The Book Thief

Death is an outsider: like an alien trying to understand humanity or human nature. It is, of course, ironic that an entity responsible for fetching dead people becomes our guide to the living. Markus Zuzac, however, gives Death some human like qualities. Death is curious about humanity. Our evil and our goodness seems not so much ironic but a paradox to him. (I'm not sure it's a him, just guessing). Some other ironies are that he isn't this depressing shadow that enjoys his job. I'm not sure I'd do lunch with him or anything but he does express sorrow and regret. He finds Liesel heroic. Death also isn't this black cloaked shadow with "sickle or scythe". He is a representation of humanity. One of the most telling ironies is when he tells us that if we want to see what he looks like, we should, "find a mirror". We are all who Death is. Death is the force that binds us all.