2.4 Writing Portfolio – Genre Investigation – The Book Thief

In the Novel The Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses elements of Magical Realism to convey to the reader that their previous conceptions of Nazi Germany and its occupants, and how an entire nation can be swayed by words, and by regular people and events. In the novel, there are two clear pieces of evidence of how Magical Realism is used in this way. The first example of this is the creation of a fictional town for the setting of the story, Molching, and the next is the use of ‘Death’ as the narrator

Magical Realism is a genre of writing that is used to alter the reality of a text or film, and it is used to change or challenge the audience’s preconceptions about a certain topic. Magical Realism is used to change certain parts of an otherwise truthful world, and this is used most commonly intertwined to the truth, to give the text more meaning and to make the use of Magical Realism seem more valid because it is only slightly altering reality. In The Book Thief, the creation of a fictional location and the use of Death as a narrator are both Magical Realism because they both change what is otherwise a boring and mundane world. The reader is expecting a novel that continues on telling them the same thing about Nazi Germany, but The Book Thief changes the normalities of a historical novel, and it does this using Magical Realism

The setting of the book thief takes place in Germany, a real country, and it is on the outskirts of Munich, a real city in Germany, and it even lies near the Amper river, a real river that passes near Munich. But Molching is not real. Throughout the entirety of the text, the reader is led to believe that Molching is a real town. The use of a fictional town that is made to seem real. “Quite a way from the outskirts of Munich, there was a town called Molching” This quote places Molching into the real world, around real locations and this is used to give more depth to the story. The creation of a fictional town or setting for a novel gives the writer more freedom with naming things, which in turn can add more depth and layers while still getting the same level of realism. An example of this is the street that Liesel, the main character, and many of the other key characters live on. The street is named “Himmel Street” and the English translation of this means heaven. This is not only a reference to the fact of how much Liesel’s life changes after she moves to the street, from a girl whose mother put her up for adoption to someone with new parents that love her, new friends, and the ability to read and write. But it is also a reference to where all of the characters except Liesel will end up at the end of the book. Molching is a normal town in Germany, and the reader thinks that all of its occupants will be for the Nazi Party, just as they think that all of Germany has the same views as Hitler. But the text explores how the occupants of the fictional location are resisting against the Nazis.

Death is normally just a force of nature that coexists with humans, but he is given a whole new meaning in The Book Thief, when he is personified to become the narrator of the text. allows him to give the reader a new perspective on death, and the millions that were killed during WWII. “Here is a small fact – You are going to die” This is a direct quote that relates to this fact, because death is trying to tell the reader that he is inevitable, and that the reader of the text, and the human race as a whole, needs to accept that fact and live with it. The Holocaust, which happens around the time that the book is set, took millions of lives and is considered one of the most horrific acts in all of human history, is by all means in the text carried out by Death, but he is trying to tell the reader that it is natural and that it has to happen. “I am haunted by humans” Throughout the text deaths unique relationship with Liesel is explored. Death is meant to be unemotionless and to carry out his role without getting attached. but Death does get attached, he first sees her when her brother passes away, and later when an army piolet crashes near to her home. And Death becomes interested in her, more than he should be, throughout the text he cannot help being fascinated by her even though he shouldn’t be. Magical Realism is used to change the reader’s preconceptions in this area of the text, because humans do of think of Death as something with emotions, and something that might actually care for certain humans, even against his better judgement

Magical Realism is employed numerous times throughout the text to challenge the readers preconceptions of Nazi Germany, and I feel that I have focused on the Key areas in this essay. Both the fictional location of Molching and the use of Death as not only a narrator but as a key figure in the novel.