As I finished reading the Book Thief I started to consider what drove all the events that unraveled in this book. Was it love or hate or something else? Yes, hate is what most people believe drove Hitler's actions, but maybe it was love. His love of power. His love of being held up as a divine figure in the German citizens eyes. Maybe it was his love of the words and their power alone or it was his love with the occupation of puppet master.
What about Hans Hubberman? He slaps Liesel for saying she hates the Fuhrer, but doesn't Hans hate the Fuhrer and the Nazis and everything they stand for? His love for Liesel and her safety trumps his hatred. He knows the consequences of her statement, most likely death. He loves Liesel more than he hates the Fuhrer. I also think to Hans and the NSDAP. He hates the thought of going into service with the Nazis, thats his motive for not joining the Nazi regime right away and also for punching the window and door of the NSDAP building. He hated that they were torturing and marking the Jews, he even helped a Jew by repainting his door. Hans Hubberman is a tough call on whether he is drove by love or hate.
Liesel Meminger makes a powerful statement in the book when she thinks," I don't want to pray that Max is alive and safe. Or Alex Steiner. Because the world does not deserve them." (pg 521)
This is where I wonder which is stronger, love or hate. Liesel hates the world. She hates the war and bombs. She hates the Nazis. They took her papa, Alex Steiner, her mama, and Max. Her hatred of the Nazis is only slight compared to her hatred for the world. This is evident when she thinks, " The world is an ugly stew." But while she hates the world she loves Max and Alex Steiner, yet she doesn't want to pray that their alive. Does this mean that she hates the world more than the nazis? I don't believe so. I think that she knows that Max and Alex would be in a better place if they died. They wouldn't be surrounded by hate and bombs. They's be in Heaven. She is also punishing the world by taking those wonderful people from it. I think it's eveident that her love for Alex and Mas is stronger than her hatred.
Just a few thoughts off the top of my head. What do you think?
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I would say hate since the entire story is set in the background of WWII which was started entirely by feeling of hate. THere are moments of Lovethat penetrate though the hate but the whole premiss is based upon the hateful actions surrounding Liesel and her family.
ReplyDeleteI love the quote you wrote about, "The world is an ugly stew." How true, yet how sad. But is there hope as well? I think so...what do you think?
ReplyDelete-k
I agree Damon, that hate was a strong basis, but love could be argued I believe just as strongly. Hitler loved himself, he loved power, and he in a twisted way loved his country. If Hitler hadn't loved all those things, or been so self absorbed, where would his motive have been? Wasn't his love for himself what made him believe that he was so much greater than others, that drove him to exterminate them? Everyone needed to be like him.
ReplyDeleteI definately think that there is hope. It just takes the right ideas. The power of love is just as strong as hate if not stronger. Hope can be driven by love. Just like Liesel's motives were driven by her love of others. If the power is put in love, I definately believe that there is hope for this sad world.