Rudy's question

Rudy is gallant and impetuous -- he is a free spirit who does what his soul tells him to. He is best known for painting his face black and running around a track imitating Jesse H Owens. Rudy is motivated throughout the novel by his love for Liesel; at one point he retrieves Liesel's book from the icy cold river and asks her for a kiss. By the end of the novel, Liesel has come to love Rudy as well.