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Rudy's Role In The Book Thief

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The everlasting impact of an important person on one's values. Having a strong family or community one can trust can change their views. In the novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Liesel Meminger is first introduced as a little girl who has nothing left to give after the tremendous loss of her family and everything she has ever known. She has no hope, no family, no community, and no love until she meets the Hubermann family and her new best friend Rudy Steiner, who provides her with the help and love she needs. In this new environment, she will encounter people who will drastically alter her life in many ways. In the story, Liesel's encounter with her new community and family allows her to find what she values in life. This is shown through …show more content…

The literary device of flashback is used since we can see how the passage took place 4 years after the "Grave Digger's Handbook" incident, which shows the importance of this memory and how it was a life-changing moment. As her growing desire to further improve her education helps her, she meets more characters, such as Rudy and Ilsa Hermann, who will play an important role in her life choices. Additionally, Hans Hubermann plays a role in helping Liesel meet her best friend, Rudy, who helps her find joy and empowerment in her lonely times. Moving on, Rudy's support and relationship with Liesel heavily impact her desire to find joy and empowerment by stealing. Rudy Steiner, the friend of Liesel Meminger, goes out to steal things from the neighborhood, and on this particular day, they decide to steal valuables like food from the mayor's house. But when Liesel gets into the mayor's house, she hesitates and reconsiders the purpose of being there and why they are stealing food. Liesel, despite her doubts, believes that Rudy will forgive her and support her choices, which reinforces her sense of empowerment. During the process of stealing, she thought to herself, "[I] didn't care about the food. Rudy, no matter …show more content…

Stealing it, in a sick kind of sense, was like earning it." (Zusak, 287) The quotation, "she didn't care about the food; stealing it, in a sick kind of sense, was like earning it," reflects Liesel's evolving values. Her desire to steal "The Whistler" over food allows Liesel to realize her values, whether they are basic survival needs or just something to find joy and empowerment. The book "The Whistler" is also a symbol of a sense of achievement, which is what she truly values as she comes from a background of having nothing. This also highlights the impact of Rudy, as he was understanding towards Liesel, which shows the relationship between them. Ultimately, this moment highlights the deep bond and connection between the two, which helps her find what she prioritizes in life, which is personal achievement rather than survival. In the story, Liesel's experiences with her new community and family help her discover what she truly values in life. This is shown by the time she spends reading with her foster father, Hans Hubermann, who influenced her to understand what is important to her. Additionally, her decision to steal things from Rudy provides

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