“No matter how many times she tried to imagine that scene with the yellow light that she knew had been there, she had to struggle to visualize it. She was beaten in the dark, and she had remained there, on a cold, dark kitchen floor.” Liesel subconsciously thought. What author Markus Zusak is doing here is using colours purely as symbols. In reality the scene is light with yellow, however in Liesel’s mind and the mind of myself as I read this, darkness and the colour black is apparent. This is because Liesel has just come to the realisation that she will never see her birth mother again. This makes me imagine a dark, black, bleak scene as black is commonly associated with death, mourning and sadness – all feelings which Liesel is currently going through. “Even Papa’s music was the colour of darkness” Liesel thought. This represents how nothing, not even Papa and his accordion playing, could change things as he is not her real parent – her real parents are gone. In reality however, the scene is lit yellow. “The dark, the light. What is the difference?” thinks Liesel. Here Zusak is showing us that while the mourning goes on, character Liesel had already lost her family and is none the less willing and prepared to move on and carry on – to reach the happy yellow despite the sad darkness that surrounds.This is a key message Zusak is portraying

Quotes:

“Mettalic” Metallic/silver often referred to about Hans eyes

“her hunger to read that book was as intense as any ten-y ear-old hum an could experience”

“With a face of warm silver” Warm – Kind, Nurturing, Cosy, Loving, Safe
Silver – Soothing, Calming, Self Control. His face is loving and safe as well as soothing and calming especially in the perspective of Liesel. Perhaps silver is used symbolically for another reason?
Silver moon earlier in the book?

““Liesel,” he said, “could y ou roll m e a cigarette?” Nothing would give her greater pleasure.” Liesel loves Hans.

“PAPA’S FACE It travelled” It didn’t really travel – rather his mind had ‘gone’ and was thinking about other things, not presently there.

“She settled into the long arms of grass” Personification – grass doesn’t have long arms to settle into. Reflects her feeling that the she is being ‘hugged’ by the grass and feels safe and comforted lying their with Hans.

“Smell of friendship” Liesel Loves Hans.

“The summer of ’39 was in a hurry” Not literally – Liesel’s having fun ‘time flies when having fun’ which is relatable.

“A halo surrounded the grim reaper nun, Sister Maria.” Death’s perceptions/angelic?

“The book thief looked down again, at the words.” Interesting she should be referred to here as the book thief. Maybe because she is reading?

“gutter” The gutter symbolises the low point where the sludge is.