Lefty Lewis Character Analysis in Bud, Not Buddy

Mrs. Sleet’s father. Lefty Lewis finds Bud Caldwell on the side of the road on the way from Grand Rapids from Flint and immediately shows concern for the boy. He feeds Bud and asks him questions about where he’s from before deciding shortly after to personally bring him to Grand Rapids. Lefty Lewis is a funny, good-hearted, and kind man who appears to find genuine satisfaction in helping Bud to his destination. He has a penchant for lightheartedly poking fun at the people around him; he teases Bud during their car trips, as well as his daughter and his grandchildren, Kim and Scott Sleet. Lefty is also someone who believes in causes and is willing to take risks. He helps illegally print flyers for the labor organizing movement, daring to do his part to help suffering workers. It is Lefty’s trust, concern, and compassion for others that spur him care for Bud temporarily and deliver him to Herman E. Calloway. He’s also a large part of why Bud does successfully find Herman—without Lefty, Bud would have had to walk for 24 hours to Grand Rapids. Thus, accepting Lefty’s help is another example of Bud finding comfort and care from strangers and learning to trust adults a little more.

Lefty Lewis Quotes in Bud, Not Buddy

The Bud, Not Buddy quotes below are all either spoken by Lefty Lewis or refer to Lefty Lewis. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Economic Insecurity and Community Theme Icon

“The people who run factories and the railroads seemed to be really scared. To them if a worker has any dignity or pride he can’t be doing a good job.”

Related Characters: Lefty Lewis (speaker), Bud Caldwell

Page Number and Citation: 139

Explanation and Analysis:

Lefty Lewis Character Timeline in Bud, Not Buddy

The timeline below shows where the character Lefty Lewis appears in Bud, Not Buddy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...the food. The man gives it to him and introduces himself as Mr. Lewis, or Lefty. He tells Bud to call him Mr. Lewis since Bud is still so young. Lefty... (full context)

Soon, Lefty Lewis asks Bud to share the soda but notices that Bud has backwashed quite a... (full context)

...he was walking from Grand Rapids to Flint. With that he remembers he was with Lefty Lewis. (full context)

...his eyes still shut, Bud listens to the conversation and hears the woman refer to Lefty Lewis as “Poppa.” The woman pulls back the blanket they put over Bud, and Bud... (full context)

...his father “was married to someone before he married [his] mom.” Bud also learns from Lefty Lewis that Herman E. Calloway has “got a reputation for being no-nonsense.” Lefty also mentions... (full context)

...Bud up with the promise of food, and Bud gets up and greets her and Lefty. Lefty teases the woman—who is, in fact, his daughter—about her food and teases Bud for... (full context)

...two children at the table gives Bud a look that sizes him up. Shortly after, Lefty Lewis introduces his grandchildren, Kim and Scott Sleet, as his “favorite”—and only—grandkids. (full context)

Bud introduces himself to Kim and Scott as “Bud, not Buddy.” When Lefty Lewis leaves the table, the boy asks Bud if he ran away from home. Because... (full context)

Towards the end of the breakfast, Lefty Lewis teases Mrs. Sleet about her cooking again, prompting her to smack him on the... (full context)

After breakfast, Bud and Lefty Lewis say goodbye to the Sleets and go to the car to prepare to depart.... (full context)

Lefty Lewis tells Bud to listen “very carefully” to what he tells Bud. Bud thinks this... (full context)

Lefty Lewis tells Bud to put the box next to him under Bud’s seat. After Bud... (full context)

...10 a few times but is unable to leave. By this time the police and Lefty Lewis are “standing at the door.” The police officer asks to see the trunk of... (full context)

...the highway, Bud asks what a labor organizer is, prompting a conversation about unions with Lefty Lewis. Lefty tells him a union is like a family that tries “to make things... (full context)

Lefty Lewis then tells Bud to open up his box. Bud is hesitant and is unsure... (full context)

Again, Bud tells Lefty he’ll rather take a nap, but Lefty continues to insist. Bud begins raising the lid... (full context)

Lefty encourages him to read and so he does. Bud reads that an organization called the... (full context)

Bud asks Lefty if he is one of the labor organizers, but Lefty responds with a “not really.”... (full context)

After, Lefty explains about the “trouble” the policeman hinted at. He describes a sit-down strike to Bud... (full context)

Later, Bud wakes up from a nap and Lefty points to the landscape outside and asks Bud if things look familiar. Bud lies that... (full context)

Lefty pulls up to Herman’s car, the “Packard,” and notes that Herman is inside. Bud, thinking... (full context)

Bud makes Lefty promise not to look inside his bag. Lefty does, so Bud enters the Log Cabin.... (full context)

Lefty makes Bud promise that before he runs again, he’ll go to the train station and... (full context)

...he’s eating, lights a pipe, and walks out. Bud wishes his father wasn’t Herman, but Lefty Lewis or Jimmy since Herman seems so difficult. (full context)

Lefty Lewis Character Analysis

Lefty Lewis Quotes in Bud, Not Buddy

Chapter 12 Quotes

Lefty Lewis Character Timeline in Bud, Not Buddy