In the novel Bud, Not Buddy, the main character, Bud Caldwell, creates a set of rules to live by that he calls “Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Making a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar out of Yourself.” These rules are Bud’s response to his life experiences. In this assessment, you are asked to write a literary argument essay in which you will establish a claim about whether Bud uses those “rules to live by” to help him survive or thrive in his life. You will establish your claim in an introduction. Then to support your claim, you will use evidence about how Bud uses three of his rules. Finally, you will provide closure to your essay with a conclusion.

How does Bud use his “rules” to help him: to survive or to thrive?