One of the most unique things about Zusak's writing style is the language used. When I read "The Book Thief", the thing that stuck out to me the most was the way that he used words and phrases to describe things in unusual ways. When I first started the book, I was a little hesitant to agree with all the descriptions he made, but as the reader thinks about what Zusak is saying, they realize that even though the phrases are unconventional, they paint a picture which has layers in the reader's mind. In one part of the book, a picture that Max paints of a "dripping" sun is described. Even though most people wouldn't describe the sun as dripping, the image that it elicits transcends other and more common descriptions, such as a "blazing sun" or a "bright sun".
Another interesting play on words that caught my interest was the way that the narrator notices how a character says something. Instead of words being "blurted" or "spoken", they will be described as hovering between Leisel and Max, or clumsily falling at Hans' feet. This personifies words to an extent that is uncommon in the books I've previously read, but it creates a mood to the reading that other books lack. And in real life, words aren't just spoken, often times they do hover uncertainly or clutter shamefully. The narrator is great at catching these little shifts in the atmosphere that words can cause.
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ReplyDeleteI like how you stated that Zusak's phrases "paint a picture which has layers in the reader's mind." It is undeniable that his use of figurative language really allows us to better imagine what is happening in the book.
ReplyDeleteI never noticed that Zusak uses such unconventional phrases as that, but now I really do! The way he puts words together that would never go together before just seems to make sense in a way that no one would have ever expected. It baffles me to think about how skilled and truly brilliant the language is in this book.
ReplyDeleteI agree that figurative language is evident in the character's conversation. It's not just in the narration, which gives the novel a unique aspect.
ReplyDeletei agree, it's weird how he uses words to describe things that are the complete opposite of what they words mean.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Zusak's use of figurative language plays a large role in this book. It's interesting how you pointed out that he uses such unconventional phrases and some of the words he puts together (like in similes) normally would not make sense, but in this book they do.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how he uses words with the complete opposite meaning and somehow manages to put them together to make sense. This shows what a great writer he is and all of the similes that he uses is this book really allow me to picture exactly what is going on.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you touched on in your blog! I didn't really think about Zusak's weird way of phrasing things, but i agree that it really makes a difference. I think it is really cool how the author uses different phrases when explaining things, because like you said, it really adds to the story making it different than other books i've read. I also agree with the fact that his descriptions paint pictures inside the readers mind, making the reading much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou made some really interesting points! I really agree that the way Zusack describes things helps give readers a better image of things as they are reading.
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