Analysis

When she thinks about words, Liesel thinks both about their goodness, how they can fill her up and empower her, as well as how they can destroy others and fill them with hate. She realizes all of the awful things for which words are responsible and finds herself despising them. In many ways, words are for Liesel what humans are for Death: complicated. She begins to wonder what good words are for.

Frau Hermann understands how her punishment of herself has been a mistake. She cares so much about Liesel, and about making sure that Liesel continues to love words and write her own and not make the same mistakes she made, that she leaves her home to visit Liesel. She wears a dress and gives Liesel the gift of writing, a place to put her words. Again, Frau Hermann provides Liesel with an outlet for her love of words and encourages her to pursue stories. This time, a story of her own that will save her life.

Just as Liesel has come to know the joy and pain that words can bring, she sees this same duality in writing. The experience of remembering and communicating her memories through her writing is painful, but it also reminds her of the happiness of certain moments.