Osewoudt’s mother killed his father when he was just a baby. Osewoudt moved in with uncle and aunt and eventually married his cousin. As he got older, his mom comes back to live with him and when world war 2 came along he this guy named Dorbeck. When Dorbeck and Osewoudt became acquainted, Dorbeck began assigning tasks to Osewoudt. Osewoudt wants to be a good Dutchman and wants his life to have a meaning or purpose, so he accepted the tasks. Dorbeck acts as a soldier and in doing so, he often assigns him to kill people. “He held the back of her head by the hair and broke her neck on the edge of the draining board” (149). Osewoudt seemed more of a hitman than a soldier, he generally doesn’t question Dorbeck’s motive. Osewoudt eventually was …show more content…
He tries to escape and the soldiers were forced to put him down. Osewoudt truly believed he was innocent but there was no proof of his innocence. Osewoudt Is not considered a hero, He killed many people and most of them without asking questions…”He asked me to do a couple of things for him a couple of times. I did everything he asked” (202). Osewoudt’s reasons for killing are not heroic reasons, just a reason for him to continue living and to serve a purpose. “Dorbeck has made a new man of me, he thought”(97). Osewoudt wanted a meaning to his life and he believed his actions portrayed him as a soldier fighting for the right cause… “I had no skilled, no ambition. “It wasn’t until I met Dorbeck that I felt I wanted something “(204). Osewoudt’s uncle called him a coward because he believed it was his responsibility to protect his wife and mother, and instead, he just selfishly decided to look after himself(112). I don’t classify Osewoudt’s as a hero and despite the actions he took for Dorbeck, I don’t believe he is fully a traitor. He possibly might’ve been a traitor to his family according to his