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On The Sidewalk Bleeding By: Evan Hunter Commented [1]: Jonathan, you must include an

original title.
“She looked at the cop and, very quietly, she said, "His name is Andy." The cop
slung the jacket over his arm. He took out his black pad, and he flipped it open to a
blank page. ‘A Royal.’ he said. Then he began writing (Hunter 1). Misjudgements on
outside appearances end lives and kill reputations. In the short story On The Sidewalk Commented [2]: Good transition.

Bleeding, Evan Hunter pursues the harsh reality of regrets and misjudgments. In
complete detail Hunter creates a story about a young man stabbed over a gang conflict Commented [3]: ,

rethinking his values and decisions. A story very relatable to the gang violence
problems of our world. As shown multiple times through through the actions and Commented [4]: Incomplete sentence/awkward.

messages of the characters portrayed by Evan Hunter; associations and judgments


asume grave roles in our and other lives. Commented [5]: Beautiful. Jonathan, this is a beautiful
thesis. 9.75/10

“The boy lay on the sidewalk bleeding in the rain. He was sixteen years old, and
he wore a bright purple jacket and the lettering across the back of the jacket read THE
ROYALS. The boy's name was Andy and the name was delicately scripted in black
thread on the front of the jacket, just over the heart. ANDY.” (Hunter 1) Following this
description a boy stabs Andy. “He had heard the voice saying, ‘That’s for you Royal!’
and then the sound of footsteps hurrying into the rain, and then he had fallen to the
sidewalk, clutching his stomach, trying to stop the flow of blood” (Hunter 1). The boy
was part of a rival gang and through his associations with the gang he decided to stab
the ‘Royal’, Andy. He stabbed Andy not because he didn’t like him as a person, but
because Andy is a part of a rival gang. A gang Andy associated himself with. He could
have also been told by the top ranks of the gang to prove himself. Either way he made a
rash judgement of Andy or the power of the top ranks of his gang. “He heard footsteps
at the other end of the alley, and he lifted his cheek from the sidewalk and looked into
the darkness and tried to cry out, but again there was only a soft hissing bubble of blood
on his mouth. The man came down the alley.” (Hunter 1)... “Andy could not speak, and
he could barely move. He lifted his face slightly and looked up at the man, and in the
rain swept alley he smelled the sickening odor of alcohol. The man was drunk.” (Hunter
1) After a long one sided conversation the man said, “‘S'long,’ the drunk said again, ‘I
see you around,’ and the he staggered off up the alley.” (Hunter 2) These quotes relate
to the theme because the man, drunk most likely because of associations with the
wrong people or misjudgments and mistakes in the past makes another misjudgment
due to a heavy influence of alcohol. He thinks that Andy is drunk, probably because he
himself is drunk and not critically thinking. He threatens to call the police which would of
saved Andy’s life, but it was a blank threat. He then proceeds to walk away to who
knows where. This misjudgment may have cost Andy’s life. “He stepped into the alley.
He walked over to where Andy lay on the ground. He stood over him, watching him.”
(Hunter 4) “‘No. Wait a minute.’ He knelt down beside Andy. ‘You cut?’ he asked. Andy
nodded. The boy kept looking at him. He saw the lettering on the jacket then. THE
ROYALS. He turned to Angela. ‘He's a Royal,’ he said.” (Hunter 4) “Behind him, Angela
said, ‘Freddie, let's get out of here! Please!’ Freddie stood up. He looked at Andy again,
and then mumbled, ‘I'm sorry.’” (Hunter 5) Freddy is also part of the same rival gang as
the boy who stabbed Andy. "’If we get a cop, the Guardians'll find out who,’ Freddie
said.” (Hunter 5) Freddie judges the power of the police and his gang and assumes he
will face consequences for helping a rival gang member. This fear leads to the decision
of leaving Andy to die. This links to the theme because Freddie makes a judgement on
the power of the gang he associated himself with. He left in fear and Andy died because
of it.

On The Sidewalk Bleeding by Evan Hunter is a short story based around gang conflicts
which is a very dire issue in our world. The conflict of the story was caused due to a
gang rivalry. Worldwide the largest gang rivalry has to be between Mara Salvatrucha or
MS 13 and 18th street. The gangs started in Los Angeles and due to America’s
misjudgement of the situation have spread almost global. This happened due to
deportation. For both gangs there are strict codes and recruiting rituals. When the gang
members are deported (mostly to El Salvador) they aren’t part of a gang, but because of
violence they need to join a gang as soon as possible or they will be killed by a rival
gang and even police. Most people join a gang for “protection” or a sense of kinship.
What they don’t see is a trap, once you join a gang there are high risks associated with
leaving it. This connects to the theme because through their misjudgements of who they
are associating themselves with; gang members suffer through recruiting rituals, things
they have to witness, and tasks they have to do. An example of a time in the story
where one doesn’t see the full picture is on Hunter 6, “An old lady stopped at the other
end of the alley... And then she replaced the lids and lifted her umbrella high and
walked out of the alley mouth. She had worked quickly and soundlessly, and now she
was gone.” If this old lady had taken a few steps more than usual she could have seen
Andy and helped. Andy tried grunting, but she was deaf in one ear and wasn’t listening
attentively. She was the last described character to have had a chance to interact with
the Andy. Andy died shortly after the old lady left. Another example of associations and
judgments asuming grave roles in our and other lives is on November 1, 1478, Spain
when the Spanish Inquisition was founded. The Spanish Inquisition started to make
Spain a fully Christian Empire. People would receive penance for sins in the form of
ordeals and millions of Christians and non Christians were torchered and killed. It was
proposed as a more efficient way of “cleansing sins”, but was just an excuse for the
Church to commit some of the worst crimes in European history. This speaks to the
theme because in this time the people you associate with were your downfall and
uprise. Priests and all ranks above were safe (as long as the king wasn’t interested in
your wife) as they could forgive each others sins with no ordeals. Every other person in
Spain was in danger, but the non Christians more so. Jealous neighbours or family
members could accuse you of sinning to the Inquisitor and with little to no information
you would be guilty for it. Decisions and judgements by anyone with more power than
you during the Spanish Inquisition could bring death upon you with a couple sentences.
Everyone lived in paranoia and were careful of who they associated themselves with. All
the while the ignorant king was killing men to marry their wives. A time in the book
where misjudgements, ignorance, and toxic associations were lethal was on (Hunter 7),
‘She found him in the doorway a minute past midnight. She left the dance to look for
him, and when she found him, she knelt beside him and said, ‘Andy, it's me, Laura.’
He did not answer her. She backed away from him, tears springing into her eyes, and
then she ran from the alley. She did not stop running until she found a cop. And now,
standing with the cop, she looked down at him. The cop rose and said, ‘He's dead.’ All
the crying was out of her now. She stood in the rain and said nothing, looking at the
purple jacket that rested a foot away from his body.” Andy originally left Laura and the
party to buy a pack of cigarettes. He told her he would only take a couple minutes. “He
wondered if Laura would be angry. He had left the jump to get a package of cigarettes.
He had told her he would be back in a few minutes, and then he had gone downstairs
and found the candy store closed. He knew that Alfredo's on the next block would be
open. He had started through the alley, and that was when he had been ambushed.” Commented [6]: Quotes beyond four lines must be
indented. Beyond this, the quote is very long and
(Hunter 1) If Laura had realized there was a problem after he still wasn’t back fifteen verges on retell.

minutes after he had left or even one hour after he left then she could have found Andy Commented [7]: Move the period to after the
parenthesis.
and saved him. Her misjudgments led to Andy’s demise.
S0p;///////////////////////////////////////////////he should have realized that Andy was in trouble, but
she failed to. Her friends failed to as well and ultimately the mis judgements and
ignorant associations sealed Andy’s fate.

“He took Angela's arm and together they ran towards the neon splash at the other end
of the alley.” (Hunter 5) Two lines below this, “The rain was soothing somehow. It was a
cold rain, but his body was hot all over, and the rain helped cool him. He had always
liked rain. He could remember sitting in Laura's house one time, the rain running down
the windows, and just looking out over the street, watching the people running from the
rain. That was when he'd first joined the Royals.” (Hunter 5) Evan Hunter used several
story enhancing literary devices. Each one playing a significant role to make the story Commented [8]: Good.

On The Sidewalk Bleeding more life like in its own unique way. One literary device he
used was imagery as shown in the quotes above. On The Sidewalk Bleeding is an eight Commented [9]: Clear.

page short story that has a sudden start and finish. These descriptions bring the reader
deeper into the short story and make it feel so much longer than it is, positively. With a Commented [10]: Excellent.

couple words Evan Hunter is able to give us meaningful insights into Andy’s life to better
understand the story. “The garbage cans were stacked there, beating noisily in the rain.
The old lady carried an umbrella with broken ribs, carried it like a queen. She stepped
into the mouth of the alley, shopping bag over one arm. She lifted the lids of the
garbage cans. She did not hear Andy grunt because she was a little deaf and because
the rain was beating on the cans. She collected her string and her newspapers, and an
old hat with a feather on it from one of the garbage cans, and a broken footstool from
another of the cans.” (Hunter 6) This quote is an exceptional example of imagery and
another literary device Hunter used, diction. Being an eight page short story every Commented [11]: So many beautiful examples.

moment had to be captured with carefully chosen words and an excellent use of diction.
Evan Hunter did just that throughout the advancement of the book and characters as
well as Andy’s flash backs. In the quote above Evan Hunter captures the simple scene Commented [12]: Good.

of an old lady taking out the trash. His elegant use of diction makes this scene a scene
most other writers would look over memorable and pop out before a reader. Commented [13]: Great discussion of the literary
devices. Although diction is important, try to discuss
devices that are not necessary to all stories. I am so
glad that you enjoyed the story, and judging from this
Evan Hunter hit a homerun with his short story On The Sidewalk Bleeding. A modern essay, you enjoyed the writing process. Fantastic
work. 9.5/10
take on a global issue that has been going on for centuries, gang violence. He creates a
story of a boy stabbed by another boy because of associations. Missing no detail Hunter
describes a boy torn between his values parish as the world around him fails to realize.
He brings out the neglect and misjudgments through his unique fast paced writing while
slowing down to take in the beautiful scenery. The theme of the story; misjudgements
on outside appearances end lives and kill reputations. Further enhanced by the thesis
statement associations and judgments asume grave roles in our and other lives. Is in
fact the theme because associations cloud the judgments of the ignorant people around
Andy leading to his demise. Some other themes may include be careful what you wish
for, think before you do, or present yourself fully. Although Laura never wished Andy
into a gang, associations and judgments clouded all the characters thought processes
not themselves, and Andy did present himself fully those around them were to clouded
by their judgment to realise it. Writing a short story isn’t to difficult what is difficult is
making the story have excellent creativity, meaning, and writing. Hunter did all three and
even gave the story something special something more than just a couple literary
devices; meaning and that makes any story long or short exceptional.

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