacy and Jews. Additionally... in the end some words have the ultimate power, the power to choose between life and death. Before World War Two Hitler took over Germany and started to persuade people in fighting for him and doing as he said when he said. He ordered the execution of all the Jews in Germany and set off to spread Naziism amongst all of Germany destroying all that opposed his Nazi beliefs. Like many words in Nazi Germany, some are evil, and some have the ability to take people’s lives. Hitler’s words are one of the biggest murderers of them all, he uses only his words to kill over 6 million Jews nearly the entire race “Without words, the Fuhrer was nothing. There would be no limping prisoners, no need for consolation or worldly tricks to make us feel better” (Zusak 521). Hitler’s word bank is even stronger than the Nazi gun bank, his words are persuasive enough to convince the entirety of Germany to be merciless murderers. 6 million people, nearly an entire race of people are wiped out because of the unrealistic power that words have to be unimaginably persuasive, mind changing and evil one man’s words costed over 6 million lives. Words have the power of life and death the difference is which ones you choose to say. The thing of greatest importance in life is living; it is the most sacred thing to have. In the text it said that “Without words, the Fuhrer was nothing. There would be no limping prisoners, no need for consolation or worldly tricks to make us feel better” (Zusak 521) this clearly meant that all the power Hitler had came from his words without his words he’d be a powerless nobody and that nothing would have happened if Hitler did not have his words... there would not have been a Nazi Germany a World War Two or even the loss of 6 million Jews. During an air raid in world war two Nazi Germany, there was a miss read on the map and no one was signalled in Himel st. that there was going to be an air raid so during the middle of the night Himmel St. was struck killing all but one… The Book Thief. Although it may seem less direct than a judge sentencing a criminal the death penalty or not, words in Nazi Germany are the main reason why some people die, and some live. To start, people can be saved indirectly by words, being occupied by learning new words, reading books, or even creating a new book, can save people from the outside world quite literally. During a bomb raid over Munich, when the sirens are late to signal everyone about the air raid, Himmel Street is devastated. Everyone is killed on Himmel st. everyone but The Book Thief. She was spared as she was writing her book in the basement of her house when the bombs hit; death thought to himself “I wonder what she was reading when the first bomb dropped from the rib cage of a plane” (Zusak 528). The fact that Liesel is writing in her basement is the only reason that she survives, her love for words give her the motive to write very early in the morning, in a cold, dark, German basement. It is indirect, but the power of words is the reason that The Book Thief’s life is saved. Even, words that are not even meant to mean very much can also have the power to save lives. Death thought to himself “I wonder what she was reading when the first bomb dropped from the rib cage of a plane” (Zusak 528)- death was wondering what book saved Liesel's life maybe even thinking what the words that saved her meant. In addition, during World War 1 Hans Hubermann was saved in war by Max’s father Eric filled with survivors he offers his family anything they need. Words that are not even meant to mean very much can also have the power to save lives. Words that Hans says to Max and his mother, although not meaning to, give Max the sanctuary in which he was able to live; “’He saved my life’…’He-if there’s anything you ever need’” (Zusak 179). During World War 1, Max’s father Eric saves Hans’s life by electing him to not go into battle, on the particular day that the entire battalion is killed. Riddled with survivor’s guilt, Hans offers Max anything that he ever needs, not knowing how much influence those words would have on events to come. The simple, guilt-laced words that Hans says, not meaning to be extremely influential, are powerful enough to save Max’s life from the Fuhrer. “He saved my life… He-if there’s anything you ever need” (Zusak 179). This quote shows Hans being filled with survivors guilt wanting to do and help Eric’s family in any way he can… finally ending up saving his life. Some words have the ability to save or take someone's life, they are full of power and meaning and can ultimately decide fate. In “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak Words hold unimaginable power and meaning behind them a couple of them being how words create strong bonds and connections with one another, how words have immense power, how Hitler used his words to kill 6 million Jews and take over an entire country, showing the power leaking behind words it being ultimately the difference between life and death. At the start of the novel, Liesel reminder was illiterate, she found comfort in books and stories, they gave her a new life… To learn how to read, Liesel asked Hans Hubermann to help her they then started reading together every day they starting creating a bond over words which grew stronger and stronger by the minute. Later on Max started feeling lonely, being in the basement all the time so Liesel started describing to him the weather outside so he'd get a feel of it she would even bring him the newspaper when she could so he could do the puzzle and enjoy himself, these almost daily regimens strengthened their bonds together over words. Before Max had to leave Himmel st. he gave Liesel a gift a book he made for her Liesel read it multiple time front to back she loved it and in it, she felt him and her their bond was left together in words… in that book. Hitler never raised a gun to fight he used his words he spread propaganda, hate and persuasion amongst Germany he made himself the leader, he gave himself all the power, with words and nothing more. He used his words to kill over 6 million people he persuades people to do his bidding and that's exactly what they do his words are his greatest power. Words are the difference between life and death. In The Book Thief when Liesel was reading a book in her basement there was an air raid everyone died but her… indirectly or not, words where the difference between her life or death. More directly after Max’s father Eric saved Hans in World War One he was filled with survivors guilt and offered anything to his family which is repaid by Hans allowing Max to seek refuge in his house ultimately saving him from the Nazis and death. There is also the part about death, words that caused death would be none other than the fuhrer killing more than 6 million Jews with only his words, spreading propaganda and hate amongst Jews. One man's words had the ability to destroy a nation, to kill over 6 million people and spread hate to the hearts of many… But that means another man, a better man can help a nation maybe even create a nation, save over 6 million people and spread love with only his words… There's only one question who’s that man?(or woman or every/any other identifying or non identifying human being)