The Book Thief
The Book Thief is a great movie with historical content in it. I was delightful to be able to write a brief about it. So, here it is! *spoiler alert*
The Book Thief, a film released in October 3, two years ago is an American-German war drama film based on the same title for the book, narrated by Death. Some new faces fill up the starring field such as Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, and Sophie Nélisse. This film adapted exact story on its book authored by Markus Zusak. Directed by the most talented Michael Petroni, this film is about Liesel Meminger, who is the main character in the story, living her youth with her adoptive German family during the Nazi era. The main conflict is started when she went to school and couldn’t write her name on blackboard. Her friends then call her Dumpkoff or dumb people in German. Before arriving to her foster parents, her little brother died on the train. He was purposely to be adopted by the same parents with Liesel. During the funeral process, she found a book, which later became her first book ever read by her. Apparently, the reason for her adopting is because her parents are evidently found as one of communists, so she must be separated from her mother. At the same time, her mother was disappeared, right after delivering Liesel to the party who took care of foster’s procedure.
After arriving in her new parents’ house, she was welcomed by a cold mother and a loving father. She was taught how to read and had her own chalkboard down in her parents’ basement. All seemed doing well until a Jewish refugee came to the house and asked for a shelter. Since then, her new family began hiding him, which was known as Max in the home. Max was like giving a key to Liesel, to keep writing and reading books, even though at the time, the government clearly forbade any literary works, including books to be read by the people. They even burned the founding books in the same day of Fuhrer’s birthday. This ceremony attended by the people where they gathered around circling the burned books while singing German’s anthem. This event gave a slap to her, especially when she was just able to read and grew fondness to books.
When Max should be moved to the basement, because of the fright attacked to her foster parents for them to get caught hiding a Jewish, he was threatened by the extreme weather at the time (wintry days). He was sick for days. Liesel felt helpless until she found an idea to keep reading him stories. But she only had two books. Regarding to that, she met Ilsa, the mayor’s wife whose laundry got done by her mother. She was welcomed to enter Ilsa’s grand library. Since then, after delivering the laundry, she was allowed to read some books until Ilsa’s husband found out about this and disallowed Liesel and her mother to work with them anymore. And when Max was dying, she began stealing Ilsa’s books, reading it to Max until he gradually recovered.
One day, Max had to leave the house. Liese’s father had to fulfill his conscript. And when the family reunited again, it turned out only for a short time. One night, the city was bombed by accident. The air raid sirens failed to warn people. Hans, Rosa, and Rudy’s family, which are also precious persons for Liesel were killed in the blast. Liesel, who fell asleep down in the basement while writing her book was saved from the blast.
Two years later, Liesel was in the tailor shop owned by Rudy’s father, who turned out came back home safely after his conscript when she saw Max entering the room. She ran and hugged him. Max was the only person she considered as family left out. The movie was ended, still narrated by the Death with him telling about Liesel’s life and her death at the age of 90. Liesel was made it, to be a writer as suggested by Max long time ago. Death then concluded that the only truth he genuinely knew is that he is haunted by humans (from the World War I).
In my opinion, this movie was giving me chill, especially when Liesel's foster parents were died during the false-alarm of air-bombing. Liesel is being left out.
