The 8 stages of genocide
In the book thief
Stage 1: Classification. When the group doing the discriminating distinguish between "us and them." In The Book Thief, this appears
Stage 2: Symbolization. When the group that is being discriminated against gets a symbol so that people can easily see that they are not the same. In the Holocaust, each different group got a different symbol. Homosexuals got a pink triangle. Gypsies got a black triangle. And Jews got that famous yellow star. In The Book Thief, the yellow stars are shown in the Road of Yellow Stars, where all the Jewish shops are marked with yellow stars and slurs.
Stage 3: Dehumanization. When the group doing the discriminating denies the humanity of the other group. People say that the group that is discriminated against gets care vermin and needs to be exterminated. This manifests itself in The Book Thief when the character Max imagines himself in a boxing match with Hitler and he imagines a German announcer introducing him as "the Jewish, rat-faced challenger."
Stage 4:Organization. Genocide requires a great deal of organization. Certain groups of people must be organized to achieve different facets of the genocide. In The Book Thief, this shows in the form of the Hitler's Youth programs that both Liesel and Rudy join.
Stage 5: Polarization. This is when classification goes to the next level. The two groups are driven even further apart by hateful propaganda and meetings. This is exhibited in The Book Thief during the book burning where not only are things supporting Judaism burned, but hateful things are yelled in the town square.
Stage 6: Preparation. When the group doing the discriminating draws up lists, identifies members of the discriminated group, and begins to ship people off. This is not shown as much as the other stages in The Book Thief, but it requires mentioning.
Stage 2: Symbolization. When the group that is being discriminated against gets a symbol so that people can easily see that they are not the same. In the Holocaust, each different group got a different symbol. Homosexuals got a pink triangle. Gypsies got a black triangle. And Jews got that famous yellow star. In The Book Thief, the yellow stars are shown in the Road of Yellow Stars, where all the Jewish shops are marked with yellow stars and slurs.
Stage 3: Dehumanization. When the group doing the discriminating denies the humanity of the other group. People say that the group that is discriminated against gets care vermin and needs to be exterminated. This manifests itself in The Book Thief when the character Max imagines himself in a boxing match with Hitler and he imagines a German announcer introducing him as "the Jewish, rat-faced challenger."
Stage 4:Organization. Genocide requires a great deal of organization. Certain groups of people must be organized to achieve different facets of the genocide. In The Book Thief, this shows in the form of the Hitler's Youth programs that both Liesel and Rudy join.
Stage 5: Polarization. This is when classification goes to the next level. The two groups are driven even further apart by hateful propaganda and meetings. This is exhibited in The Book Thief during the book burning where not only are things supporting Judaism burned, but hateful things are yelled in the town square.
Stage 6: Preparation. When the group doing the discriminating draws up lists, identifies members of the discriminated group, and begins to ship people off. This is not shown as much as the other stages in The Book Thief, but it requires mentioning.
Stage 7: Extermination. When the group being discriminated against is systematically killed. This stage is not blatantly stated in The Book Thief, only implied by the time period.
Stage 8: Denial. When the group formerly doing the discriminating denies all charges. This is not present in The Book Thief, and, in fact, is not entirely present in the actual Holocaust. The Nazis didn't really deny killing anyone.
Stage 8: Denial. When the group formerly doing the discriminating denies all charges. This is not present in The Book Thief, and, in fact, is not entirely present in the actual Holocaust. The Nazis didn't really deny killing anyone.