Summary: On The Sidewalk Bleeding

600 Words3 Pages

In a room full of half-asleep, glassy-eyed teenagers, it can be difficult to relate to the topics being discussed in the class. However, books and stories studied in class can be very relevant to teenagers’ lives. The short story On the Sidewalk Bleeding is easy to connect to on a very basic level because most of the characters are teenagers and the setting is modern. However, on a deeper level, On the Sidewalk Bleeding is relevant to today’s teenagers because it has relatable conflicts and recognizable themes.
First of all, a reason why On the Sidewalk Bleeding is relevant to today’s teens is because the characters in the story face conflicts that are similar to what youth face today. One of the conflicts in the story that teenagers can connect to is peer pressure. When Freddie and Angela enter the alley, he kisses her and is hoping to persuade her to do more because it feels physically good. Angela continues to feel confused and nervous to which Freddie automatically responds “I love you, Angela,” (Hunter, 2) and Angela replies similarly. In other words, instead of saying that she does not have to do anything she does not want to, Freddie tries to coerce Angela by making her feel like she owes it to him because he loves her. This is significant because peer pressure is a common part of teenagers’ lives. Things like sex, substance abuse, partying, and crime are some common activities that teenagers like Angela can be pressured into participating in by the …show more content…

The story portrays characters going through the same struggles that many teenagers go through every day. Additionally, the story also has significant themes and morals which teenagers can identify and associate with their own lives. So from now on, do not be afraid to try and discover the details that make fictional stories relevant to the life of a modern-day