Rhapsody In The Rain Character Analysis

The rivalry continues even after they have grown up because Pete does not fully acknowledge or apologize for his ruthless behavior. In the story, it is suggested that Donald wants an explanation for Pete’s act of hatred. Even as an adult, Pete tries to deny hurting Donald and shrugs it off. Pete refuses to explain that he was taking out his anger on his younger brother because he blamed him for taking his parents attention away from him. Instead, he says, “Maybe I bumped into you accidentally once or twice. I never did it deliberately” (352). Donald wants Pete to take responsibility for his actions. The way Pete treats others gives an insight as to how absorbed and shallow he is. When a stranger, who is heading the same way, asks for a

However, Pete contradicts Donald by telling the man they don't have “that much room” (353). This is not the only point in the story that exposes Pete’s true personality. When Donald accidentally spills an orange soda on the seats of Pete’s new car, he yells, “These seats are made of leather. That stain won't come out” (349-350). Although it was an accident, Pete became upset because his car is new and expensive. This shows how a small accident causes Pete to overreact because his money and possessions are the objects his life revolves around. In Jha’s analysis of the story, he discovered, “Wolff's story parallels the biblical story of Cain and Abel. One brother is spiritual, God-oriented, helping and reaching out to others, while the other is materialistic, has least concern with God and can even go to the extent of trying to kill or hurt his brother.” Within his writings, Jha addresses the similarities between Pete and Cain and implies that their jealousies are the source of the resentment within their relationships with their own brother’s. The act of Pete leaving Donald out on the road would, in his eyes, be the same as sentencing him to

During Pete’s mission to be exceptionally wealthy, he puts down his younger brother for being financially irresponsible. Donald does not externally show his competitive nature. However, when around his brother, he becomes embarrassed and suffers from low self-esteem. This can be seen when he tells Pete, “Whenever it was my turn to get the groceries I’d blow it somehow. I’d bring the groceries home and half of them would be missing, or I’d have all the wrong things, the wrong kind of flour or the wrong kind of chocolate or whatever” (351). Wolff demonstrates that even though Donald is content with his own goals, when he is with his brother, he begins to feel inadequate. Yet, it seems as if Pete also lacks self-esteem. Because of this, he tries to make his brother, feel foolish with every chance he gets and talks to Donald in a very patronizing way. Because of Pete's own insecurities, he latches onto Donald and exposes Donald's faults, in attempt to selfishly improve his own self-esteem. He makes disdainful comments whenever he is given the chance and tries to make his brother feel inferior in every way possible. Wolff uses Pete to portray a person who has every material position, but still is not satisfied with their