In The Book Thief, all the characters are, in one way or another; witnesses to the Antisemitism that has taken a hold of Germany. On one side there’s those who are in agreement with Hitler and believe that the Jews should be exterminated. On the other side there are those who are mortified by this horrific injustice. Although the main conflict in the book involves the moral issues with Antisemitism, none of the main characters actually take part in it. Only the side characters are ever shown to be Nazis. For example, Hans’ son, Hans Junior is a wholehearted Nazi and is disgusted by his father’s dislike of them. This vast difference in opinion, concerning injustice, between parent and child is also found in A Thousand Splendid Suns. In that book, the main character, Mariam, disagrees with her father. Mariam’s father is embarrassed of being seen with Mariam because her mother was his employee, while Mariam believes that no matter who her mom is, they can have a normal father-and-daughter relationship. Hans is a kind person and he can’t stand and watch what is happening in Nazi Germany. Hans even goes as far as to help, not one but two, Jews, even though he knows of the consequences. After helping out the second Jewish man, Hans realizes what he’s done, and says, “I am stupid…And kind. Which makes me the biggest idiot in the world. The thing is I want them to come for me. Anything’s better than this waiting.” (Zusak, 402). The quote shows how Hans’ kindness has become a double-edged sword. Hans knows that to protect his family, he has to conform to the Nazis, but his character won’t allow him to just sit and watch the cruel treatment of the Jews. Hans and his family, Rosa and Liesel, helped show the readers that not all humans in Nazi Germany were murderers.
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