Ase brief Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Ase brief - Research Paper Example In order for the appointments to be effective, the commissions were required to be delivered to the appointees. Most of the commission had been duly delivered. Jefferson argued that the remaining commissions were void since they had not been delivered by the expiration of president Adams’ presidential term. Marbury, an intended appointee applied to the US Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus to ensure that the commissions were duly delivered. II. The Law Pursuant to Article III Section 2 Clause 2 of the US Constitution, all cases relative to Ambassadors, public Consuls and ministers and cases in which the state is a party, the Supreme Court is possessed of original jurisdiction. Any other case falling under the authority of the judiciary, the Supreme Court will have the authority to determine appeals subject to any exceptions and/or regulations that Congress may apply. Under Section 13 of the Judiciary Act 1789, the Supreme Court has the authority to hear appeals from circuit courts and state courts and will also have the authority to issue prohibitive writs to district courts and writs of mandamus to any appointed courts or individuals in public office. III. Legal Questions/Issues The main legal questions/issues were: Is the claimant entitled to the commission?Does the claimant have a legal remedy? Does the Supreme Court have the jurisdiction to review Congressional decisions and to ascertain whether or not such decisions are constitutional and valid? Does Congress have the authority to broaden the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court as contained in Article III of the US Constitution? Does the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction include the authority to issue a writ of mandamus? IV. Holding/Decision and Action The US Supreme Court denied the writ of Mandamus with the result that the claimant did not obtain the commission. V. Opinion John Marshall, delivered the opinion of the court. The Court thus concluded that the claimant was entitled to the commission since it took effect once the Executive exercised its constitutional power of appointment and that power was the final act required of the executive exercising the authority. Therefore, once the commission was signed by the president it became effective. The court also ruled that the claimant did indeed have a legal remedy as it is implicit in the protection of civil rights: any person claiming harm has a right to the protection of the law. The US Supreme Court also ruled that the US Supreme Court has the power to review congressional decisions and to ascertain the constitutionality and validity of those decisions. It is the judiciary’s duty to state the law. In the application of the law to specific cases, the judiciary also has a duty to interpret and explain the applicable rule. When laws contradict each other, the Court has a duty to decide between the two. In all cases, the Constitution, the supreme law of the land will prevail where it is inconsistent with any other law. Moreover, the US Supreme Court ruled that Congress does not have the authority to expand upon the original jurisdiction accorded the Supreme Court beyond that conferred by Article III of the US Constitution. If Congress had such an authority, the Constitutional basis of original jurisdiction would be entirely meaningless. Finally, the Court ruled that the US Supreme Court did not have authority to issue a writ of mandamus within the parameters of its original jurisdic

Mankind is nah island Essay Example for Free

Mankind is nah island Essay The dynamic concept, belonging, is highly influenced by social marginalisation as individuals develop a sense of displacement amongst the dominant culture. Vangenderon’s, ‘Mankind Is No Island’, utilises film techniques, mise-en-scene and literary devices to explore the intangible concept of belonging. A sense of affiliation is established through the absence of belonging amongst the subjects of homelessness in two iconic cities, New York and Sydney. Representation All representation is subjective and incomplete. It allows us to understand an issue from a range of perspectives. The consideration of a variety of perspectives is necessary to developing a genuine understanding of an issue. Language is used to articulate, our particular perspective on an issue. The productive tension between the texts we have studied demonstrate how conflicting perspectives allow audiences to fully understand the complexity of representations. Appreciating that no single perspective contains the ‘truth’ allows us to value the unique contribution of each perspective. When preparing drafts: Start with an idea that allows for growth in multiple directions Choose one of those paths stick to it Allow yourself to end an idea then start again with new direction. Drafting strategies Rewrite sections of your story that seem to be wasted. Have a list of multiple next ‘moves’ to choose from When stuck do some research of the topic Work on the structure of the story. Intro Answer the question - INDICATE 2 ISSUES Elaborate stance – outline issues further. Clarify stance if you have made an overall assessment i.e. the effectiveness of Australian legal system. Link back to question, reiterate stance/direction Note: Maximum clarity Body 1* – Issue #1 Legal Response. Body 2 – Issue #1 Non-legal response. Body 3 – Issue #2 Legal Response. Body 4 – Issue #2 Non-legal response. Conclusion * Topic sentence: Introduce focus of paragraph [your point] Prove: Elaborate, clarify Discuss example – legislatiom, stas, cases, keywords, key terminolotiy, quotes, related to this topic Evaluation – reiterate what this evidence proves Link main argument.

The Education System In Mauritius

The Education System In Mauritius Education has been free for the secondary level since 1977 and for full time undergraduate level at the University of Mauritius since 1988. The State provides adequate funding for education, occasionally straining tight budgets and even subsidizing a great part of the expenditure in grant aided secondary schools, that is, schools under the control of privately owned institutions. With universal primary education being achieved in the 1970s, free education in 1977, and legislation making education up to 16 years of age compulsory, the challenges policyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ makers have had to face have related to broadening access at the higher education level, improving quality, and strengthening the management of the sector (while ensuring equity). The financing of higher education is basically via the government and students/parents. Students enrolled in public higher educational institutions are funded to a very large extent by the government. Students enrolled in local private higher education institutions and those in overseas institutions pay the full cost of their education. The key factors influencing the quality of higher education are the quality of faculty, curriculum standards, technological infrastructure available, research environment, accreditation regime and the administrative policies and procedures implemented in institutions of higher learning. The overall vision of government was spelt out in the New Economic Agenda formulated in 2000. The main challenge was to move gradually away from traditional sectors to the services sector. The objective was to diversify manufacturing into higher value-added markets and to consolidate services (financial, ICT, etc.) as a fourth pillar of economic development. To attract new investment and to maintain the countrys competitiveness, a highly productive skilled workforce was seen as imperative. With a view to setting Mauritius on a higher growth path, the country has recognised the importance of developing higher education as a regional hub for high quality education and training, to ensure that the knowledge industry acts as a catalyst in broadening the Mauritian economy, and in providing the necessary support to the existing and upcoming sectors. There has been a dramatic paradigm shift in the development strategy mooted by the government. In summary, it has been accepted by government that the education system, especially higher education, needs to be re-orientated to respond more effectively. Higher education in Mauritius can be traced back to the establishment of the School of Agriculture within the Department of Agriculture in 1914, which became integrated into the UoM when it was established in 1965. However, it was only in post-independent Mauritius that several public higher education institutions were created, which were complementary to UoM. Over the years the higher education sector has become increasingly diversified. Pre Primary sector The Pre-primary sector traditionally catered for children aged 4 onwards and , since this year, for those aged 3. The NER currently stands at 94 percent, with the State providing a per-child grant of MR 200 (USD 6). Private individuals/ institutions make up some 80 percent of the educational provision in the sector. The following measures are part of policy developments to consolidate the sector: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strengthening the institutional and regulatory framework for the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduction of disparity among pre-schools. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Addressing the problem of out-of-schools pre-primary children due to absolute poverty. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing a National Curriculum Framework for the pre-primary subsector. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensuring readiness of all pre-primary school children for primary school. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Construction of pre-primary units in disadvantaged areas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Strengthening partnerships with parents through a Parent Empowerment Program. Primary sector Children are enrolled in primary school from the age of five and enter Standard (Grade) I and move automatically up to Standard VI. The system is competitive and a two-year preparation starts since Standard V up to Standard VI for the end of primary school examinations, the CPE (Certificate of Primary Education). The CPE is a national examination carried out in all the schools of the island following a grading system. Five subjects are compulsory English, French, Mathematics, Science, and History and Geography and the grading process is based on the 5 best grades obtained from these along with any one of the Asian/ Arabic languages. . Government has implemented several initiatives in primary schools of the country in order to improve CPE examinations results. One such initiative is known as the Zones dEducation Prioritaires (Z.E.P.). This initiative targets the schools with low performance over a consecutive period of five years and involves the whole school community: school staff, parents, NGOs, business and community-based associations in improving the school climate and results. Other recent initiatives have included the development of an Enhancement Programme to cater for students of Std III and IV providing several co curricular activities to support the holistic development of the child, and the introduction of ICT in the classroom through the Sankorà © programme where classes of Std IV are progressively being equipped with computers and interactive projectors. Secondary sector The CPE determines admission to a secondary college. Secondary schools are either State owned, grant-aided private schools, or fully private fee-paying schools. The child enters college in Form I and progresses through to Form VI, requiring seven years of schooling since there is a two year preparation for the Higher School Certificate/A-Level examinations. A major nationally devised curriculum has been developed for Forms I-III with the Secondary Curriculum Framework now in place since 2010. Students study for a broad compulsory curriculum up to Form III comprising English, French, Mathematics and the Social and Hard Sciences. When students reach Form IV, they have to choose at least six major subjects for their O-Level examinations in Form V. Subsequently, students have to specialise in 3 main subjects and 2 subsidiary ones for the A Level examination. The O-Level and A-Level examinations are carried out by the University of Cambridge through the University of Cambridge International Examinations, which devises the syllabus; prepares and prints the examinations papers and does the correction for most subjects. TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) The main provider of the TVET program is the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD). The purpose of the MITD is to offer numerous technical programs to provide human resource training to meet the needs of the world of work at the middle professional level. The MITD also currently also provides courses at the level of National Diploma. The TVET sector is regulated by the Mauritius Qualifications Authority which also develops and maintains the national Qualifications Framework (NQF). Tertiary sector Tertiary education which started in 1924 with the College of Agriculture has since developed into a diversified system, composed of public, private, regional and overseas institutions catering for a wide range of courses and programmes. Tertiary education in Mauritius is characterized by a wide range of institutions with diverse characteristics. Some provide all levels of tertiary education in a range of disciplines while others focus their activities on only one or two areas at certain levels. A number of the institutions are overseas with their provisions made available through the distance education and mix mode. Within the public sector, tertiary education revolves around the University of Mauritius (UoM), the University of Technology (UTM), the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI), the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD) and the Open University of Mauritius (OUM). Overseeing the four tertiary education institutions (TEIs) is the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) which, inter alia, has responsibility for allocating public funds, and fostering, planning and coordinating the development of post-secondary education and training. In addition to the above publicly-funded institutions (PFIs), a number of private institutions are presently delivering tertiary-level programmes, mostly in niche areas like Information Technology, Law, Management, Accountancy and Finance. Many of the programmes in the private sector are offered in collaboration with overseas institutions. Many Mauritian students also either go overseas or resort exclusively to the open learning mode in pursuing their higher education studies. The University of Mauritius The University of Mauritius (UOM) is a national University in Mauritius. It is the oldest and largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered. The public universitys main campus is located at Rà ©duit, Moka. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was accompanied by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, inaugurated the University on 24th March 1972. Over the past decades, in response to the contemporaneous and emergent needs of the various sectors of the Mauritian economy, the university now has progressed from being a mostly in-service training institution to a fully-fledged university, concentrating increasingly on bachelors degrees, postgraduate programmes, research and consultancy. The universitys current strategic plan, Strategic Directions 2006-2015, has the following six strategic directions: Knowledge creation Knowledge diffusion Investing in resources Quality culture and good governance National, regional and international collaborations Community outreach The University of Mauritius has committed itself to continuous improvement and quality management. These are the actions that the university is trying to cater for: Ensuring relevance interact proactively with the world of work and the community to cater for emergent requirements while inculcating a wider sense of belonging to the university. Ensuring quality of teaching and learning enhance existing provisions for continuous improvement in the quality of teaching and learning, and work progressively towards the implementation of best practice. Strengthen research develop further the universitys research capacity and research management plan. Internationalize the university improve the international standing of the university and expand its role and programme of activities. Amongst Mauritian universities the UoM stands out both in terms of its dominance with regard to enrolment and it numerous pockets of excellence with regard to research. The UoM is the largest supplier of tertiary education locally, accounting for 22.2% of total higher education enrolment. Faculties Originally, the university had three schools, namely Agriculture, Administration and Industrial Technology. It has since expanded to comprise five faculties, namely Faculty Of Agriculture, Faculty Of Engineering, Faculty Of Law and Management, Faculty Of Science, and Faculty Of Social Studies Humanities. The faculties are involved in teaching, research and consultancy. It has also a Centre for Medical Research and Studies, a Centre for Distance Education, a Centre for Information Technology and Systems, and a Consultancy Centre. Following these on-campus developments and expansions, it resulted in a simultaneous increase in the number and in the diversity of programmes being offered, and the number of students enrolled. The programmes of the University are internationally recognized and include quality assurance mechanisms such as the external examiner system and affiliated with renowned Universities worldwide. There is a Quality Assurance Office which helps the University in maintaining and improving the quality of all its activities. There are various exchange agreements that have been established between the UOM and overseas universities. Students Union The Students Union, established in 1971, is run by and for the students. It work in the interest of students and regularly organize various activities. All students are members, the membership fee being included in the registration. Students are very dynamic in organizing extracurricular activities supported by the Public Relations Office.

Ancient Stories Of The Flood :: essays research papers

Stories of a primeval flood exist in all parts of the world, virtually every branch of the human race has traditions of a Great Flood that destroyed all of mankind, except one family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The closest parallel to the Biblical story of the flood occurs in the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, our fullest version of which is furnished by an Akkadian recension prepared, in the seventh century B.C. for the great library of King Ashurbanipal at Nineveh. The story itself is far older. We have fragments of versions dating as much as a thousand years earlier, and we possess also portions of a Summerian archetype.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Mesopotamian version: the gods apparently displeased with the evils of mankind decided to destroy it by means of a great flood. Ea, the god of wisdom and subtlety, was privy to their council and warned Utnapishtim, the Babylonian Noah, of the coming disaster. Utnapishtim was told to build a ship thirty cubits long and thirty cubits wide. Provision it and put in it specimens of every living thing. Then to board it with his family and possessions and launch it on the waters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For six days and nights the wind and flood raged. On the seventh day the flood abated. Everything, including mankind, had turned to mud and clay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Utnapishtim sent out a dove on the seventh day but it came back. He then sent out a swallow, but it came back. Finally he sent out a raven. The raven, however, saw that the waters had receded; it found food, and started to caw and wallow in the mud; it never came back. Eventually the ship grounded on Mount Nisir. Utnapishtim, seeing that the flood had receded, disembarked and set out an offering for the gods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enil, “Lord of the underworld,'; was very angry when he saw that Utnapishtim had been spared. He was soon calmed by the other gods and gave his blessing to Utnapishtim and his wife by granting them the gift of immortality and transferring them to a remote island.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Older versions, of which only fragments survive, tell virtually the same story, though the hero is sometimes called Atrahasis, or “Superwise,'; rather than Utnapishtim. In Western Asia the legend of the flood is of Summerian origin, and is now known from the excavations at Kish and Ur to have been based upon an historical catastrophe. In the Summerian version the hero is named Ziusudra, “the long lived.

Societies of Chesapeake Bay and New England Colonies

Societies of Chesapeake Bay and New England Colonies Many settlers who came to the New World from Britain in the early seventeenth century sought to establish a settlement for motives including economic and religious freedom in areas such as Chesapeake Bay colonies that comprised of Virginia and Maryland colonies and the New England colonies that consisted of Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Settlers who often came to these regions came with varying motivations, settled into different regions that had varying geographies, and encountered different circumstances. Through the passing of time, these particular distinctions would contribute into casting the two regions into two distinct societies. While those who settled in the early sixteenth centuries in the New England and Chesapeake Bay colonies were mostly settled by the English, on the contrary to what most believe, these two regions developed into two distinct societies by the eighteenth century. These societies were able to be characterized through their differences in many aspects of society including politically, economically, socially, and educationally. One aspect that illustrates difference between the Chesapeake Bay and New England colonies was the social differences that the two regions developed. For example, in the Chesapeake region, disease such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and malaria ravaged through the area. Unclean air and the hot climate further spread disease amongst the settlers. These factors had larger implications for Chesapeake colony society. With the combination of these factors, an individual living in the Chesapeake often had their life cut short by an average of ten years than an individual in the New England colony. As a result of shorter life spans, many families were disunited as widows were left with young children to support. Thus, women had a greater status than women in the New England colonies. Women of the Chesapeake region were able to inherit their husband’s estates and were issued a different property title. Disease also affected the population growth of the Chesapeake region. Since disease was widespread and many women did not migrate to the region, fertility rates were low. However, in the New England colonies, where a combination of clean air and colder climate helped decrease the risk of diseases, an individual tended to outlive their ounterpart in the Chesapeake region. Furthermore, settlers tended to migrate as families to the New England colonies, so the population was able to grow quicker. With a longer life, an individual could see the upbringing of their grandchildren. They had a pivotal role in ensuring the children grew up in a nurturing environment and that these c hildren followed the morale and guidelines of society. Early marriage and high fertility rates contributed in a booming birthrate. These facets contributed to the creation a strong, tranquil social structure of the New England colonies. Also unlike their Chesapeake counterparts, women in the New England colonies gave up there property rights when they married because Puritan lawmakers worried that recognizing women’s separate rights would cause conflicts between the husband and wife. As illustrated through these examples, New England and Chesapeake colonies were varied through social aspects of their societies. Another aspect in which the two regions differentiated in were economically. For example, in New England colonies, where there was not much arable land, the settlers were forced to depend on more livestock such as pigs, cattle, and sheep. Nonetheless, the settlers were able to create a small varied assortment of crops from the little land that they had. Furthermore, settlers of the New England region developed other industries such as developing their coastlines and built them for use as harbors for industries such as fishing and shipbuilding. In contrast to the New England region, the Chesapeake Bay colonies were quite different economically. The colonies of this region were much more dependent on agriculture economically. The settlers widely grew the addictive tobacco plant after John Rolfe (settler of the Virginia colony and the husband of Pocahantas) improved the bitterness of the plant. Thus, the demand for the plant grew steadily in England. This dependency on agriculture would eventually advance where individuals would create plantation system in order to meet the demands. Once again, as illustrated, Chesapeake and the New England region were different through their economic standards is one of the way that these two regions developed into distinct societies. These different economic characteristics eventually leads to another differentiation in these two colonial societies. In addition to these two societies differing economically and socially, these colonial regions also differed in the political aspects. For instance, in the New England colonies, especially in the colony of Connecticut, the government was based on a town system. The congregational Puritan churches of the region were where the adult men would gather and vote. The New England villagers voted on aspects such as electing their officials, appointing schoolmasters, as well as discussing daily matters. The colonists of this region saw sovereignty as being in the towns. The colonists also adopted this idea as a result of their conviction of unity for purpose. Conversely, the governments of the Chesapeake region operated more on a county system such as that of the House of Burgesses, where the colonists met on a yearly basis. This was a result of the people being spread out from their use of the plantation that tended to distribute the population throughout the region. As demonstrated, the New England colonies form of government varied widely from the Chesapeake form of government. New England’s use of the town meeting system and the Chesapeake colonies use of the county system show the differing political viewpoints, just one of the aspects that defined the two regions as two different distinct societies. Although the Chesapeake and New England colonies were considered monolithic when they were first settled in the early sixteenth century, the passing of time would eventually these regions into two distinctive societies. Those differences that define the characteristics of these two societies are essential because they play an essential role in the creation in several facets United States history such as the development of the government (as later shown in history through Roger Sherman‘s Connecticut Compromise) and social and political issues such as slavery. The Chesapeake Bay and New England colonies were indeed significant regions; even though they varied in many aspects, played a significant role in shaping the attitudes of American society later in the nation’s history.

The Book Thief Essay

Describe at least ONE character or individual you enjoyed reading about in the text(s). Explain why the character(s) or individual(s) helped you understand an idea in the text(s). History and especially World War Two is a testament to the duality of human nature. Jeffery Kluger in an article for Time Magazine reflects on this aspect of human nature. â€Å"The madness {lies} in the fact that the savage and the splendid can exist in one creature, one person and often in one instant. I enjoyed reading about Liesel Meminger in the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Liesel is nine years old and lives in Nazi Germany. In the early chapters of the book we learn that her younger brother has dies, her father is missing ad her communist mother has arranged for her to be adopted by Hans and Rosa Hubermann. It is while Liesel is living in the Hubermann’s household on Himmel Street that readers engage with her rite of passage and her witness of the extreme ugliness and beauty of human behaviour.Liesel is a moral compass, helping the reader to understand the idea that we can counter loss and hatred with the power of words and acts of compassion. Liesel helps the reader to understand the idea that we can counter loss and hatred with the power of words and acts of compassion through her relationship with Max, a Jew hidden by Han’s Hubermann in his basement. Living in a suffocating Nazi era, Liesel still manages to form a loving and secretive friendship with an unlikely Jew that allows the reader to be engaged and feel too the emotions shared between Liesel and Max. They were the erased pages of Mein Kampf, gagging, suffocating under the paint as they turned† this is an example of the many counter words of hatred entwined with the words of love. One of the smallest treasures in Liesels life is the power held within her stories and imagination. Max and Liesels friendship takes height when Max gifts Liesel a story created by him called The Standover Man. T he story portrays the image of a weak Jew finding hope in a small girl, the story of Max and Liesel. â€Å"Now I live in the basement. Bad dreams still live in my sleep.One Night, after my usual nightmare, a shadow stood above me. She said, ‘tell me what you dream of’ so I did. † A further example of the counter hatred and loss is shown when Max asks Liesel to tell him what the weather is like outside, in the world above his concrete live. â€Å"Often, I wish this would all be over Liesel, but then somehow you do something like walk down the basement with a snowman in your hands† this quote expresses the life that Max is living and how Liesel can bring him moments of hope and joy and promote optimism for an outcome at the end of this life.As a member of the Hitler Youth, Liesel is taught that Jews are inferior to the German race. This quote is an example of counter hate and teachers the reader of the trust and compassion shared by Liesel and Max; despite t he dictating Nazi propaganda, Liesel forms her own opinions and allows the reader to follow her example by looking at Max in a positive light and find the true beauty of human nature. Also, Liesels relationship with Han’s Hubermann helps the reader to understand the idea that we can counter loss and hatred with the power of words and the acts of compassion.An example of this is shown in the first chapters of the story where Liesels brother dies on their dreadful train journey to Mochling. Liesel has nightmares every night about this tragic event and Hans’ acts of compassion counter the loss in Liesels life. Liesel and Hans share a loving Father, Daughter relationship shared once again between their love of reading and imagination. Hans and Liesel share a loving relationship in Liesels time of need and Hans offers countless love and support.From her first arrival at Himmel Street, Liesels relationship with Hans is shown, ‘Hans Hubermann had just completed rolling a cigarette, having licked the paper and joined it up. He looked over at Liesel and winked. She would have no trouble calling him Papa. ’ Hans is the antithesis of Liesels foster mother, a compassionate being with a calm tone of voice. After Liesels embarrassing bed wetting incident, Hans’ role as a passionate Father is shown. Hans and Liesel share a common interest of reading and writing and as Hans teaches Liesel to read and write, he teaches himself to advance his reading skills.Liesels incident of loss with her brother in countered when Hans hangs her sheets and says ‘let the midnight class start’. Hans teaches the reader than a sharing of common interests in key in a child’s development and allowed his relationship with Liesel as her Papa to really progress because they shared a mutual interest in the arts of reading and writing. Further, Liesel helps the reader to understand the ideas that we can counter loss and hatred with the power of words through her actions related to books and reading.In life, we as readers find that stories are means of escape – imagination is one place we can control in even the darkest of times. Liesel shares a mutual relationship of loss with Isla Hermann, the mayor’s wife. Isla lost her son in a fatal incident with a barbed wire fence and uses her library and books as a means of escape from reality. Liesel and Isla share a mutual passion for books and reading and find a friendship forming because of this. Liesel is denied very few joys in life because her family’s economic position and she steals books as a means to fulfil her empty void.She however is taken aside when she is shown the massive library located and Isla Hermann’s abode and Death narrates â€Å"it was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen† Both Liesel and Isla counter loss and hatred with the power of words through her actions related to books and reading. Liesel is mos t certainly a moral compass, helping the reader that we can counter loss and hatred with the power of words and acts of compassion.The reader further engages with her rite of passage and her witness of extreme ugliness and the beauties of human nature. Liesel in The Book Thief is a character I enjoyed reading about. She allows the reader an intimate view of one of the most shameful periods in human history yet in doing so she reminds us of some of the most compassionate acts in human history. Markus Zusak, like his character Liesel, uses powerful words to manipulate and engage the reader so that we never forget the duality of human nature and the need for compassion in the face of brutality.