Theme is defined as the main concepts or underlying meaning of a literary text, which can be stated directly or indirectly. The two types of themes that can appear in a literary text are major and minor themes. Abuse of power is when a person in a position of authority uses the influence they have to oppress or manipulate someone in a lower position to commit unlawful acts. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak details the story of Liesel Meminger who is separated from her parents and forced to live with her adoptive parents Rosa and Hans Huberman during World War II in Germany. When her adoptive father discovers that she cannot read, he teaches her how to use the books she stole, such as "The Gravediggers Handbook". Once she learns to read, she becomes captivated by reading anything she can to escape her miserable life. The text is set in Germany during World War II and the Holocaust, where six million Jews were killed by the Nazis. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power in 1934 and began implementing their anti-Semitic policies and German aggression that resulted in World War II (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016). This text will explain how Zusak directly and indirectly writes how the characters in the text abuse their power and the effect this produces. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of the main direct abuses of power that Zusak uses throughout the text is Adolf Hitler. Zusak depicts Hitler's abuse of power through a historical lens and in the plot when Liesel reads his text Mein Kampf and witnesses his Nazi youth with Rudy. When Hitler came to power, he established a dictatorship and enforced his discriminatory policies. He used his political position to exert threats and actions against those who disagreed with his policies. He also went so far as to exploit the nativity of German youth by teaching them Nazi ideology. As for the text, both Liesel and Rudy are forced to attend the Hitler Youth although neither they nor their family believe in Nazi ideology. Hitler and the Nazi Party installed such intense fear in their civilians that they could not, as has been said, disagree with their political views. This was an issue Liesel struggled with as she is close friends with Max Vandenburg, a Jewish man who is hiding in her basement. The more she learned and witnessed about Hitler and his cruel actions and when she realized that he had something to do with the disappearance of her parents and that she and her brother had to be sent away, the more her adoration for him was decreasing. After this revelation, she expresses her anger which causes her to develop hatred for him and vindictive tendencies. When she states "I hate the Furfe. I hate it", to which Hans Huberman slaps her and says "Don't ever say that again". Hans has no bad intentions to hurt Liesel, he just needs to discipline her because if someone had heard her express her hatred towards the Furfer and she hadn't been punished for it, they might have called the authorities on her and her family and they allegedly did it. were punished or possibly executed. Although Hans also disapproves of Hitler and his policies, he cares too much about Liesel to see her suffer or potentially lose her. Therefore, Zusak directly describes Hitler's abuse of power as chancellor by instilling fear of punishment and death in any civilian who dared to question, judge or judge him..