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Sebastian Reisch

Mrs. Tallardy

English Honors 121

September 11th, 2017

On Demand Writing Assignment #1

Catcher in the Rye ​by J.D. Salinger and ​The Book Thief​ by Markus Zusak, although both

seen on opposing sides of literature and the way they tell their story, depict ideas on the power of

words or the recklessness that many make when they are either cast away or for survival. Both

novels set in the past of the 20th century, one in the midst of WWII, the other in New York

during the 1950s. The settings and societies differentiate significantly between both novels, the

protagonists in some manner share some similarities. Markus Zusak, child of four in Sydney

Australia, His parents Being immigrants from Germany and Austria significantly affecting his

writing style of ​The Book Thief​. Unlike Mr. Zusak, J.D. Salinger in the U.S. was an aspiring

writer but had his life shifting roles when he enlisted in the army during the wars of the time.

Different stories and different lifestyles, but both authors created wondrous works of literature in

their intriguing way.

In the 20th century, propaganda used in many ways even during the war was used to

persuade proud nationalistic people to enlist. The way Liesel in ​The Book Thief​ saw propaganda,

was seen during the empowering scene of The Word Shaker. The Word Shaker a book made by

the jew, Max, that they kept in secrecy, was written for her for the bond they developed. In the

story, he explains how Hitler strove to power not by using force but by using words “Words are

life Liesel”(Zusak) and put those words into the minds of the German citizens. Subsequently,
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adding symbols and ideas that would eventually turn to hate and pride. The power of words is

possible to utilize in multiple ways, Liesel loved to read when the sirens would alarm their

neighborhood, evacuation consisted of having to go into a basement, the restless children and

others, soothed when Liesel would read the chapters of her books. Sometimes words make

impacting decisions, sometimes people no matter how influential the speech, cannot change their

views. In ​Catcher in the Rye ​Holden, the protagonist, thrown into some situations where words

would not alter their opinion, as when Holden was at the hotel. During his stay, he called up a

prostitute who then proceeds to cancel and talk instead, ending up a few hours later in a

confrontation with a man asking for more money and subsequently stealing his cash while

punching him in the gut. Contrast to how Holden tries to apply his emotions into the words

against others, he had enough and decided to leave his family friends and school, only one

problem persisted. The only person, ever knowing and understanding Holden was his sister and

to watch her bring all her belongings as well through the degree of her determination “Why can't

I? Please, Holden! I won't do anything-- I'll just go with you, that's all! I won't even take my

clothes with me if you don't want me to--I'll just take my--"(Salinger), was enough for him to

realize and decide to stay and was for once a lot happier than the whole book depicted him as.

When the mind fails, and words cease to work, any other plausible actions start to

develop. In the ​Catcher in the Rye​ Holden is thrown away by most beings in his life, His parents,

teachers, friends and more, does not help him understand the choices to make or what he does.

During the time in school, Holden after remembered of an old childhood friend, who presumably

his roommate had sexual intercourse with lashes out, only because he still saw Jane as the girl he

used to know “She just liked the way they looked when they were all in the back row." Stradlater
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didn't say anything. That kind of stuff doesn't interest most people”(Salinger). This scene

resulted in a fight between the two with him losing and a bloody nose as well as a decent attitude

towards his classmates. With no one as a friend or them all just being depressing as well as his

teachers not helping Holden, gets kicked out of school and cannot go home, so he decides to live

in a hotel for a few days. Not only does he drink and smoke at the age of sixteen, but he also gets

into fights and acts without thought, In return bringing his self-esteem down and his depression

up. Unlike being socially cast aside, Liesel, as well as her best friend Rudy, decide to act out in

their way. To start, their parents and family life were not of wealth or fame; their resources are

sparse. Being poor in the middle of the war in Germany led to little food and hunger. Liesel and

Rudy, granted the opportunity to join a stealing gang for food and accepting, stealing crops from

farms and split them with the rest of the group. Working for a time, but after a while, the leader

left, and the gang disbanded. Although hunger was a real problem for the two, they decided to

give pieces of their food to Jews because they were hungrier than them, as well as Liesel wanted

to see if her friend now Max was still alive. This decision was hazardous because the last

experience of someone to grant food was when her father threw bread on the road, whipped also

being sent off to war. Both protagonists with difficult decisions, dealt and witnessed many events

but learned from their experiences.

The struggle of the two protagonists is each different in their way, both suffering from

their actions and decisions as well as had many hardships to deal with in their experiences. Helen

Keller once said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of

trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved”, Liesel

and Holden, both different experiences and feelings throughout their stories, learned and became
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stronger individuals. Their strength was not measured by how strong they were physically, but

by the number of hits they received and the strive and will to keep going even when the whole

world was against them. Not only were they able to deal with their problems, but Holden and

Liesel were also able to contribute and affect the lives around them. Although broadly different,

both ​Catcher in the Rye​ and ​The Book Thief ​were both great novels in their perspective and

genre, in-depth, similar.

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Work Cited

Zusak, Markus, and Trudy White. ​The Book Thief​. Black Swan, 2016.

Salinger, J. D. ​The Catcher in the Rye​. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 2014.

“Markus Zusak Biography.” ​Chicago Public Library​,

www.chipublib.org/markus-zusak-biography/.

“J.D. Salinger.” ​Biography.com​, A&E Networks Television, 28 Jan. 2015,

www.biography.com/people/jd-salinger-9470070