They Both Die At The End Compare And Contrast

Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End demonstrates two people coming into their own as individuals. They Both Die at the End follows Mateo Torrez, a shy and sheltered kid who is scared of the world around him, and Rufus Emeterio, an energetic and adventurous kid who is trying his best to get over his family’s deaths. Through their time spent together, Mateo and Rufus manage to make each other into the kind of people they want to be. Mateo and Rufus show readers how, through shared experiences and their bond, people can change each other for the better.

Mateo is heavily influenced by Rufus in They Both Die at the End. Rufus makes Mateo’s last day his best, from encouraging him to be himself to helping Mateo brave the world. Through his friendship

In my head, I’m already in the next day[...]" (Silvera, 347). During Mateo’s introduction, he is terrified of the world around him, but thanks to Rufus, he can break Mateo out of his shell and make him a braver person. However, along with the confidence Rufus gives Mateo, he also becomes more reckless, and while leaving his old self behind, he also leaves behind the caution he needed. Rufus helps Mateo view the world from a new perspective, one that is better than before. While in a club, Mateo is shocked as he looks around the room and sees the room full of people: "And in this moment, how stupid it was to take Mateo to care hits me like a punch to the face. I wasted time and missed fun because I cared about the wrong things." (303). This moment fills Mateo with a sense of happiness and melancholy. Because he now knows what’s in the world, he is filled with a feeling of belonging. However, he also now knows exactly what he missed out on before and what he’ll never get to experience again. The greatest impact Rufus leaves on Mateo isn’t friendship or freedom, but love and the fear of losing that love. While in the club, Mateo and

Mateo helps Rufus better himself and makes him into the kind of person he wants to be. Mateo is described as being kind to a fault in the book. He is not only the kind of person Rufus wants to be, but the kind of person Rufus needs in his life. Mateo’s positive influence rubs off on Rufus when, in the park, Rufus is willing to part with his prized possession: his bicycle. "My friend isn’t about me riding this thing, so you can have it. [...] I feel lighter, like my shadow just quit his day job, walked off, and threw up a peace sign." (256) Earlier in the book, Rufus and Mateo met a homeless man, Mateo does not hesitate to give the man his money because he will do whatever he can to help others in need. This kind and giving personality is something Rufus would reflect in his actions, his bike is what brought him comfort, and he decided to give it away because he knew someone needed it more than him at that moment. After being separated from his friends, Rufus is left with Mateo to give him a reason to live—someone to lose. While in a club, a group known as The Gang With No Name attacks Rufus and Mateo with a gun. Mateo saves Rufus’s life. "You could’ve gotten yourself killed. [...] I could’ve turned around, and you would’ve been dead. I’m not having that." (331) Rufus and Mateo have only just become close and made their relationship official, so the fear of losing Mateo and