In The Book Thief, Zusak expounds the concept of death as a passive force and not a vengeful creature. Zusak presents the character of Death in a manner designed more effectively than the traditional interpretation of Death characters. This unconventional characterization is validated by the realization that death is a natural phenomenon whereby the Death of Zusak does not hunt, but simply collects souls whose time has expired. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Zusak first broaches the subject of human disappearance when Death declares at the beginning of The Book Thief "One little fact: you're going to die" (3). Almost immediately after opening the book, the reader sees that Death is the narrator and that he is surrounded by an aura of distress. However, Death's character quickly proves to be less cruel and heartless than his scythe-wielding counterpart. Death declares that he is “not malicious.” I'm not violent. I am a result. (6). Zusak's death does not methodically or fancifully harvest the souls of the various peoples he encounters. Rather, he approaches souls when the time is appropriate and inevitable, and leaves the souls' survivors behind with an air of apology. When presented in this benign and passive manner, and not as a hunter or evildoer, the character of Death effectively mimics the reality of death. The character Death also does not choose the time, place, or manner in which a person dies. Instead, it is only a means of collection and transportation for souls. There are several instances in The Book Thief where death calls into question how a person's life ended. An example of this is when death refers to the death of a young German boy named Rudy. On page 241, Death makes a side note in the text, saying "A little announcement about Rudy Steiner: he didn't deserve to die the way he did." » This selection calls into question multiple subjects, including that of emotions. By saying that Rudy died unjustly, Death implies that he thinks Rudy deserved better, which, in turn, leads the reader to conclude that Death cared about the fate of this little boy. There are also numerous references to Death questioning the cruelties inflicted on the large number of Jewish souls he carries in his arms, and on a few occasions he questions the point of reckless killings which keep him terribly busy . Furthermore, it seems that people have died when Death would have preferred to let them live. He asks: “Did these people deserve better? How many had actively persecuted others, engaged by Hitler's gaze, repeating his sentences, his paragraphs, his opuses? Was Rosa Hubermann responsible? The hider of a Jew? Or Hans? Did they all deserve to die? The children? (375). Death's questions express the uncertainty he faces in carrying out his job, as well as his innocence regarding the actual deaths of the people whose souls he collects. He questions the necessity of the disappearance of innocents with a touch of sadness. This concern proves that Death is neither malicious nor violent, as he claims earlier in the book. The traditional depiction of personified death implies malicious intentions and cruelty. However, in keeping with an unconventional characterization, Zusak's death avoids the blood and pain with which it is commonly associated. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a trial.