Words: 454
“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant. “?? ?
Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist’s suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth with her fingers… She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on… ?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “I carried [Rudy] softly through the broken street… with him I tried a little harder [at comforting]. I watched the contents of his soul for a moment and saw a black-painted boy calling the name Jesse Owens as he ran through an imaginary tape. I saw him hip-deep in some icy water, chasing a book, and I saw a boy lying in bed, imagining how a kiss would taste from his glorious next-door neighbor. He does something to me, that boy. Every time.
It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. (Death)”?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief “Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out. “?? ? Markus Zusak,??The Book Thief