The Words

“The words. Why did they have to exist? Without them, there wouldn’t be any of this.”
–Markus Zusak in The Book Thief

The Book Thief is one of my absolute favorite books. Partially because I’m obsessed with any literature that discusses the Holocaust and partially because it’s just such a great book. I haven’t read anything else by Markus Zusak (which needs to change soon), so I’m not sure if this is just a one-hit wonder of if he’s just an incredible writer in every aspect. I love the book because of the ability to relate, the perspective in which it is written, and the passion and focus on words throughout the book. The fact that it is about the Holocaust is kind of just the icing on top that makes me even more enthralled with it.

I think this quote, in particular, sums up the book excellently. It’s about words, yes, but it’s also about life, meaning, destruction, passion, relationships, and so much more. There’s so much that could be analyzed with this quote and people could probably discuss their related thoughts for hours upon hours at a time. It’s just so deep.

Without words, Hitler could not have spoken to an entire nation. He would not have been able to use his gift of elocution to convince such an enormous number of people to follow him. Without words, the Nazi army could not have been created. Without words, there could not have been such clear prejudice, hatred, and racism towards the different groups that the Nazis targeted.

However, without words, Elie Wiesel could not have been a famous, award-winning author who was able to tell his story of this terrible time. Without words, generations later, children would have no legitimate understanding of what the Holocaust was. Without words, we would be silent and no one would have a voice. And what good is a world where no one has a voice? Where no one can speak their mind or have an outspoken opinion? Without words, no one can change the world.