In works of great literature, violent scenes often play an important role. However, these scenes of violence do not exist as an end in themselves, but add value and depth to the story being told. The Book Thief, written by Markus Zusak, is no exception to this statement. There are many violent scenes throughout the story, and they all add meaning and power to Zusak's writing. In this particular story, the violent acts show how a cruel, Nazi, and fascist society responds to acts of human kindness; they also show the power of words and ultimately show how survivors of tragedies deal with their guilt. The violent scenes in The Book Thief help showcase the themes of human kindness, the power of words, and survivor's guilt. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay An example of a violent scene in the story occurs during the first time the Nazis parade a line of Jews down Monaco Street. “Their eyes were huge in their hungry skulls. And the dirt. The dirt had molded itself to them. Their legs wobbled as they were pushed by the soldiers' hands...” (Zusak, 391-92). The parade of these human beings, treated like animals, is certainly a scene of unimaginable violence. However, due to this violence, Hans Hubermann's thoughts about the Nazis are shown through his thoughtful actions. “The Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of derision, but watched with everyone else as Hans Hubermann held out his hand and gave him a piece of bread, as if by magic” (Zusak, 394). When he gives a piece of bread to one of the Jews, his compassion and care for human beings is shown, regardless of their ethnic or religious origin. From this scene of violence emerges the theme that even in the darkest times, human compassion for one another still exists. Another example of how a scene of violence influenced the meaning of the story is the death of Liesel's brother on the train at the beginning of the story. “Liesel Meminger could see without a doubt that her little brother, Werner, was now sideways and dead. His blue eyes stared at the floor. See nothing” (Zusak, 20). Although her brother's death is a quick scene of violence, as he died coughing on a train, it sets in motion a chain of events that benefit Liesel's life and affect the meaning of the story. Since Werner died, Liesel has had to stop before arriving at her foster home to bury him. It is at this stop that he picks up the Gravedigger's Handbook and steals his first book. This book later becomes the glue that binds Liesel and Hans together and helps Liesel learn more and more about books and words. Then he realizes the power words have and the damage they can do. “The words. Why did they have to exist?... Without words, the Führer was nothing. There would be no limping prisoner, no need for consolation or worldly tricks to make us feel better” (Zusak, 521). All of these events, starting with Werner's violent death, contributed to the book's theme of the power of language. Another violent scene comes when Michael Holtzapfel survives the Battle of Stalingrad, but his brother Robert dies. Michael is so filled with guilt for surviving that he takes his own life. “Michael Holtzapfel knew what he was doing. He killed himself because he wanted to live” (Zusak, 503). This violent act of someone taking their own life sheds light on the theme of abandonment and survivor's guilt in the story. This theme, which is introduced earlier in the book, when Liesel's mother the.