The Book Thief

 The Book Thief : The Reaper narrator 

 

Summary of The Book Thief:

 

Who is the thief stealing books? It seems to me it’s not only the Reaper, not only the protagonist but all the characters who desire to read and hope to learn from the world built up by words. In the beginning, the Reaper will show up and talks to the readers whoever open this book. Either delightful or desperate, he will company you through the events happening around a German girl, Liesel Meminger in WW 2. Liesel loses her family. First her mother, then her brother dies on the way to their new family. Fortunately, such a miserable girl is adopted by a nice couple, a gentle father reading books with her, and a nice mother, though most of her words is not nice. After settling down, Liesel finds books to hold lots of wonderful stuff, something cheerful filling up her hollow mind. To satisfy her thirst for knowledge, she can immerse herself in the books composed with many words unfamiliar to her. However, under the Nazi government, books bring her pleasure as well as troubles. Despite the blazing fire burning on the cover, she still goes back to the square where a bunch of books become ashes and pick up book like stealing priceless diamond. Liesel loves her family, friends, but her favorite books could do them harm because of the policy. Whatever the author ends her story, either good or bad, her growing path with her beloved people and life spiced up by the strength of books are something readers can’t miss. 

 

Reflection on the Reaper:

I am not a fan for reading novels; instead, I prefer to listen to an emotional storyteller telling twisted stories with a variety of intonations. Lucky enough, I used to have many intelligent storytellers around, lulling me by telling me their stories, romantic encounter, brave adventure, and life-risking moments. My grandpa, mother, father even sis is all good at creating senses grabbing people’s attention. How about a reaper? The cold reaper, being in charge of collecting lives, tells stories with happiness, sadness and desperation. What is a reaper in your mind? A white skeleton face, bone hands waving scythe and a black bloody hoodie are all terrifying. No fresh, no blood, he tells me a story about a clever girl, Liesel Meminger, in 20 century, wrenching my soul and heart. I can feel that the cruel reaper is working on the air in which delight comes to girl’s life and put smiles on her face. I see the sorrow words the emotionless reaper put to illustrate the sadness when someone’s gone, book’s burn, war’s come. It overturns my impression on so-called the Reaper.