For us all, death is equated with sadness and pain so it is no surprise we are scared of it. “Those kinds of souls always do – the best ones. If a pet dies, parents struggle with how best to share this information in a way which will not horrify or scar the child, as it is something which will remain in their experiences for years to come. So what shapes our view of Death? Is it shaped by what we see in the media, as shown by the vision of the Grim Reaper, or by our experiences? From an early age, our first experience of Death is perhaps through the loss of a pet. The concept is all around and part of us, it is something we should not be afraid of. Find yourself a mirror while I continue.” (p.307) Though this is metaphorical, it brings to the reader’s attention how Death is within all of us, our fears, hopes. Cynically, it continues, “You want to know what I truly look like? I’ll help you out. It points out it is often misconstrued as a stereotypical being, a Grim Reaper figure with a cloak and scythe. I see their ugly and beauty and wonder how the same thing can be both.”(p.491) It is through the narrative voice which brings our attention to the nature of mankind and teaches us to observe what we as humans are capable of and the possible consequences of our choices in life.

The consequence of this is that I am always finding humans at their best and worst.

The question is put forth to the reader what if Death can possess the ability to feel and care for the lives of those it witnesses? As the narrator itself claims, “the human heart is a line, whereas my own is a circle, and I have the endless ability to be in the right place at the right time. In the text, the narrator reflects on the capability of humanity and mankind’s ability to be simultaneously beautiful and destructive characteristics which often puzzle and surprise Death.ĭeath is an omnipresent and omniscient force whose job is to collect souls it is humanised and displays a vulnerability and sentimentality of spirit. “ The Book Thief” takes the form of a Meta-fictional style, the act of writing becomes the subject of which the character of Death capitalises on the “truth” blending fiction and reality through irony and self reflection. In this case, the narrative voice of Death acts as a director of the lives he witnesses, a storyteller masking the misery during the Holocaust and the suffering of the Jews during WW2 through the simplicity of storytelling. The narrative voice, as one who unravels a story to the reader is interesting to explore as it bring a unique perspective to the novel.

The book thief original cover