Death as a narrator

[sophielowy]

 Throughout the story death takes on the role of the narrator. In the novel it states, "You are going to die" (Zusak 1). The author crafts deaths "voice" as harsh, precise, and presumptuous. What effect does this character's role and the way death portrays itself have on the mood of the novel?

[Anna michie]

the character, Death effects the story in an interesting way. Death kind of spoils the story a little bit saying who is going to die, giving it a impending doom feel. But Death sometimes almost seems sarcastic or humorous. Death knows everything and the reader tell that through deaths tone. that is what makes it interesting.

[ethanashbrook]

I would actually disagree with you on this. I think that throughout the novel, the character of Death is heavily humanized, made to seem a bit less scary and a bit more normal. This also applies to the concept of death. For example, Death often pays attention to the colors of the world around them. They use this as a sort of escape, showing that they too are haunted by what they see (no pun intended!).
"First up is white. Of the blinding kind. Some of you are most likely thinking that white is not really a color and all sort of that tired nonsense. Well, I'm here to tell you that it is. White is without question a color, and personally, I don't want you to argue with me."
Not only does this show how Death uses colors, but also humanizes him like I discussed earlier. There is a a conversational tone, a bit of humor, just the right ingredients to make Death a more likable character.