Lepper1

PeytonLepper
Mrs.Rutan
APLiteratureandComposition
26September2015

IfFosterReadTheBookThief

Literaturecanbeeasilycomparedtowater.Onthesurface,literatureissimplywords
andsentencesjumbledupandspitontoapieceofpaper.However,likewater,youcandive
deeperintotheliteratureinordertogetabetterunderstanding,aswellastrytounderstandthe
deepermeaningbehindthepiece.InThomasC.Fostersbook,
HowtoReadLiteratureLikea
Professor
,heteachesreaderstodivedeeperintoliterature.Hecoversmanytheoriesthatteach
thereaderwhattolookforinliteraturetofindthesedeepermeanings,andmanyofhistheories
canbeappliedto
TheBookThief
byMarkusZusak
In
TheBookThief
,themainprotagonist,Liesel,isonaquesttostealbooks.Sheloves
toread,butatthetimeinNaziGermany,hernewfosterparentswereunabletoaffordbooksfor
her,andthusshedecidedtostealthem.InFostersbook,hearguesthatwhenthereisaquest
inanovel,itoftenresultsinthequesteracquiringknowledgeofsomesort,andthatthereal
reasonforaquest
never
involvesthestatedreason.(Foster,3)Lieselfitsthebillperfectly.At
theendof
TheBookThief
,Lieselhasgrownasapersontenfold.Herexperiencesfromstealing
bookshashelpedhergrowasapersonthroughoutthenovel.Fosterarguesthatthequester
oftenfacesmanyhardshipsandbumpsintheroadalongtheway,andLieselalsomatchesthis
description.Hermajorroadblockisthefactthatshehastosneakthroughthemayorswindow
togetthebooksshewanted.Butofcourse,asthequesteroftendoes,shesucceeds,andgets

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thebooks.Lieselsgrowthisnotstimulatedonlybystealingbooks,butsheisinfluencedbyone
man.HansHubermann.
Hansisaverycomplicatedcharacter,anditseasytocallhimaChristFigure.
Throughout
TheBookThief
,HansisoftenseendisagreeingwiththenatureoftheNaziArmy,
andtheirwayswhichwerefullofhate.Jesusisoftenknownforspreadinglove,aswellasthe
Christianideals.Hansisalsoverygoodwithhisadopteddaughter,Liesel.Atthebeginningof
thenovel,RosaistryingtogetLieseltotakeabath.HanssavesherbysimplytellingRosa,
Leaveheralone(Zusak,33).ThiscomplimentsFosterstheorythatchristfiguresareGood
withchildren(Foster,4).TheresalsothepartinwhichHansgivesapoorJewishmanbread
(whichjesusdoeswhenherisesfromthedead),andshowsthatZusakwantedthereaderto
makethisconnection.Hansisalsoaveryforgivingcharacter,especiallywhenLieselmakes
mistakes.
Whilewereonthetopicofreligion,letstalkaboutbaptismin
TheBookThief
.Atfirst
whenLieselmovesinwithhernewparents,shesdirty,heradoptedmother,Rosa,isattempting
togetLieseltotakeabath.Whenshefinallydoes,itssymbolismforherrebirthintohernew
family.Itsshowninthesentence,WhenLieselfinallyhadabath,aftertwoweeksoflivingon
HimmelStreet,Rosagaveheranenormous,injuryinducinghug(Zusak,35).NotonlyisLiesel
baptised,butsoisherbestfriend,Rudy.Muchlaterinthebook,someolderboys(whoarenot
thenicest),arebullyingLieselandRudy,andthrowoneofLieselsbooksintoariver.Rudy
jumpsintotheicydepths,toretrieveLieselsbookforher.Notonlydoesthisshowthechanges
inRudyscharacter,butitshowsthatRudyhasbeenrebornasayoungadult,ascomparedto
thesnottychildhewasearlierinthebook.Hethrewhimselfintoariverthatwassocold,Liesel
couldseetheacheofeachstep(Zusak,302).

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Thesameolderchildrenmentionedearlierplayanothercrucialrolein
TheBookThief
,
aswellashelptoproveanotherofFosterspoints.Fostersays,wheneverpeopleeatordrink
together,itscommunion(Foster,8),andthattheactofsharingsomethingusuallyfoodand
enjoyingittogetherhelpsrevealtheconnectionbetweenthecharacters.Thisistrueforthe
Rudy,andLiesel.Thetwofriendsgowiththeolderboystostealapplesfromafarm,andlater,
RudyandLieselconsumedsixapplesapiecewithinhalfanhour(Zusak,153).Thisshows
howcloseRudyandLieselhavebecomeasfriends,orpossibly,evensomethingmore.
TheappleshelptoclarifyanotherofFostersclaims,thatliteratureoftenreferencesthe
Bible.Fosterstheorysaysthatifabookmentionsagarden,serpent,plagues(Foster,47),
thenitsabiblereference.ThisappliestowhenLieselandRudyareeatingapplesonthe
riverbank.Theriverbankisthegarden,theapplesare,wellapples,andArthur,theolderboy,
istheserpent.Arthurtemptedthattheystealtheapples,andeatthem,similartothedevilinthe
bible.AlthoughLieselandRudywereunaccustomedtosuchluxury(Zusak153),they
continuedtoeattheapplestheyhadstolen.Lieselwaslaterpunishedforhersinswhenshe
vomitsathome.NotonlydoesLieselstealapples,butthroughoutthenovelshestealsbooks.
NotonlyisitstatedintheBiblethatstealingisasin,butitsthelossofinnocencethrough
temptationthatLieselexperiencesthroughout.LieselandRudystealingbooksisusedinorder
toshowtheirwickedness(Foster,53).Thisisanondirectreferencetothebibleaswell,as
AdamandEvewerefairlyyoung,temptedtotakesomething,andlosttheirinnocencebecause
ofit.
Allandall,Fosterstheoriescanbeappliedtoallsortsofliterature,and
TheBookThief
isnoexception.Itfeaturescommunion,theBible,achristfigure,baptism,questing,and
definitelymanymoreofFosterstheoriestobeexplored.
WorksCited

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Zusak,Markus.
TheBookThief
.NewYork:AlfredA.Knopf,2006.Print.
Foster,ThomasC.
HowtoReadLiteratureLikeaProfessor:ALivelyandEntertainingGuideto
ReadingbetweentheLines
.NewYork:Quill,2003.Print.