On The Bridge By Todd Strasser

Teenagers often feel the need to pretend to be someone they are not to fit in, this potentially means lying about things that realistically are out of your comfort zone. In the short story “On The Bridge” by Todd Strasser Adam is an attention seeking individual who lies to be cool. Adam could be described in many ways, such as a bully or to be concise, insecure. Adam pretends to be someone he is not to fit in. He is hiding in the shell of a bully to protect his insecurities. To hide the truth that he is not confident in who he is, but this act is not something he can keep up consistently. Adam is like Seth; the commonality being that the two are both seeking the validation of others, and really, each other. Neither of the boys feel confident in who they are

Adam is not only insecure but also a coward, he is too afraid to show who he really is and repeatedly backs off from situations that he says he is prepared for. Adam is not the tough bully he attempts to present himself as. He is just an insecure coward trying to fit in like everyone else.

Adam has been trying to prove to Seth how cool he is, and it has been working, Seth feels like Adam is the perfect role model for a cool person. He wants to be just like him. Adam then getting the validation that he had been striving for from Seth, and that validation then feeding into his boldly aggressive front. Adam had been showing Seth how cool he is by doing reckless and possibly dangerous acts to gain his attention and prove himself. Adam decided to test his luck by throwing an imaginary rock over the bridge and onto the highway. When nothing happened, he felt a sense of empowerment. As if he could do anything, he crossed the line with no repercussions. He did something reckless and potentially dangerous and there was no punishment, no effect on him. So once again, testing his luck, he flicks his cigarette butt onto the highway