Midway through the book as war is declared on Germany, Death explains that Humans think war is about defeating the enemy. But in reality it is also about defeating him; “I have seen so many men over the years who think they are running at other men, they are not. They’re running at me.”

This indicates that Death has seen a lot of war and is experienced enough to see the pointlessness of it. He is pained by soldiers giving themselves up to him for a cause that is not worth their lives but does not have the means to tell them so, this could mean Death has emotions and cares for humans he, even though they disappoint and scare him he does not want to see them die so unnecessarily, Death is nothing without the humans he takes away and we are nothing without the death that draws our lives to a close. Because of this Death instead wants humans to have a good chance at a life with beauty and bright colours before he lifts us away.

I think Death avoids humans because their incessant Warring confuses him, he may be thinking why would such a clever thing destroy itself like that? this shows Death is aware of the blindness created by propaganda back then where soldiers believed they were invincible and they would be victorious because “god” is with them. The author shows us this not the case in this simple but powerful line.