Plot Plod page 161

The narrator changes his view of characterization of Max Vandenburg and Liesel Meminger on page 161. Death says, "You could argue Liesel Meminger had it easy. She did have it easy compared to Max Vandenburg. Certainitly, her brother had practically died in her arms. Her mother abandoned her. But anything was better than being a Jew." Prior to this statement, the author portrayed Liesel as the character deserving the most sympathy. On page 23, the narrator describes Liesel's behavior after her brother's burial, "Her knees entered the ground...Still in disbelief, she started to dig. He couldn't be dead..." Because of the sympathetic diction, the reader develops a pity for Liesel. The narrator's change in characterization on page 161 changes from pity for Liesel, to even more pity and sympathy for Max.