Death is a damaging and destructive state of affairs, an unbiased and incomparable force. Most of the time death is associated with the pain and suffering of the people who have died, but what about the survivors? The abnormal take on the idea of the survivors of death is explored in Markus Zuzak’s novel The Book Thief. This story takes place in Nazi Germany and is about how different people, with different backgrounds and social statuses, all experience the death of a loved one. Yet, all of them become broken due to the tragic disturbance. This story explores the idea that death is often harder for those who survive through the characters of Ilsa Hermann, Michael Holtzepfel, and Liesel Meminger.
Death is difficult for Ilsa as shown through the fact that she makes herself pay the price for her son's death,
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He does this by visibly and verbally showing his regret and guilt throughout this novel. For example, when the bomb sirens go off, Michael goes to Fiedler’s basement and begins to think to himself “Why do I want to live? I should not want to, but I do” (487). A little while later, the whole of Himmel Street wakes up to see that Michael hangs himself, and in his suicide note, he writes that he “just could not stand it longer [he] is meeting Robert. There must be a place in heaven for those who have been where I have been,” (504). This shows that Michael is full of guilt, which means he feels guilty for being alive. This is important because it shows that he blames himself for his brother’s death. Guilt often drives people to extreme measures, as it does with Michael. Michael tries to handle all the pain, suffering, and grief alone but fails and succumbs to it all. The guilt of living sinks him until the only way out is to end it all. This shows how Michael Holtzapfel deteriorates to the point that he ends his life, all because of one