| On the Sidewalk Bleeding | | | | who fails to notice Andy at all, "She did not hear Andy |
| ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’ by Evan Hunter | | | | because she was a little death and because the rain |
| deals with the important human issue of death, Hunter | | | | was beating on the cans." - She simply leaves. The |
| portrays the main character’s (Andy)journey to | | | | curtain closes when Andy dies, but as a Royal, not as |
| cope with his soon-to-be death through techniques | | | | Andy. "A Royal, huh?" - "His name is Andy." - "A |
| such as; themes, plot, word choice and repetition. The | | | | Royal.". |
| base of the plot evolves around a boy called Andy | | | | Word choice is used in all literature, but Evan Hunter is |
| who is stabbed by a rival gang - he is left alone to die | | | | very commendable for it. He manages to increase the |
| as he watches a selection of personalities pass him | | | | plot understanding with words like ‘springing’ - |
| by, and remains unaided. | | | | showing that the tears were almost instant in |
| The character himself is important in discussion of how | | | | Laura’s eyes. He shows that Andy copes with |
| the issue of death is coped within the story. Andy is | | | | death by concentrating on any relief possible. For |
| just 16-years-old, and yet he belongs to a gang, | | | | example, when Andy is stabbed he states "the |
| ‘The Royals’. This allows Andy the chance to | | | | comparative relief as the blade was pulled free" - this |
| view himself as quite the hard man, however, when | | | | shows that although it still hurt, Andy focuses on the |
| Andy realises death is near, he sheds the | | | | ‘comparative’ relief as a part of his coping |
| ‘Royal’ in him and becomes a much more | | | | methods. Hunter also manages to highlight the idea of |
| emotional Andy. This would appear to be his chosen | | | | him dying by using repetition, repeating words such as |
| way of coping. Andy wants to die as Andy, "If he ever | | | | ‘dying’, ‘bleeding’ and ‘pain’ on a |
| did another thing he would take off the jacket." - He | | | | regular basis - this helps to promote the fact that Andy |
| also seems to realise how much he will miss his | | | | is dying. As well as the idea of his death, Hunter also |
| girlfriend Laura, we can assume this is unusual, "He | | | | circles the idea of Andy’s death being prolonged - |
| suddenly hungered for Laura’s mouth. It was then | | | | "waiting, waiting", the idea that time moved slowly for |
| that he wondered if he would ever kiss Laura again." | | | | Andy, "ticking, ticking". |
| This shows that aspects of Andy’s character are | | | | It is vital however that we also look at how Andy fails |
| important to him in coping with his death. | | | | to deal or cope with his looming death. "It was 11:13 pm. |
| The plot is equally important as the character however | | | | But he did not know the time." - this suggests that |
| as it shows us that he is forced to deal with death, he | | | | Andy is so deluded that time simply becomes of no |
| has 3 chances, and all 3 seem to slip away. The first | | | | interest to him. Early on in the story we also see that |
| comes in the form of a drunk man who seems to not | | | | Andy does not (at first) realise he is dying, he thinks |
| even notice Andy’s predicament. "What’s the | | | | everything will simply work out, "He did not know he |
| matter Buddy?" - this falls in with the theme of the | | | | was dying". |
| world passing him by, not really noticing Andy. He is | | | | Based on the evidence presented, we can see that |
| disappointed again when the man leaves, still oblivious | | | | Hunter has successfully used theme, plot, word choice, |
| to what is going on, "S’long Buddy." Not long after, | | | | repetition and character to show how Andy deals and |
| Andy watches a second opportunity die when a | | | | copes with the important human issue of death. |
| young couple find him - "He’s a Royal" - but are | | | | Especially the way in which he connects them, with |
| too scared of what the Guardians (rival gang) will do if | | | | the theme of life carrying on without him, mingling with |
| they help a Royal that they walk away, "If we get a | | | | techniques such as the plot, where the main events all |
| cop, the Guardians’ll find out who." - "I’m sorry." | | | | seem to support this view. |
| The final chance for Andy arrives with an old lady, | | | | |