The Book Thief

Book thief main conflict

there are many conflicts in the book thief but im having trouble picking the biggest one, any suggestions?

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You are correct; there are many conflicts in this book. It is interesting that the conflicts and themes in this book are extensions of each other. I think the whole conflict of thievery (Liesel stealing the books) is also an interesting conflict. Liesel steals the books but at the same time she is liberating them from destruction. The whole idea of stealing as a bad thing to do comes into question. Liesel risks certain death in doing this as well. Her thievery is also a self-education and an act of rebellion against the Nazis. Liesel has found that ideas, if kept alive, are bulletproof. Still, just having the books or talking about the ideas is very dangerous for Liesel and all who sympathize with her.

The age-old conflicts of man vs. self and man vs. man dominate the landscape of this story. There's a fight for individual survival from beginning to end, as evidenced in the personal struggles of Liesel and Max, for example. The members of the Nazi regime stand in direct opposition to the rights and liberties of Jews, Blacks, homosexuals - though all are human beings worthy of dignity.