Death In The Book Thief Essay

Death, the last figure we see before our grasp on reality slips for the last time, a constant reminder of our mortality. Death is also the first figure we are introduced to and the narrator of The Book Thief. By use of his monologue we learn of his fascination with colors as an escape from his never ending duties as a soul collector. This insight into Death's personality assures us that he is not an emotionless character, but that rather then succumbing to the sad and sometime horrific scenes of his victims he must find ways of enduring them. Through Deaths travels we're brought to another of his fascinations, a small girl and the main protagonist of the story, Liesel Meminger. As the train thrusts itself through the cold German landscape a boy lies dead, his mother and sister mourning their loss. Exiting their transport at the nearest station Liesel and her mother take care of the boys burial. After the deed was done and the few figures who surrounded the grave began to disperse Liesel had found laying in the snow her first stolen book The Grave Digger's Handbook. This

Concerned for her birth mother and confused as to why communist were so hated Liesel came to tell Hans of her hate for the Führer. Hans, fearing the Nazi party and wishing to protect Liesel, struck her for the first time in hope that the message be heard. "Don't ever say that!" (pg. 116) Soon after this dispute Hans began to converse with a man about his stats in the Nazi party. Liesel began to wonder until she realized some books that were in the fire had survived. Waiting for her opportunity Liesel ran toward the smoldering remains snatching up the book and returning to Hans, only revealing it to him after they were long gone and she could not stand the burning from the book any longer. Hans while telling her not to steal again allowed her to keep the book The Shoulder