Jiang 3
Joseph Jiang
Mrs. Strauss
ENG1D1-16
1 April, 2016
The Royal Life
People usually see gang members as ruthless low lives, but they are often good people who make bad choices. In the short story “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” written by Evan Hunter, Andy, a gang member is stabbed, and he was left on the street to die. He realizes that he will never live a full life, or see his loved ones again. He then has an identity crisis and in attempt to be known as Andy and not a “Royal”, he dies trying to preserve his identity. The Hunter portrays Andy as a regretful and caring person. This ultimately shows that Andy is a good willed individual, despite his choice of joining a gang.
To begin, in the story On the Sidewalk Bleeding, Andy is portrayed as a regretful character. First off, after he has been stabbed, he looks back on his life and recognizes that he has not lived a full life, and that his choice of joining the gang, and the rivalry between the two gangs, the Royals and the Guardians, stole his future. While he lays on the ground, he thinks “I don’t want to die [...] I haven't lived yet” (Hunter 103). This demonstrates that he regrets his decision of joining a gang, and that he does not want to die at the early age of 16. Furthermore, after being stabbed, he looks even deeper into his choices, and realizes that his gang was a terrible thing, and that if he had not joined a gang in the first place, he would not be in this position. If he had not joined the gang, he would still be up and around, back at his party. He shows regret when he thinks “He was simply Andy, and he was simply dead [...] The Guardian who had ambushed him and knifed him [...] known he was Andy, or had they know that he was a Royal (Hunter 102).His thoughts show that even though he may have possibly enjoyed the inclusive environment of the gang, it robbed him of his future and he will never get to live a full life. In brief, Andy shows that he is regretful as he looks back and sees he never lived a full life, ...
