The Book Thief is very much a cynical book. Problems are brought into the plot and they aren’t all resolved. Liesel’s fears of abandonment are actually worsened near the end of the book, as most of the people she has learned to love throughout her life die during a bombing. Liesel’s essentially left all alone. The only ray of hope is that Max survived through the Holocaust. It seems cruel to have Liesel lose almost everyone, but at least Max, the person she came to see as a brother, lived. Although subtle, the impact of Max’s survival is shown when Liesel and Max meet after the war is over. “Liesel came out. They hugged and cried and fell to the floor.” (Zusak, 549). It’s not the most idealistic resolution, but now Liesel can realise that everyone hasn’t abandoned her yet. Instead of spending her life alone, she can spend it with Max. This type of resolution is exactly what happens in The Book of Negroes. In The Book of Negroes, Aminata seemingly loses her whole family. It’s not until the very end of the book that Aminata is reunited with her long lost daughter, May. This reunion allows Aminata to realise that her job is finally complete and that she can leave the world without any regrets. Yeah, both Liesel and Aminata lose most of their loved ones, but they each get to reunite with one person they had lost and though they would never see again. It is also safe to assume that Max’s feelings of helplessness have finally left him, as his mere existence no longer endangers him or his loved ones.
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