On the Sidewalk Bleeding

In the short story “On the sidewalk bleeding,” by Evan Hunter, the author makes us feel sympathy for the main character by using a variety of techniques such as characterisation, plot structure and language. The story opens with the main character, Andy, who has just been stabbed because he is in a gang. . Unfortunately it is too late to change what had happened and as a result the reader feels immense pity for him when he dies. This short story includes the themes of regret and how gang violence causes loss of identity.

Firstly the author makes the reader feel sympathetic towards Andy by using effective techniques to emphasise the agony and the painful phase that Andy is going through. The author says that Andy is in so much pain that no sound comes out of his mouth. The passage says,
“There was no voice in his throat only the bubbling of blood between his lips.”
In this quote, alliteration is used with the words “bubbling of blood.” The author uses this technique to highlight how much pain and terror gangs can create. This is also effective as it creates a gruesome image in the reader’s mind of Andy in his current situation. Therefore we feel sorry for Andy as he cannot even call for help.

Another way the author makes us sympathise for Andy is how the author uses the idea of Andy being isolated from the rest of the world. Andy is lying in the alley far from help and he can hear music but nothing or no-one is able to help him. We see this when the writes says,
“He watched the world passing,” and also the quote, “He could hear the faint noise of music now, from and long, long way off.”
These two extracts from the passage illustrate that although Andy is dying the world is still moving and no one cares or even looks at Andy. Also it shows to us that Andy is isolated from society. At this point in the story Andy realises that being in a gang has detached him from the rest of the world and there is no going back. This relates to the theme of regret as