Beneath her shirt, a book was eating her up.

This book meant so much to me, I cannot begin to explain the emotional attachment I have to it.  Without much explanation, here is a step-by-step collection of images culminating in my own expression of The Book Thief.  Enjoy...

In the event of snow, you must make sure you use a good shovel...

Death as the narrator of The Book Thief... This definitely adds a unique element to the novel.

"First the colors.  Then the humans."  My biggest question with Death comes back to this first line - the colors. Death's perception of colors is fascinating and makes him out to be a beautiful artist.  Any painter would tell you that a sky isn't blue - a sky is blue and yellow and orange and purple and red and bursting with life.  His visioning of all of the different colors is incredible and rivals the beauty of a famous painting.  Also, how could Death not be interested in Liesel when her first stolen book was about the proper way to treat the dead?

Liesel's story is sad and heartbreaking and a contradiction to popular belief.  Normally, Holocaust stories portray the pain and suffering of a Jewish person, but this story takes place on the other side of the spectrum.  However, at the beginning of the story I thought this had to be about a Jewish girl.  When Liesel was traveling on the train and her brother died, I automatically assumed that this must be a train to a concentration camp.

This personality contradiction seems to be a favorite of Zusak.  In Maus, the therapist claims, "Perhaps there shouldn't be any more Holocaust stories."  The therapist and Vladek seem to feel like the basic story has been told over and over; however, both Vladek and Zusak decide to take their stories to the next level.  They want their story to be different than any other Holocaust narrative.  Zusak's story is one of pain, but it is a universal pain, a bystander's pain.

You murdered me, mommy...

My personal life plays a large part in my connection to this graphic novel, Maus.  First, I love and respect the art of the comic (well done comics, that is).  Second, this is my first year teaching 8th grade Literature and one of my district's requirements is the coverage of Anne Frank.  I will never claim to be a history buff, far from it in fact.  This novel has been an eye opener and an excellent example of for me to learn from and pass on to my students.

That said, I was confused by the introduction of the novel which featured Valdek's history with Lucia Greenberg.  I began to think that this was the author merely trying to point out the humanity and normalcy of his father; however, through further reading I began to see another character trait emerge.  Vladek is resourceful and always seems to look out for himself - sometimes to the point of being selfish and one minded.  I think this was a character trait that Art choose to utilize and emphasize to remind the reader that his father was a human being throughout the entire experience of the Holocaust.  Despite being subjected to such brutality and the dehumanizing effect of the Nazis, Vladek retains his humanesque qualities throughout.

The appearance of "Prisoner on a Hell Planet" was definitely unexpected.  On a side note, I appreciated the stark contrast of artistic quality, but as for it's importance I am drawn two ways.  As previously explained, Vladek is truly a man after his own goals.  This experience of the death of his wife shows a true and utter breakdown which was unseen throughout the entire Holocaust experience.  How could a man who was so strong break down now after all this time?  On the other hand, I feel like this is the reader's first honest connection to the author. Up until now, it has seemed that the war has had little effect on Art's life, but this shows us a glimpse of something more.

The final word of the novel, "Murderer" is filled with strength and power.  During the escape into the "... Hell Planet" comic, Arti blames his mother for his death.  He claims that she is his murderer.  As his mother faded away into maniac depression and eventually her suicide, she drove her son to madness.  In his madness he links her depression and her obsession over him as an equivalent to the death of him.  This last word of the novel, rings back to the comic; however, it is not the mother who is claimed as committing the perfect crime - it is Vladek.  Vladek destroyed and lost the only element of Anja before the depression.  In doing so, Vladek has murdered the one image of 'mother' that Arti has always held dear.