Character Analysis
Walter Sobchak is about as colorful a character as they come. A physically imposing, gun-toting, right-wing Vietnam vet who converted to Judaism and doesn't "roll on Shabbos," he is The Dude's unlikely sidekick and bowling companion, the raging yang to The Dude's chilled-out yin.
Anger Mismanagement
When we first meet Walter, the impression we get is of someone who's got some major anger issues. This impression only gets stronger as the movie progresses.
The height of Walter's random angry outbursts comes relatively early on, when he pulls a gun on poor, unsuspecting Smokey for having a foot across the line at the bowling alley. It's pretty easy to see that the punishment far outstrips the crime here. A similar thing happens when Walter smashes the Jaguar he suspects belongs to Larry Sellers, a 14-year-old kid who couldn't possibly buy a Jaguar, let alone drive one. These events serve to demonstrate that Walter is a loose cannon, poised to fire at any minute.
While Walter's hyperbolic outbursts may be entertaining, they also point to something deeper. Walter is a veteran of one of the lengthiest, most controversial wars in American history. He's seen some pretty scarring stuff, and that would be enough to mess anyone up. It's a not-so-secret fact that many Vietnam veterans didn't get the psychological or social support they needed after returning home from combat; they were despised by their antiwar peers and told to "man up" by their pro-war elders.
This led to some pretty dark stuff, like mental illness, violence, and addiction. Walter is a classic example of PTSD: he's oversensitive to threats, prone to emotional outbursts, and sees danger everywhere.
A Man of Principles
Walter has got unshakable beliefs about everything. He's got strong opinions about his First Amendment rights, Second Amendment rights—all of his personal liberties—and he lets everyone know about them. When a waitress in a diner tells him to keep his voice down, he says:
WALTER: Oh, please, dear! I've got news for you: the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint!
THE DUDE: Walter, this isn't a First Amendment thing.
WAITRESS: Sir, if you don't calm down, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
WALTER: Lady, I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so you and I could enjoy this family restaurant!
In fact, Walter prefaces just about anything he disagrees with by saying, "I got buddies who died face-down in the muck so [fill in the blank]."
Walter feels just as strongly about his religious principles, even though he converted to Judaism at the request of his ex-wife. He's outraged that the bowling championships are scheduled for a Saturday.
WALTER: Saturday is Shabbos. Jewish day of rest. Means I don't work, I don't drive a car, I don't f***ing ride in a car, I don't handle money, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as s*** don't f***ing roll!
This is one reason Walter can't stand the German nihilists—they don't believe in anything. Walter can't believe it. In his view, that's even worse than Nazism:
WALTER: Nihilists! F*** me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.
Walter is a slave to rules and structure. You can interpret his rigid principles as his way of making sense of and coping with his traumatic war experiences; they keep his world from dissolving into total chaos. Or, maybe he just wants to make sure he can exercise those Constitutional rights he and his buddies risked their lives for.
What's ironic is that, despite all of these rules, he really is all over the place, shooting off his mouth and his weapon at the drop of a hat. He violates generally accepted rules of conduct all the time if he thinks it's in service to a good cause, like ripping off the rich or enforcing the sacred laws of bowling. Regardless, the guy knows what he stands for and is willing to confront anyone who crosses him.
His high-minded principles make him sort of the polar opposite of the practical Dude, whose basic belief system is to live and let live.
Misogynist Much?
While The Dude refers to Bunny Lebowski as "that poor woman," Walter refers to her as "that poor slut" and "strumpet." Do we sense some bitterness toward women here? Walter's world as we see it in the film doesn't seem to leave much room for women, but we learn that he's still devoted to the wife he divorced years ago and that he converted to Judaism for her. He even still babysits her little dog. Is Walter angry at all women since his marriage broke up? Is his anger at women just a subcategory of his anger at everyone in the world?
It's complicated.
The Teddy Bear
But Walter isn't just an angry mess. Though he may spend most of his time yelling at them, he cares deeply about his friends. His frequent (if hugely misguided) attempts to help The Dude are one indication of that.
Another indication of Walter's tender side is that relationship with his ex-wife. He still practices Judaism, a fact that he sees as just part of the immutable rules of life that stretch "from Moses to Sandy Koufax." The Dude knows better, though; he realizes that Walter is still attached to his ex.
At the end of the film, Walter and The Dude scatter Donny's ashes on the beach. Walter's eulogy, while meandering, is heartfelt. Speaking to his dearly departed Donny, he quotes Hamlet: "Goodnight, sweet prince." Then he wraps The Dude in a massive hug. That's just another one of Walter's principles—you love your buddies. He's loyal. We'd sure want him on our side.
Walter's Timeline