“LAW UNDER SIEGE: A SOCIO-LEGAL REVIEW OF MARKUS ZUSAK’S THE BOOK THIEF” BY - AARYA ATUL JADHAV
“LAW UNDER SIEGE: A SOCIO-LEGAL
REVIEW OF MARKUS ZUSAK’S THE BOOK THIEF”
AUTHORED BY
- AARYA ATUL JADHAV,
B.A. LL.B. (3rd
YEAR)
INTRODUCTION-
“The Book Thief”, written by Markus
Zusak, is an international bestseller published in 2005. It is a historical
fiction novel set in Nazi Germany during 1939, depicting the struggles of
humanity amidst the horrors of the Second World War.
The story revolves around a young
girl named Liesel Merminger, who finds solace in stealing books and sharing
them with others, to escape the harsh realities of war and destruction.
Uniquely narrated from the perspective of "death" as a third person,
this book is a describes Liesel’s journey where the readers gain a deeper
understanding of the importance of preserving humanity and the revolutionary
power of literature.
While suitable for all types of
readers, including -advocates, activists, educators, students and people interested
in social justice, historical drama and other related fields.
The book is placed within the domain
of World War II literature[1], combining
the fictional characters and narratives. The genre encompasses elements of
drama, tragedy, fantasy, revolution and coming-of-age, thus addressing
significant socio-legal issues.
CONTENT FROM SOCIO-LEGAL PERSPECTIVE–
The novel consists of 88 chapters
organized into ten parts along with a sensational prologue and an epilogue.
Liesel Merminger is a nine-year old girl whose only family is her brother and
mother. The story of her agony begins when she has to witness her mother being
sent to a concentration camp and the unfateful death of her brother on their
way to the foster homes. This is the time when she steals her first book- “A
Gravedigger’s Handbook”.
The novel is structured in such a way
that it shows progression in Liesel’s growing love for books with each part
shedding light on various socio-legal issues under the Nazi Regime. The
Prologue sets the tone with death introducing itself and its thoughts on
humanity.
The First Part deals with the right
to family and the impact of forced separation as Liesel is sent to the foster
home. The second and third parts emphasize on the “right to education” where
her foster father teaches her to read and she continues to steal more books,
prohibited by the Nazis.
The fourth, fifth and sixth parts,
describe Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man, hiding in the Hubermanns' basement,
highlighting “the right to life” and “the persecution of minorities”. On her
way, she befriends Max as well as her neighbour, Rudy Steiner. She starts reading
her books to her neighbours during the air raids in order to help them find
peace in the chaos.
Part Seven and Eight describes her resistance
the Nazi youth propaganda highlighting the “right to freedom of thought” and “freedom
of expression” and “idea of human dignity”, respectively. The final parts and
the epilogue highlights the bombing of Molching underlining “the right to
protection” from violence and the horrors of war and the aftermath of the war.
Liesel's sensational fight and survival amidst the loss of her loved ones deals with
the significance of the final enduring hope for human rights restoration.[2]
ANALYSIS–
The book effectively uses its
narrative structure and character development to penetrate One notable strength
is the depiction of ‘literature as a form of resistance’ against the oppressive
regimes. From my point of view, some of the most significant chapters include -"The
Smell of Friendship" and "The Mayor's Library" where Liesel’s
love for stealing books begin.
The scenes in the chapter -"The Long
Walk to Dachau" offer comfort and solidarity, highlighting the right to
community and the role of literature in sustaining human dignity amidst crisis.
The depiction of Max Vandenburg’s plight in chapters like "The Swapping of
Nightmares" and "The Hidden Sketchbook" is another strength,
showcasing the importance of personal freedom under an oppressive regime. moral
courage and resistance against systemic injustice.
The novel's narrative structure can
be critiqued for its potential bias and pacing issues. The frequent shifts in
perspective and slow pacing may disrupt the narrative flow, potentially
diminishing the impact of the human rights issues presented. The use of ‘Death’
as a narrator provides a unique perspective but may introduce a level of detachment
that could affecting a reader's emotional engagement with the characters as
they may not completely agree with the idea of something narrated by ‘death’
which is not a human character. However, after reading the entire novel, I
think that Zusak's arguments about the power of literature and the moral
complexities of resistance are well-supported. The depth of emotional and
thematic exploration makes "The Book Thief" a profound read, though
its narrative style and pacing may not appeal to everyone.
Despite these weaknesses, the novel’s
contribution to discussions on human rights and its emotional resonance make it
a valuable and thought-provoking work as it not only questions the idea of
totalitarianism, censorship, holocaust[3],
oppressive legal environment, moral courage, resistance against systemic
injustice[4],
etc; also demonstrating optimism by highlighting ‘human resilience’ and ‘the
potential of literature’, along with highlighting the significance– The Geneva
Conventions (1949)[5], The
Hague Conventions (1899)[6],
The Rome Statute (1998)[7],
The United Nations Charter (1945)[8]
,The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)(2013)[9],
etc.
Thus, the novel intertwines personal
stories with broader socio-legal and human rights themes, providing a powerful
narrative on resilience and the fight against oppression as love, friendship,
brotherhood, power of literature and most importantly, humanity.
EVALUATION-
Markus Zusak's "The Book
Thief" offers a profound and accurate portrayal of life in Nazi Germany, witnessed
through the eyes of a young girl, perceived by ‘death’. It has a commendable
depth and accuracy, providing an evocative evaluation of themes such as
mortality, war, and the power of literature.
The book's relevance is significant
for readers interested in historical fiction and World War II, presenting a
compelling narrative that is both educational and emotionally engaging. As a
modern classic, it will always be relevant in every generation.
The readability is high, with Zusak's
distinctive writing style marked by a poetic and reflective tone, making the
complex and often harrowing content accessible. The book is presented in a way
that balances narrative depth with readability, making it easy to follow
despite its rich and multifaceted storytelling.
In terms of value, the book is
well-priced and offers considerable worth for its investment. Its format is
attractive, and the price reflects the quality of the writing and the depth of
the story. The structure is so well-thought and intricately designed that
anyone will be in an awe after reading this. Every dialogue in the book
provides a very emotional irony of the hardships of humanity in different socio-political
realities like war and totalitarianism. It is a type of book which you can
never forget.
Therefore, I strongly recommend
"The Book Thief" not only for the readers of historical fiction,
interested in the impact of war on individuals but also people who appreciate
an elegant narrative.
The Book Thief is a satire and a didactic work
of art communicating the strong emotions portrayed by the characters, which
stay alive within the minds of readers. It truly does justice to make people
realize who they are and what inherent rights they possess. Thus, I pledge to
all the past and future readers of this book- Let us all stand united for the
victory of brotherhood, love, friendship, inclusion, empathy, sensitivity,
justice, equality of our fellow humans, as rightly said by the author-
“SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFUL.
NOT IN LOOKS. NOT IN WHAT THEY SAY.
JUST IN WHAT THEY ARE.”
-MARKUS ZUSAK
[1]The World War two literature
examines the themes of race, power, democracy and the human conditions under
such circumstances, addressing different issues with candor and realism.
[2] Human Rights are the rights that
every person has by virtue of being a human being. The Universal Decalaration
of Human Rights has outlined 30 human
rights.
[4]
Systemic Justice - a
community-driven approach to litigation that aims to transform the legal system
to help marginalized communities achieve racial, social, and economic justice.
[5] The Geneva Conventions are a set of international
treaties that establish rules for the
treatment of the civilians and the soldiers.