48 pages • 1 hour read
James Ramsey UllmanBanner In The Sky
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1954A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Maturity and Masculinity
Banner in the Sky is a coming-of-age story that shows Rudi’s progression as he learns that masculinity and maturity are defined not by might or appearance, but by courage and self-sacrifice. Rudi manages to overcome his insecurity and impulsiveness through the mentorship of other characters and his own experiences as a climber.
Rudi needs the mentorship of others to help him become a mature adult. His predicament shocks him when he gets into a potentially deadly situation, but Winter and Franz’s “experienced eyes told them what had happened” (69). Similarly, Old Teo chastises Rudi for his actions, saying that the trouble with youth is that “once you have learned a little, then you think that you know it all” (75). Teo reminds Rudi to watch and learn from others, and he learns from Winter’s courage and Franz’s caution. This is an irreplaceable part of Rudi’s growth, making him feel that he is “where he belonged. A man among men” (59). Winter’s confidence in and inclusion of Rudi provide the affirmation that he needs at a pivotal moment in his development. When Franz points out that the Citadel isn’t child’s play, Winter argues, “Rudi here is no child.” (106). Similarly, Teo’s training Rudi indicates his confidence that Rudi can become a great climber. Through these mentors, Banner in the Sky shows that the commitment made by those who are older and more experienced but choose to include and teach younger people is an essential step in growth. Sheltering Rudi from danger doesn’t help him mature. However, allowing him to learn and make mistakes is essential. Before climbing the glacier, Winter warns Rudi, “There will not be any experiments, any individual climbing” (207) and Rudi obeys him completely. He feels the weight of this trust, and it teaches him to be more responsible. The night before they leave for the climb, Rudi resolves to prove his gratitude, thinking, “Whatever happened, he would not fail them. He would be worthy of their trust” (Page 186) As they set out for the Citadel, Rudi is “well aware of the honor and responsibility that had been conferred on him” (189); he climbs carefully because of this trust.
Rudi learns not only about climbing but also about how mature adults carry themselves and treat others. Teo teaches Rudi that his father died “thinking, not of himself, but of another” (84). Rudi’s understanding of maturity is closely tied to the theme of The Balance of Risk and Courage. Most of all, Rudi learns that a mature person does not puff up with pride but respects the achievements and protects the well-being of others. Saxo is known for being a boaster. He claims that “six or sixty” (165) men of Kurtal couldn’t stop him. While Saxo is physically powerful—a “great tiger”—he is stubborn and proud. He demeans Rudi, even as Rudi proves that he knows the route through the fortress. In the end, his harsh treatment of Rudi lands him on a ledge with a broken arm. This rash decision, made thinking only of himself, is similar to Rudi’s mistake at the beginning of the novel. However, while Rudi learned from his mistake, Saxo should have known better as an adult. Not until the end of the novel does he mature, recognizing Rudi and humbly honoring him. Through Saxo’s’ example, Rudi learns that bulk and might are not true markers of maturity. At the beginning of the novel, he mistook appearance for masculinity, but by the end of the novel, he knows better. Instead, he follows in the path of his father and uncle, prioritizing others before himself and twice sacrificing his chance to be the first up the Citadel. Both when he brings Saxo down and when he stays quiet, allowing Winter and Franz to reach the summit undistracted, Rudi demonstrates his newfound maturity and selflessness.
Following Rudi’s journey from an insecure and rash teenager to an intentional, humble climber, Banner in the Sky sends a powerful message about coming of age by finding inner strength and caring for others. Rudi “deserves to wear the badge of an Alpine guide” (123) because he learns to follow wise examples, learns from his mistakes, and recognizes that “the helping of another […] must always—always take precedence” (263).
The Balance of Risk and Courage
In Banner in the Sky, Ullman shows that there is a balance to navigate between risk, courage, and patience. Rudi learns that what makes someone truly courageous is the ability to discern when to take risks, when to be patient, and when to ask for help.
There are hundreds of risks that Rudi and others take throughout Banner in the Sky. Even for skilled climbers, every step of the climb involves risk. Nature is volatile, and a change in the direction of the wind could end up killing a climber. However, Rudi learns that taking risks can be unnecessary. On his first climb with Winter and Franz, Rudi learns that impatience can be deadly. He is so desperate to prove himself that he tries to blaze a trail on his own; instead of finding a better route, he gets himself stuck, and his uncle needs to save him. Rudi realizes he blundered with the “worst of all sins that a mountaineer can commit. He had made others risk their lives to save his” (72). He begins to understand that risk-taking due to impatience or thoughtlessness is dangerous for himself and for others.
However, Rudi also learns that taking risks in the service of others or for a greater cause is courageous. Rudi shows his courageous heart from the beginning of the novel when he ties his clothing like a rope against his hiking pole and pulls Winter out of a crevasse. Winter objects, saying “I’ll pull you in,” (29) and he nearly does. Although this episode also shows Rudi risking his safety, in this case, he does so to save another person, rather than following his own reckless impulses. Similar sacrifices are made throughout the novel, showing that there is nothing more courageous than risking oneself for another. Rudi’s example of this is his father, who could have saved himself from the Citadel but stayed with Stephenson and literally took his shirt “from his own back to try to keep another man warm” (84). Rudi shows just as much courage when he climbs down to Saxo, stranded in the remnants of a rockslide, and helps him navigate down the mountain. In the end, Rudi practically carries him down the mountain. This selflessness shows that Rudi is truly courageous, which is vital for a great climber. Without question, the climbers are willing to risk their own safety for each other. Franz fetches Rudi from a ledge. Winter, despite being injured, insists on going to find Rudi when he leaves camp. Acting to protect another makes risk courageous.
While risk for risk’s sake may be dangerous, Banner in the Sky also shows that, with discernment, taking risks is essential to overcome fear and live life to the fullest. Wanting to shelter Rudi, Franz and Ilse try to keep him from ever taking risks. This leads to a dull existence of washing dishes. The first person to show Rudi that risk within reason can be meaningful is Old Teo, who takes him out for climbing practice. Despite his injured leg, Teo climbs with Rudi and even teaches him to belay another climber. Rudi is shocked when he realizes that Teo, “struggling and dangling below, was trusting his life to him without a murmur” (87). When Franz, terrified, calls Rudi a “wild fool of a boy” (122), Teo instead toasts Rudi’s “spirit and courage of his father” (122). Teo reprimands the others who repeat the same safe climb over and over, saying, “[S]ee how you feel when the ‘impossible’ summit is climbed by others” (123). There is something gratifying about risk and overcoming fear. Risks don’t remove the importance of discernment; the climbers endanger themselves when they make mistakes in choosing the time of day to depart, for example. However, Banner in the Sky shows that risk can not only be courageous in protecting others but also in bringing meaning and vigor to life.
The Relationship Between Humans and Nature
Banner in the Sky depicts humanity’s complex relationship with nature. While nature can be terrifying and unpredictable, it is also a source of peace and fulfillment.
Nature is more than a setting for the novel; it is presented as a force to be reckoned with. Banner in the Sky begins by explaining that in the past generation, mountain climbing became such a popular sport that there are “scarcely any” peaks left unclimbed. There seems to be a natural desire to conquer and overcome nature, as characters throughout the book dream not only of climbing the Citadel but also of being the first to do it, proving their might over nature. The Citadel, a “monster of rock and ice” (63), shows that this is not merely a hobby but a dangerous feat. Part of what makes nature a formidable force is how quickly things can change, showing the fragility of life. Josef was the greatest guide in Kurtal, but he was unable to stop the rockslide or freezing weather that led to his death. The small mistake of leaving later in the morning almost costs Winter, Saxo, and Rudi their lives when they are swept up in an avalanche. Compared to the snow, the climbers are “tossed like ships in the storming sea” (126). Similarly, when Rudi climbs to the Fortress, he is blindsided by a storm that would be deadly if it were a little colder. As he hears the “voice of the wind” (154), he realizes that he is near the same rock field that “had roared down upon his father” (154). Nature highlights how fragile life is. While the Citadel is majestic, it is also potentially deadly.
Banner in the Sky also shows that while nature can be formidable, it is not an evil force. When Rudi climbs to the fortress alone, he thinks he hears the mountain telling him to turn back. He, like Winter and Saxo the day before, is so blinded by his eagerness that he doesn’t listen. The strength of nature is not grotesque but majestic. When Rudi is climbing the Citadel with the other men, a huge bird of prey swoops around them: “It whirled and swooped and glided, no longer a hideous vulture with tearing beak and talons, but a thing of soaring beauty, wild and free” (195). When Rudi watches the bird, his heart “soars too,” showing that nature’s magnificence brings wonder and awe, even if it brings fright sometimes. Throughout each climb in the book, Rudi pauses to drink in the sight of the Citadel. Compared to the “mountain thrusting upward into blue emptiness” (139), Rudi’s body is a “tiny speck.” Realizing how small they are in the vastness of the mountain makes Rudi treasure the experience of climbing even more. It adds magnificence to the task of hiking.
Finally, while Banner in the Sky has plenty of terrifying moments set in nature, it shows that nature is also a place of peace and tranquility. There is peace in the mountains that Rudi feels when he escapes from the village to climb. From the very beginning, when he is climbing, he is home: “His legs, his lungs, all of his slight wiry body, were doing what they did best; what they had been born to do” (13). As he ascends the mountain, the world “that spread above and beneath him—was transferred as the world of a dream” (145). This shows the powerful presence of nature. The characters’ relationship with nature is far more than that of conquered and conqueror; it is rooted in a complex and dynamic mix of conflict, awe, and peace.
