Louie Banks, the protagonist and narrator of Running Loose, undergoes a coming-of-age journey throughout the novel. At the beginning of his senior year at Trout High School, Louie envisions a bright future: He is a rising football star with hopes of winning the season, graduating, and pursuing a journalism degree in college. However, his senior year presents numerous hardships that lead to his growth from a boy into a man. Dakota underscores this transformation, telling Louie, “If you come through this, you’ll be a man” (114).

Louie is an introspective character deeply concerned about others’ opinions. He admits, “I spend about half my life worrying about hurting other people’s feelings and wondering if they like me” (11). Louie also has a strong sense of ethics and morality. This moral compass drives him to confront and challenge racism. When Coach Lednecky and Boomer target Washington and plot to injure him because of his race, Louie speaks out against the dirty play, condemning their actions as unfair. During the game, when Boomer intentionally injures Washington, Louie has an outburst and quits the football team, sacrificing his dreams and hard work for the sake of principle. Louie’s stubbornness is another of his defining traits.