Who is Rudy? Compile a list of details that establish who Rudy is in the text, “The Book Thief”. Include general details such as age, personality, family, beliefs, likes, desires, dislikes/frustrations, activities, hobbies, sports.

Significantly include what Rudy represents in the text: consider his appearance, the “Jesse Owens” incident, his family’s situation in Molching, his involvement with Hitler Youth, and what happens to him in the text. Why is Rudy present in this novel?

In the text and film “The book thief” Liesel is known as the key character, starting off being adopted as a young ten year old girl; joining a new family and community in Germany far far away from her mother and home. She instantly catches the eye of a young boy named Rudy Steiner, who makes it his mission to know her. Rudy too, is ten years old in Liesel’s arrival and the beginning of the text, and fourteen towards the end. Rudy first makes himself known to Liesel by arriving at her front door, saying he was told by his parents to walk Liesel to her new school, which they now both go to. However, Rudy wasn’t actually asked asked to accompany her, he made that decision on his own. Rudy is a known cheeky, flirty and persistint soul, those who have read or watched the book thief will know that. He comes across as a bully to Liesel, picking on her when they play soccer in school, however he plays along with the whole “hurting is flirting” game. Rudy is a ideal looking young german boy, with his lemon blonde hair, and glowing blue eyes; he is safe in the eyes of the Nazis.He too grew up in a large family of six siblings, with his father being a hard working tailor. Rudy lives a safe, securing life in the eyes of empowerment, appearance and family wise, he is normal. However, him only being a young boy, he isn’t aware on how supposedly lucky he is to be this way. Rudy doesn’t care what he looks like, he wants to be a big superstar like his own, Jesse Owens. Rudy looks up to Owens, a man who is discriminated by Hitler himself for being obviously better than Germans on the field and track, winning 4 gold medals at the olympics. Hitler hating him simply because he is of darker skin. Rudy doesn’t care he’s black, he cares that Owens is admired and the best. Rudy in fact, painted himself black with charcoal, and went out to run the 100m on the running track.