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Evan Hunter On The Sidewalk Bleeding Quotes

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What are the consequences of being judged based solely on the group you are a part of, rather than your identity? Evan Hunter’s short story “On The Sidewalk Bleeding” answers this question. This narrative starts with Andy, a 16-year-old boy who is part of a gang called the ‘Royals,’ and has been stabbed in an alleyway by another gang named the ‘Guardians.’ Throughout this text, Andy tries countless times to get help from multiple people who encounter him, but ultimately, none help him. At the end of the narrative, Andy is on the verge of death, realizing that most people choose not to help because he is wearing a purple jacket that shows people he is in a gang. This short story explores the devastating impact of society judging people based …show more content…

Even though Angela asks Freddie to leave, Freddie seemingly wants to help: “No. Wait a minute.’ He knelt down beside Andy. ‘You cut?’” (Hunters, p. 4). From this quote, we can see that Freddie did want to save Andy, but after further inspection, Freddie reads off his jacket, realizing Andy is a ‘Royal.’ His realization of Andy being a part of a gang causes Freddie to become hesitant about helping Andy, ultimately deciding not to save him running away with Angela: “He looked at Andy again, and then mumbled, ‘I'm sorry.’ He took Angela's arm and together they ran towards the neon splash at the other end of the alley” (Hunter The only reason that Freddie decided not to assist Andy was the fact that Andy was wearing a jacket that showed he was in a gang, fearing that he would be involved with the ‘Guardians’: “He's a Royal. We help him, and the Guardians will be down on our necks. I don't want to get mixed up in this, Angela.” (Hunter, p. 5). If Andy had not worn the purple jacket, Freddie probably would have saved him since he was visibly worried about him before realizing he was part of a

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Or had they simply known that he was a “Royal?” Andy thinks to himself. Throughout

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This shows a tainted perspective on moral values for Andy because he does not understand, or quite frankly may not want to understand,

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He wasn’t a royal, he was my son. Just thinking of the way that he died makes everything even harder, Andy died alone in an alleyway, on the ground, bleeding to death. Andy was so young, he had so much left to do in life. To all the parents out there, save your children from gang violence, don’t let them be taken from you in an instant like Andy was from me

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How come he be gone? Adults are always talking’ ‘about being’ there when you need them, but then when you decide you do, they disappear like dust!” This example demonstrates Andy’s dependence on someone else because this excerpt describes his reaction

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In the world, people can quickly make assumptions about someone purely based on what group they belong to. In the story On The Sidewalk Bleeding, Andy is stabbed by another gang purely because he was wearing a jacket which belonged to another group or gang which led to his demise. As he lay in his own blood he wondered to himself “Had they known that he was Andy or had they simply known that he was Royal wearing a purple silk jacket? Had they stabbed him, Andy, or had they only stabbed the jacket and the title and what good was the title if you were dying?” In this quote, the author, Evan Hunter, shows the main battle happening inside Andy’s mind which concerns his identity.

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“If you do that with a whole group of people for a lifetime, you change them psychologically. If you do that for a lifetime, what do you suppose that does to them?” (p.148). Individuals quickly internalize these roles, and it highlights the irrationality of prejudice, making them aware of how societal constructs of superiority and inferiority are built and maintained. I believe this book is important because Wilkerson encourages the reader to critically examine their own biases and privileges and to work towards creating a just and inclusive society.

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“You used to think that you were better than anyone else. I have gotten pretty good at seeing that one a man’s face… That look is gone now, and I like that just fine. It is not just that you are a useful vessel, never think that. It is simply that men like you need to learn humility” (King 71). Norton is seeking to cut Andy down and to break his confidence and crush all of his hopes of freedom.

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I don't want to get mixed up in this, Angela.” According to this line, Freddie is afraid of another crueler gang, the Guardians, and was apprehensive and decided to leave him alone, this choice notifies us that he was fearful to help a person because he might get himself possibly tortured by the Gruardians and die as well, but this alternative costed a life of another person. This shows that although Freddie had more power and almost nothing to lose, like the Greasers, he didn’t choose to help Andy who was like a Soc that had everything and was more vulnerable to what society thinks about them, especially near the end of the story where he wants to prove that he only wants to be

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These sisters beat up the ones only that fought back and Andy always fought back because he felt that not resisting is a much worse. Also, he figured that they will stop at some point. Andy gains protection from the sisters because he helped the guards and the warden with their finance papers. This quote has a deep meaning and it is the major lesson of the novella. Andy says to Red, "Remember that hope is a good thing, Red, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

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But gradually Andy allows himself to get to know others and for others to know him. He shows he has a very confident side. According to Oxford Journals, “Confidence in one’s abilities generally enhances motivation,” (Benabou and Tirole). The first time the audience sees this is when the inmates are tarring the roof and Andy decides to suggest that he can do Hadley, the chief guard, and other guards’ taxes. He was even threatened to get thrown off the roof, and yet he continued to

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Instead he lays quietly on the sidewalk trying to not cause anymore pain because he already accepts the fact that he is going to die. In addition, the author shows Andy’s personality trait of acceptance in the text when Andy accepts that he no longer wants to be known as a royal: “It seemed very important to him that he take off the purple jacket.” (Hunter 6). Hunter illustrates

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The warden may have been trying to paint Andy as a snobby man who thought too highly of himself; however, the warden had mistaken conceitedness for hopefulness. Furthermore, the warden had mistaken Andy to be a self-centered man, while in reality, Andy was just confident. Andy 's high level of confidence

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