The words are detrimental to Max. The majority of words spoken to Max are hurtful or scared for his future. Max rethinks his life and realizes how fortunate he is, but how much danger he is putting these people in. In the Hubbermanns basement, Max says, “How could he show up and ask people to risk their lives for him? How could he be so selfish?”(Zusak 169). The reader gets inside of Max’s brain and it is …show more content…
This stands true in the novel, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. For instance, Max Vandenburg, his life is seen as useless in the eyes of society and everyone would rather have him punished for his heritage. Although he does not talk often, his language is full of power. Also, Hans Hubbermann, a man of love, even hurt others with his words in a way that is unforgettable. Finally, Death, the overseeing man's words, had both the most powerful words, but least impact. He tries to be heartfelt but as the figure who takes souls, he ends up becoming wounding. These three characters all carry the message that in this novel, the words are a power used