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9 years ago
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Liesel and Rudy
Describe Liesel's friendship with Rudy. How does their friendship change and grow throughout the novel? Death says that Rudy doesn't offer his friendship " for free" (page 51). What does Rudy want from Liesel? Discuss Death's statement, "The only thing worse than a boy who hates you is a boy who loves you" Why is it difficult for Liesel to love Rudy? Discuss why Liesel tells Mr. Steiner that she kissed Rudy's dead body.
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Rudy became Liesel's friend when others made from of her because of her "stupidity'. They went through so much together...from running at the track, to stealing, to hunger, etc. All he wanted was a kiss from Liesel but she wouldn't give it to him. Later, she wishes she would have. She did kiss him after he had been killed...and told his father when he came home because his father loved him so much and wished he could have seen his son one more time. I think that would have made Mr. Steiner feel that his son had been loved, even in death.
The friendship between Rudy and Liesel was natural. They were both on the fringes. She was different. So was he. Who else could fully appreciate the things that he did and loved and vice versa.
I understand that the love part was hard for Liesel. She wasn't ready for love. I completely understand the statement that 'the only thing worse than a boy who hates you is a boy who loves you'. I had friends when I was younger that I loved dearly in a friendly sort of way but it eventually became impossible to have that strong friendship because they wanted more. It is frustrating.
I believe that Liesel did love Rudy. Would they have gotten married if he had lived? I don't think so. Maybe. But I think that she would have always thought of him more than a friend.
Of course, when he died she wished she would have given him that kiss in life. I'm not sure that was because she loved him the way he loved her but because she wished that she could have given him that gift now that she knew he was gone.
I agree that she told Mr. Steiner because she wanted him to know how much she had loved his son.
I don't think it was difficult for her to love Rudy. She just wasn't ready to take it to that level and she NEEDED him as her best friend. They were such a support to each other and I think at that point in her life she needed that far more than romance. Would they have ended up together? I dont know but I think it hurt her to know that she had not granted his one great desire and she wanted his dad to know how much Rudy had meant to her.
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