The Book Thief Death quotes show how even death feels compassion during the darkest hours.
In “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak, Death narrates the novel.
Death possesses a brutally honest approach to his task and the events unfolding in Nazi Germany during WWII.
Amid the constant danger and suspense, Death maintains unbiased observance of all characters, providing readers with a unique viewpoint undiluted by personal emotions or affiliations.
His narration lends a poignant sense of foreboding and understanding of the mortality of all beings.
He creates an immersive reading experience that emphasizes the grave realities of war and the universal inevitability of death.
The Book Thief Quotes With Page Numbers
The Book Thief Death Description
In Markus Zusak’s “The Book Thief,” Death is portrayed not as a traditional embodiment of fear and horror but as a compassionate and sympathetic character.
Unlike the conventional personification, Death is shown as someone who does not derive pleasure from his work, conveying a constant struggle to avoid becoming emotionally involved with the people with whom and around whom he works.
Death is presented as exceptionally gentle with the souls he carries, described as handling each soul as if it were newly born.
His detailed interaction with human souls displays a tender side to his character, listening to their final cries and gasping words, thus showing him as an almost human character who experiences emotions such as sympathy.
Counter to widespread belief, Zusak paints Death as a compassionate being who treats all souls with consideration and kindness.
This aspect of Death’s character becomes stronger when he expresses his sorrow over Rudy Steiner’s untimely death, confirming that even Death can feel a tragic loss.
In stark contrast to the conventional depiction, Death in “The Book Thief” tends more towards humanity, showing emotions and empathy towards the suffering and the grief-stricken, making him a unique and nuanced character.
The Book Thief Death Quotes With Page Numbers: Prologue
“First the colors.
Then the humans.
That’s usually how I see things.
Or at least, how I try.”~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 3
“Please, trust me, I most definitely can be cheerful. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. And that’s only the A’s. Just don’t ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about kindness, Page 3
You are going to die….does this worry you?”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 3
“I am in all truthfulness attempting to be cheerful about this whole topic, though most people find themselves hindered in believing me, no matter my protestations. Please, trust me. I most definitely can be cheerful. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. And that’s only the A’s. Just don’t ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about kindness, Page 3
“I could introduce myself properly, but it’s not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 4
“People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it’s quite clear that a day merges through a multitude of shades and intonations with each passing moment. A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors. Waxy yellows, cloud-spot blues. Murky darkness. In my line of work, I make it a point to notice them.”
~Marcus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 4
“It’s a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery”~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about good and evil, Page 5
The Book Thief Part One: The Grave Digger’s Handbook, Growing Up A Saumensch
“When she came to write her story, she would wonder when the books and the words started to mean not just something, but everything.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about books and words, Page 30
“No matter how many times she was told that she was loved, there was no recognition that the proof was in the abandonment.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 32
The Book Thief: The Woman With The Iron Fist
“A DEFINITION NOT FOUND
IN THE DICTIONARY
Not leaving: an act of trust and love,
often deciphered by children”~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about words, Page 37
The Book Thief: The Kiss
“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about friendship, Page 48
“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about love, Page 52
The Book Thief: The Jesse Owens Incident
“Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Rudy’s father, Page 60
The Book Thief: The Heavyweight Champion Of The School-Yard
“He was the crazy one who had painted himself black and defeated the world.
She was the book thief without the words.
Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about words, Page 80
Quotes From Death In The Book Thief Part Two: The Shoulder Shrug, The Girl Made of Darkness
“…one opportunity leads directly to another, just as risk leads to more risk, life to more life, and death to more death.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 83
“Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 84
The Book Thief: The Joy Of Cigarettes
“It’s hard to not like a man who not only notices the colors, but speaks them.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Hans Hubermann, symbolism quotes, Page 87
“It’s a lot easier, she realized, to be on the verge of something than to actually be it. This would still take time.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Liesel, Page 87
“As always, one of her books was next to her.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about books, Page 90
The Book Thief: 100 Percent Pure German Sweat
“I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that’s where they begin. Their great skills is their capacity to escalate.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about hummanity, Page 109
The Book Thief Death Quotes Part Three: Mein Kampf, The Mayor’s Library
“She said it out loud, the words distributed into a room that was full of cold air and books. Books everywhere! Each wall was armed with overcrowded yet immaculate shelving. It was barely possible to see paintwork. There were all different styles and sizes of lettering on the spines of the black, the red, the gray, the every-colored books. It was one of the most beautiful things Liesel Meminger had ever seen.
With wonder, she smiled.
That such a room existed!”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about words and books, Page 134
The Book Thief: The Attributes Of Summer
“He was waving. “Saukerl,” she laughed, and as she held up her hand, she knew completely that he was simultaneously calling her a Saumensch. I think that’s as close to love as eleven-year-olds can get.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about love, Page 144
“You cannot be afraid, Read the book. Smile at it. It’s a great book-the greatest book you’ve ever read.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Max, Page 151
The Book Thief: Tricksters
“So much good, so much evil. Just add water.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about good and evil, Page 164
The Book Thief: The Struggler, Concluded
“If they killed him tonight, at least he would die alive.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Max, Page 168
The Book Thief Death Quotes Part Four: The Standover Man, The Accordionist
“A small but noteworthy note. I’ve seen so many young men over the years who think they’re running at other young men. They are not. They are running at me.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Pages 174-75
The Book Thief: A Short History Of The Jewish Fist Fighter
“When death captures me,” the boy vowed, “he will feel my fist in his face.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Max, Page 189
The Book Thief: The Swapping Of Nightmares
“Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.
That was the business of hiding a Jew.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Max, Page 211
The Book Thief Quotes By Death Part Five: The Whistler, The Floating Book (Part 1)
“A book floated down the Amper River.
A boy jumped in, caught up to it, and held
it in his right hand. He grinned. He stood
waist-deep in the icy, Decemberish water.
“How about a kiss, Saumensch?” he said.”~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death and Rudy Steiner), about books, Page 241
“On many counts, taking a boy like Rudy Steiner was robbery–so much life, so much to live for–yet somehow, I’m certain he would have loved to see the frightening rubble and the swelling of the sky on the night he passed away. He’d have cried and turned and smiled if only he could have seen the book thief on her hands and knees, next to his decimated body. He’d have been glad to witness her kissing his dusty, bomb-hit lips.
Yes, I know it.
In the darkness of my dark-beating heart, I know. He’d have loved it all right.
You see?Even death has a heart.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 242
“Even death has a heart.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 242
The Book Thief: The Gamblers
“Of course, I’m being rude. I’m spoiling the ending, not only of the entire book, but of this particular piece of it. I have given you two events in advance, because I don’t have much interest in building mystery. Mystery bores me. It chores me. I know what happens and so do you. It’s the machinations that wheel us there that aggravate, perplex, interest, and astound me. There are many things to think of. There is much story.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about books, Page 243
“It was a Monday and they walked on a tightrope to the sun.”
~Marcus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Max, Page 249
The Book Thief: The Floating Book (Part II)
“How about a kiss, Saumensch?”
He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief’s kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard. So hard that he would never ask for her lips again and would go to his grave without them.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death and Rudy), about books, Page 303
The Book Thief Death Quotes Part Six: The Dream Carrier, Death’s Diary: 1942
“It was a year for the ages, like 79, like 1346, to name just a few. Forget the scythe,…, I needed a broom or a mop. And I needed a vacation. ”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 307
“A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it’s cold.
And I don’t have those skull-like facial features you seem to enjoy pinning on me from a distance. You want to know what I truly look like? I’ll help you out. Find yourself a mirror while I continue.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 307
“You’re a human, you should understand self-obsession.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about humanity, Page 307
“They say that war is death’s best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thin, incessantly: ‘Get it done, get it done.’ So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for more.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 309
The Book Thief: Death’s Diary: Cologne
I carried them in my fingers, like suitcases. Or I’d throw them over my shoulder. It was only the the children I carried in my arms. ”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 336
The Book Thief: Death’s Diary: The Parisians
“Please believe me when I tell you that I picked up each soul that day as if it were newly born. I even kissed a few weary, poisoned cheeks. I listened to their last, gasping cries. Their vanishing words. I watched their love visions and freed them from their fear.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 350
Death Quotes The Book Thief Part Seven: The Complete Deden Dictionary, Champagne and Accordions
“She wanted none of those days to end, and it was always with disappointment that she watched the darkness stride forward. ”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death, about Liesel Meminger, Page 355-56
“If only she could be so oblivious again, to feel such love without knowing it, mistaking it for laughter. ”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 358
The Book Thief: The Trilogy
“Can a person steal happiness? Or is just another internal, infernal human trick?”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about humanity, Page 370
The Book Thief: The Sky Stealer
“One was a book thief. The other stole the sky.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death) about liesel and Max, Page 381
The Book Thief: Frau Holtzapfel’s Offer
“Two weeks to change the world, fourteen days to ruin it.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about good and evil, Page 388
The Book Thief Death Quotes Part Eight: The Word Shaker, Dominoes And Darkness
“Together, they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), symbolism quotes, Page 408
The Book Thief Death Quotes Part Nine: The Last Human Stranger, The Card Player
“It kills me sometimes, how people die.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 464
“for some reason, dying men always ask the question they know the answer to. perhaps it’s so they can die being right.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 469
The Book Thief: One Toolbox, One Bleeder, One Bear
“The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about good and evil, Page 491
“Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death and humanity, Page 491
“A human doesn’t have a heart like mine. 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. The consequence of this is that I’m always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both. Still, they have one thing I envy. Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about humanity, Page 491
The Book Thief: THE NINETY-EIGHTH DAY
“Have me,” they said, and there was no stopping them. They were frightened, no question, but they were not afraid of me. It was a fear of messing up and having to face themselves again, and facing the world, and the likes of you.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about fear and death, Page 503
The Book Thief: Confessions
“She was saying goodbye and she didn’t even know it.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 518
The Book Thief: The End Of The World (Part II)
“His soul sat up. It met me. Those kinds of souls always do – the best ones. The ones who rise up and say “I know who you are and I am ready. Not that I want to go, of course, but I will come.” Those souls are always light because more of them have been put out. More of them have already found their way to other places.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Hans, Page 531
“I carried [Rudy] softly through the broken street…with him I tried a little harder [at comforting]. I watched the contents of his soul for a moment and saw a black-painted boy calling the name Jesse Owens as he ran through an imaginary tape. I saw him hip-deep in some icy water, chasing a book, and I saw a boy lying in bed, imagining how a kiss would taste from his glorious next-door neighbor. He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death) about Rudy), Page 531
“He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Rudy, Page 531
“Make no mistake, the woman had a heart. She had a bigger one that people would think. There was a lot in it, stored up, high in miles of hidden shelving. Remember that she was the woman with the instrument strapped to her body in the long, moon-slit night.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Rosa Hubermann, Page 532
“I have to say that although it broke my heart, I was, and still am, glad I was there.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about death, Page 533
“The tears grappled with her face.
Rudy, please, wake up,…wale up, I love you. Come on, Rudy, come on, Jesse Owens, don’t you know I love you, wake up, wake up, wake up..”
But nothing cared…
She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Liesel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet.
He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist’s suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled hersel away, she touched his mouth with her fingers. Her hands were tremblin, her lips were fleshy, and she leaned in once more, this time losing control and misjudging it. Their teeth collided on the demolised world of Himmel Street.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Liesel Meminger), about Rudy and death, Pages 535-36
“She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist’s suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth with her fingers…She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on…”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Liesel and Rudy and death, Page 536
“She took a step and didn’t want to take any more, but she did.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about Liesel Meminger, Page 537
The Book Thief: Epilogue, The Last Color, The Handover Man
“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death) about good and evil, Page 550
“I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race – that rarely do I even simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant…I AM HAUNTED BY HUMANS.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), about humanity, Page 550
“I am haunted by humans.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death) about humanity, Page 550
What is the quote from Death in The Book Thief?
“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief, (by Death), Page 550
What is the last thing death says in The Book Thief?
The last thing Death says in “The Book Thief” is a profound statement shared with both Liesel and the readers: “Humans haunt me.” This line is significant as it insinuates that, contrary to the usual belief, it’s not the living who are haunted by the dead, but humans and their actions haunt Death.
What does death symbolize in The Book Thief?
In “The Book Thief,” death symbolizes the harsh realities and inevitable consequences of war, specifically within the context of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Death acts as a narrator, introducing a constant sense of suspense, danger, and grief throughout the story and portraying the characters’ struggles as they deal with the loss of their loved ones. Moreover, it is represented through various colors, further highlighting the recurring theme of mortality within the novel.
Why does Death follow Liesel?
Death follows Liesel because he’s intrigued by her interactions amidst the horrors of World War II in Nazi Germany. Liesel exhibits a duality of humanity that unsettles yet fascinates Death.
Her journey of survival, sense of empathy, resilience against the regime, and love for literature, mainly shown in events like her stealing books the politicians aimed to destroy and writing and share her story, make her a captivating subject for Death.
What are the three times Death sees Liesel?
Death, the narrator of “The Book Thief,” encounters Liesel three significant times. The first time is at her brother’s funeral, where she steals her first book, marking the beginning of her journey as the “Book Thief.”
The second encounter is when Liesel lives in the Hubermann household, where Death observes her enduring hardships, learns to read, and engages with her new surroundings.
The final meeting occurs during an air raid in Molching, where Liesel is the only survivor after her adopted parents and friends perish.