Who is Rudy – Book Thief Characterization

Who was Rudy

Rudy is no more for he no longer is but was a young boy, even so he represented some ideas that are fairly significant

He was blonde and an ideal of Hitlers beliefs

Rudy gave us a closer look at what Hitler wanted  in the future generations. White, Blonde, Athletic, Smart. Kids like Rudy were considered another race of superior human called Aryan. During the Nazi revolution Hitler wanted to eradicate all other races that were considered impure to him, so people such as Jews and Blacks were attempted to be eradicated.

He was Naive to the Jesse Owens incident

If a grown adult were to be caught doing what Rudy Steiner did the consequences would of been most likely sentence to death. Luckily for Rudy he wasn’t an adult and was caught by his father which are two reasons why he wasn’t taken away from Molching. Rudy didn’t care about the consequences of his actions because he couldn’t see anything wrong with what he did. He loved Jesse Owens far more than the Nazis beliefs in the eradication of blacks and Jews for Rudy didn’t value their ideas whatsoever.

He liked to win

This doesn’t necessarily have anything to with the big picture of the novel but its an important aspect to who Rudy Steiner was. A young boy who had an abundance of determination that lead him to greater places than those around him. I could see Rudy going great places in the future if he never died at such a young age(14).

He was determined

Rudy always had a competitive streak in him that he loved to display in his sport. In particular, running. Whenever he got the chance he’d race Liesel for the one prize he cherished the most, a kiss. He never got that kiss. But he never gave up. He was a fighter that kept on going even if he knew he’d lose.

Family comes first

Despite the flaws in Rudy’s life he was always a happy kid. Money couldn’t buy him the loving family and friends that he had which Rudy cherished deeply. Even when offered to be sent away to a Nazi Elite school that was only for a specific few, he denied. He couldn’t put this offer before his family because he was a boy with values. Plus Rudy wasn’t a big fan of Hitler since he discriminated Jesse Owens,  Rudy’s idol.

 

What does any of this mean?

Well when mixing all of these points together it would seem Rudy resembles a young, genuine boy that lives his own life no matter what those around him say. He follows his dreams and carves his own path no matter what surroundings he is in. He taught us things about the people around him such as his dad being controlled by fear and a nation ran by ill minded national socialists. He gave us insight into the nation that had people controlled through fear.

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