This scene, in both book and tv adaptation, is framed as Death imparting wisdom - benevolently, kindly perhaps, but with otherwise no real emotion behind it.
But knowing as we do that Pratchett wrote the Discworld fuelled by an internal anger at how wrong and fucked up the world was, we can reframe this as probably one of Pratchettâs angriest moments.
Death, in Discworld, speaks IN ALL CAPS. This is supposed to represent his voice sounding a bit like tombstones falling from a great height, but in any other context, SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS MAKES IT SEEM LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING.
To me, there is a palpable, vicious anger behind those words. Itâs the anger of someone who is grieving, because in reality death does not care and will strike without warning or mercy or justice. In reality, death is not fair. In its wake, mourners are left feeling bereft and, amongst other things, furiously angry. Angry at the universe for taking away a loved one.
Iâm still processing my grief, probably will be for quite some time. Mostly, i settle on anger at the moment. I donât express it, but at times I feel angry enough to march through the gates of Heaven and scream at God Himself.
Thatâs the anger that I see behind Deathâs words here. That desperate, white-hot, tear-filled anger that screams at an indifferent universe âSHOW ME. SHOW ME THAT THERE IS JUSTICE. SHOW ME THE MERCY.â
And of course, as we are forewarned in Mort, there isnât any. Not really. Justice, mercy, etc are human concepts. We created them. We have to believe in them, otherwise they cannot exist. And we can see what happens when they break down.
I think itâs one of the best facets of Pratchettâs Death that he is like this, that he is a physical manifestation of the most indifferent force in the universe and yet still cares about the job he does and the people whose souls he reaps. As he asks Azrael in Reaper Man, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER MAN?
What a beautiful question. That Death asks a question like this shows he cares enough about humans to want them to believe in the fantasies of justice and mercy so wholly that he woudl go to extreme lengths to preserve a smaller fantasy about the personification of Christmas/Yuletide/Hogswatch. When our end comes, may we all get such a caring reaper.
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