Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, An Analysis

Markus Zusak’s aberrant decision to use the narration of Death gives a unique perspective on his novel. The Book Thief is set primarily on a street named after Heaven in Nazi Germany and spans from 1939 to 1943. Himmel Street is home to Zusak’s subject of the novel; orphaned Liesel Meminger and her associates. By using Death as the narrator, Zusak is able to use omniscient narration, foreshadowing and personification to portray his ideas and to deliver his message. These specific techniques portray his ideas on the destructive impact that war has on a small and large scale, human mortality and optimism in dark times. The reader is able understand the essence of the settings, follow the storyline in anticipation and be inspired rather than despondent.

Zusak characterises Death as omniscient which gives insight into Liesel’s viewpoint as well as revealing important details on World War II, Nazi Germany and other events occurring outside of Himmel Street. Zusak exemplifies his idea of the extensive damage the war had on a larger scale through the short comments of Death. The “forty-million people I [Death] picked up by the time the whole thing was finished” is a personal yet informative description of the extensive amount of casualties during WWII. Death also mentions how “no person was able to serve the Fuhrer as loyally as me.” These short insights of Death provide background information for the reader, aiding in their understanding of the impact of the holocaust and the war during Hitler’s reign. Zusak portrays his ideas of the impact on a smaller scale mainly towards the end of the novel when “the world ended for Liesel Meminger.” He uses the unique perspective of Death to depict how “the bombs came down” and the deaths of almo...

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...ersonification of Death during the time of World War II.

Zusak’s novel exemplifies his ideas on the destructive impact that war has on a small and broad scale, human mortality and optimism in dark times. He presents these through omniscient narration, allowing the reader to see the larger account of the war as well as the smaller events occurring in Himmel Street. The use of foreshadowing forges a special relationship between the reader and the characters and prepares them for the fateful ending that serves them in facing their own mortality. The personification of Death allows the reader to perceive him as compassionate and almost friendly, giving them a new understanding of death and leaving them with a sense of hope and optimism. Zusak’s cleverly written novel presents a range of ideas and draws out many emotions from his readers, making it notably successful.