Introduction
Have you ever told a softened and dulled down stories to your parents as a child? Perhaps you were involved in a fight, displaying harsh actions and language. You retold the moment, only for it to be adapted into an inadequate, softened representation. As your parents shared the story once more, it formed a game of Chinese whispers; the story changing significantly due to adaption applied by different people. In introduction of the book thief, imagine you are Mark Zusak glimpsing death, and the Chinese whispers have been created by Brian Percival.

Through Percival criticizing Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’, he has revealed what he lacks himself, in relation to Shannon L. Alder’s quote “Often those that criticize others reveal what he himself lacks”. Therefore, the film adaptation of Mark Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’, being portrayed through different mediums with the use of different techniques, creates an overall inaccurate representation of the novel. With a lack of depth in characterization alongside inefficient representation of the narration of death, our perspective of the power in relation to the reality of war was softened. 

Sub Argument 1
The film adaption of the novel, “The Book Thief”, delivers an inconsistent narration of death in comparison to the novel. Death is portrayed as a warped and childishly softened version in comparison to our initial response towards the concept of death. This adapts our implied opinion towards the story, and therefore ineffectively re-creates war.  

The quote on page 4 of the novel, “Your soul will be in my arms. A colour will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away”, shows a slightly gentle and understanding side of death, which contrasts with our perception of death being cruel, unwanted, harsh and the deliverer of immense suffering. The use of colours in the prologue also heavily contrasts with the regularly stark and bland imagery related to the concept of death, as the correlation of his 3 meetings with Liesel were the colours of white, red, and black. Prior to reading, ‘The Book Thief’, Death was viewed as an unlikeable, unwanted and despised experience. Zusak has adapted this theme for us to have a broadened perspective throughout the entirety of the story, therefore understanding the harsh and realistic portrayal of war. According to Bertrand Russel, an open perspective will increase understanding. In the film however, the typical representation of death maintains our original perceptions of death, closing our perspective and ignoring the intrigue of a unique concept. This leads to an eventual level of disengagement when compared to the novel. Also, the characterization of death is simplistic, and missing key aspects which would add to the depth of the story. Although aspects of the relationship between death and Liesel alongside the colours was still apparent, as the story continued the presence of death was forgotten through the loss of high camera angles, voice techniques, colours, and the emotive music in the prologue. This severely effects the perspective in which we view the film.

 
Sub Argument 2
The representation of the character Max in the film is inaccurate and shallow, with his situation adapted from the reality present in the novel. This negatively effects the perspective of the audience towards the film; influencing their understanding of power. Max’s position to have left his family informs the audience of his character traits, being unconsciously selfless and caring for other people, despite the situation which informs us of his family heritage, having a once caring family for Hans Huberman, who is now returning the favor. This deepens the characterization in the story from telling to showing, including past, present and hinting at future events. In the novel, Max is locked in the basement transforming his copy of Mein Kampf by painting the pages white with Hans’ house paint. He then titles the book ‘The Standover Man’ and gives it to Liesel as a birthday present (page 150). The book was significantly important to the audience as it provides insight to the theme of the book thief, through the expression of words being powerful. In the film, Max gives Liesel ‘the stand over man’, however there is no story inside. Instead he tells her to write her own story, expressing that simple words are the secret to life (1:05:00). This lacks the depth of the novel in persuading the audience of the themes of power expressed in the book thief. Therefore, although Max’s character features obvious similarities from the novel to the film, including justice; his care for the people he loves, and resent towards people who cause harm, many differences are apparent especially when considering the depth of his characterization. This difference has an effect on the themes apparent between the novel and film, and ultimately changes the audience’s opinion on power, especially in relation to war.

Conclusion
It often seems that good things are to be left alone, in following Alder’s quote of criticization. Accordingly, Percival’s film was an inaccurate representation of Zusak’s novel, ‘The Book Thief’. With the shallow, softened aspects of characterization and the narration of death, our perspective of war and power is unrealistic. Therefore, Zusak has created a masterpiece, and it appears it should never have been copied by Percival as he ultimately revealed what he lacked himself.