... none of them had it. They had no qualms about stealing, but they needed to be told. They liked to be told, and Viktor Chemmel liked to be the teller. It was a nice microcosm.

Markus Zusak
About This Quote

Viktor Chemmel is the guy who used to be caught stealing. He was caught because he asked his friends to steal, but none of them felt comfortable doing so. They all knew Chemmel would be caught, so they didn’t want to put themselves in trouble. Chemmel was the one who came up with the idea of asking his friends to steal, and he was the one who had to face the consequences for it. If you are afraid of getting into trouble or losing face, maybe it’s time to stop thinking that others will always be able to do it for you.

Source: The Book Thief

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