Death in The Book Thief Essay Example

Death? Who or what is Death? Death, as we know it in the real world, marks the end of a person’s life, yet as presented in the novel, Death isn’t all that horrific. The novel, ‘The Book Thief’ by Markus Zusak, is a story narrated by an omniscient figure, Death. Who watches over Liesel and tells us her tale. He describes her as a little girl growing up in Germany during World War Two. She collects books, teaches herself to read, and finds solace in words. During the war, she befriended Max, a Jew, who was being sheltered by her family since they didn't want him to be persecuted. In the end, Max and Liesel are the only main characters who escape the war. Death plays an essential role in this novel because we perceive the world through the eyes of Death, providing the readers, with a new and distinct viewpoint on 'death.' In the novel, Death is presented as a human individual and is capable of experiencing grief, sympathy, and expressing humour. Death, as a narrator, demonstrates that he does not always have to be terrifying, but can also be nice.

Death's personality demonstrates that Death, too, has a heart. Death has so much compassion and affection for Liesel since he has been watching over her for a long time. Shortly after Liesel's brother dies, Death intervenes and says, "I wanted to say: "I'm sorry, child," and he truly meant it. "But that is not allowed." (Zusak 13). Death’s grief is emphasized in these lines, as he sincerely cares about Liesel and is devastated by her circumstance, but has no choice as his presence cannot be discovered. As a part of his job he is merely a bystander, and no matter how much he wishes to, he is unable to act. As a result, despite his affection for them, he is not obliged to show his feelings and comfort Liesel. He must only observe from the sidelines, and watch as tragedy is struck for those around him. Most people regard death as a sombre and even frightening figure. But for Death to offer love and compassion to a regular person reveals a lot about his nature and demonstrates that he truly does care. Death has a great deal of sympathy for humans and people who are dying throughout the novel. He despises his job and does not want to see anyone die, so he goes on to say, “Please believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks….I took them all away, and if ever there was a time I needed distraction, this was it. In complete desolation, I looked at the world above.” (Zusak 350) This demonstrates Death's sympathy for all the victims he takes away since he is troubled by the sight of their lifeless corpses and feels the urge to console and soothe each soul he collects, carefully resting them in his arms. Not only was Death torn about his job, but he also suffered from remorse and humiliation over his life's purpose. To add to Death’s personality, it is revealed that Death also has a quite dark sense of humour, which he expresses in this statement, “Mystery bores me. It chores me. I know what happens and so do you. It’s the machinations that wheel us there that aggravate, perplex, interest, and astound me” (Zusak 243). This phrase expresses humour because Death teaches us that when we think about our own deaths, we may laugh about it or make each day of our lives significant since we never know when it will be our last. This is demonstrated when Death reveals when certain characters die, since the characters' deaths are not as significant as how they spend their lives. Death also discloses when characters die before describing how they die, implying that we must know the endpoint before embarking on a trip, but it is the journey that is important. To live a meaningful life, goals must be set, and how those goals are accomplished is more important than whether or not they are met. Death does have a sense of humour and utilizes it brilliantly, but he also delivers powerful messages. Ultimately, Death's personality demonstrates that the way Death is pursued in the real world demonstrates that Death isn't what most people think of him to be, that he isn't someone to fear, but rather someone to admire.

Death is portrayed as a person, capable of feeling grief, sympathy, and expressing humour. As a narrator, Death proves that he does not always have to be frightening, but can also be nice. Death instills that, death, is more than simply the end of someone's life; it may also be the beginning of a new existence, the afterlife. Overall, Death has completely shifted the reader's perspective of ‘death’ throughout the novel.