The City of Thieves: Characterization

            Kolya, one of the main protagonists in City of Thieves, is one of the more courageous and by far one of the most reckless characters. He teaches Lev about many things such as relationships and fighting skills, and he also serves as a great leader for both of them. When times are tough, it always seems like Kolya knows what to do, and how to make sure that him and Lev survive through their obstacles occuring from starvation and hunger. Kolya has changed a lot from the beginning of the text, to the end. In the beginning, he cares more about himself than anybody else and he doesn't find himself in a position to worry about the dangers that could come to him and Lev. An example is in the beginning of the book when him and Lev encounter the monster cannibal. He starts to yell at Lev for just standing there and not doing anything when the cannibal was trying to kill Kolya. In the end of the book however, Kolya forgives Lev and says that he was a hero no matter what Lev had actually done. Here's a quote on how Kolya was described by Lev in the beginning of the book: “Kolya was a braggart, a know-it-all, a Jew-baiting Cossack, but his confidence was so pure and complete it no longer seemed like arrogance, just the mark of a man who had accepted his own heroic destiny” (Benioff, 98). As we could see, Kolya used to be very arrogant and cocky, but he has changed into a hero that could be very much depended on.