The Story on The Sidewalk Bleeding by Evan Hunter

Society often misjudge people because of how they look on the outside.

In the story, On the Sidewalk Bleeding by Evan Hunter, shows that people presume other people’s personality by their looks. Andy, the protagonist of the story, is labeled as a bad person by most people because he is wearing a Royal Jacket. He makes the wrong choice and join the gang but he realizes too late. This made Andy have conflicts between society, people and himself. In the story, Andy is seen as someone else and not his true self. Andy had conflicts with other people and this caused him to get hurt. He had been stabbed ten minutes ago. ‘That’s for you Royal!’ (Hunter).

The guy who stabbed Andy was part of a group called the Guardians. The Guardians and the Royals are groups that hate each other. They see all of the Royals as the same person and they do not see the person under the jacket. This means that the guy who stabbed Andy, stabbed him because he was part of the Royals and not as Andy. Him laying on the ground and his jacket beside him also caused people not help him. The cop picked up the jacket and turned it over in his hands. “A Royal, huh?” (Hunter). This proves that people will not help him because he is a Royal. They do not feel the slightest pity because he was wearing a Royal jacket and the cop thinks Andy is like all the other Royals. Andy found out that society hates him because he is part of the Royals. First a person who is drunk found Andy, he is too drunk to do anything but smile and say stuff. “What’s the matter buddy?” The man smiled. (Hunter). This shows that people in the community does not want to help Andy but smile a t it. This is because Andy was part of the Royals and that is another one down. Freddie, is part of the Guardians and will not help him because Andy was a Royal. “I don’t know. I don’t want to get mixed up with this. He’s a Royal. We help him and the Guardians will be down our necks.” (Hunter).

This shows that society hates the Royals so much that they won’t even help one even if they are dying. Close to the end of the story, Andy realises too late that he made the wrong choice. Andy has arguments in his head about the good and the bads of being a Royal. I’m Andy, he screamed wordlessly, I’m Andy. (Hunter). At that moment, Andy realises who he truly is. He realise that people He notices that Royals is just a label to society and nothing else. Andy found out that if didn’t wear his jacket, he wouldn’t get hurt. The knife had not been plunged in hatred of Andy. The knife hated only the purple jacket. (Hunter). Andy has arguments in his head about the pros and cons of being a Royal. He finds out that being a Royal is not the best thing ever The person who stabbed him only has hatred towards the jacket.

Throughout the novel, one conflict leads to another and this causes Andy to have conflict with society, people and himself. Andy was stabbed because he was wearing a Royals jacket. People didn’t want to help him because they think all Royals are bad people. This causes Andy to learn that Royals s just a label and people didn’t see that he is Andy. Royals is just a label and it isn’t the best thing for Andy. This caused Andy to die because of society’s hatred towards the Royals.

Works Cited

Evan Hunter, On the Sidewalk Bleeding