Life is all about overcoming complex obstacles and having the will to make your own decisions. Life can be very difficult, especially in the 1930s during the Great Depression. In the book Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Bud established many rules to help him survive, even though life brought him many misfortunes.
Even from being orphaned at the age of 6, Bud has always stood strong and always found some way to survive despite hardships. The book explains how Bud goes through the journey to find his father, traveling alone to Grand Rapids, living in poverty, lacking food and always getting himself into some sort of trouble. He uses his rules to help him survive and conquer the challenges that come his way. Everyone must have heard the term “Respect Your Elders” but actually people shouldn’t. It isn’t their life to live, so one should make their own decisions and learn from their mistakes in order to survive in the real world. In Chapter 10 of the story, Bud has just met Lefty Lewis and is in his car when he asks Bud for help. Readers are introduced to Rule No. 87, which is, “When a Adult Tells You They Need Your Help with a Problem Get Ready to Be Tricked — Most Times This Means They Just Want You to Go Fetch Something for Them.
” Using Rule No. 87 helps Bud to survive because it prevents him from getting into some sort of trouble which can lead to involving the cops. Bud is aware of strangers considered elders asking for his help since he already knows it’s just a trick, that they are just trying to use him.
By not following this rule, he might suffer some serious consequences. For instance, Lefty Lewis could ask Bud to steal something and as a result he’ll have to get punished. Bud doesn’t know what’s going to happen if he lends a hand with his problem. The best thing to do is to not help, because Bud should not obey strangers.Most people don’t really think before they act.
It might save one’s life someday if they do. Readers are introduced to Rule No. 29 when Bud finds himself laying on a bed, confused of where he is, as someone is shaking him to wake up. This brings us to Rule No.
29, which is, “When You Wake Up and Don’t Know for Sure Where You’re At and There’s a Bunch of People Standing Around You, It’s Best to Pretend You’re Still Asleep Until You Can Figure Out What’s Going On and What You Should Do.” Using Rule No. 29 helps Bud lay low until he can figure out what’s going on so he can make his next move, instead of revealing himself empty-minded. In addition, pretending you’re still asleep is a great choice because Bud isn’t taking the risk of being harmed since he doesn’t know who might be out there waiting for him. One should pretend to sleep and eavesdrop on the people’s conversations that can help them decide what to do about it. Bud should make a plan to keep out of danger. In a hard time like this everything is unpredictable, Bud doesn’t know what’s coming, so in order to “live” it is very crucial to follow this rule.
He is putting his life in jeopardy if he doesn’t.Everyone has their own way of getting out of an uneasy situation. In Chapter 12 of the story, Bud and Mr.Lewis are in the car when suddenly a Flint police car drives by right behind them. Mr. Lewis then tells Bud to listen very carefully, speaking in a real calm and slow voice. This leads to Rule No.
8, which is, “Whenever a Adult Tells You to Listen Carefully and Talks to You in a Real Calm Voice Do Not Listen, Run as Fast as You Can Because Something Real Terrible Is Just Around the Corner. Especially If the Cops Are Chasing You.” Using Rule No. 8 helps Bud because it prevents him from being in danger or difficulty, besides, listening to Mr. Lewis might make his life more harder than it already is. Bud doesn’t need that right now especially since the Flint cops are chasing them. This helps Bud to survive because he is staying out of a situation that can lead to a big problem.
Therefore by following and listening to Mr.Lewis, the police might send Bud back to Flint which Bud does not want after all his hard work getting to where he is. Bud makes the inference that running is the best option because maybe he can get out in time before something terrible occurs which could be that the police finds out that Bud is missing from Flint. He doesn’t need anything slowing him down. In the book Bud also mentioned that Lefty Lewis sounded very suspicious because who would name their child Lefty, at least his mom wouldn’t. Bud knows he shouldn’t listen to Lefty, especially since he sounded very disbelieving and doubtful. Bud uses his rules in life to survive even through the most challenging times.
The Great Depression was a very tough time for everyone and full of unhappiness especially for orphans. Bud had followed the rules: don’t trust adults who ask for help because they are just using you, pretend to be asleep when you have no knowledge of your surroundings and don’t obey adults, just run when they ask you to listen. After surviving all he has gone through throughout his life, Bud knows he is ready to start thriving. Free will is something very important to everyone, to make decisions about life that will later predict your future. People make these decisions to either survive or thrive.
People make their own choices that will impact their own future, so live life the best way possible because it won’t last forever.
