Cognitive Development In On The Sidewalk Bleeding, By Evan Hunter

1115 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Coming of age as a theme in literary texts

Someone once said, “Maturity is not measured by age. It’s an attitude built by experience.” (SearchQuotes). These experiences help advance maturity and prepare adolescence for adulthood. In coming of age literature, the key is to evolve an authentic character through different incidents. Accordingly, Evan Hunter demonstrates this characteristic development in “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, through the protagonist, Andy. Within the story, there are moments that illustrate the development in thinking realistically rather than idealistically, a prominent transition from ignorance to knowledge and experiences that demonstrate a shift from selfishness to selflessness. Consequently, the various developments Andy encounters in “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” …show more content…

Hunter demonstrates this evolution in the protagonist of the story, Andy. While bleeding, Andy reminisces about his membership as a Royal and the satisfaction he experiences when joining the gang. “He was a Royal. There had been meaning to the title.” (Hunter, 5). While lying there bleeding, Andy believes that being a Royal brings pride and status, which is an ideal view of being part of a gang. Following this event, after the couple leaves, the main character thinks about what being a Royal has brought him while on the verge of death. “If he died, he was Andy. He was not a Royal. He was simply Andy, and he was dead.” (Hunter, 5). Evidently, Andy recognizes that the title of being a Royal really means nothing when it comes down to it. In his epiphany moment, he becomes aware that he would rather die as Andy than as a Royal; this may be the realistic view of being in a gang, the title does not seem to stand for …show more content…

The evolution Andy has from seeing things idealistically to realistically, the ignorance to knowledge transition and the selfless rather than selfish decisions all bind together to demonstrate a maturing development; this is an often-required aspect found in stories of the coming of age genre. Furthermore, this growth is a candid experience that all adolescence will undeniably face and gaining this maturity is something that one must develop; it does not come with age alone. All members of society will go through this change at some point in life. These maturing experiences are the unavoidable guarantee of entering

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Maestro And Goldsworthy's Coming Of Age Novels

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    If you walk into a book store coming of age novels are everywhere to be found. Most of these novels focus on the times in our lives when we are most susceptible to trying new things and when we think we know everything. The teenage years are what no one wants to go back to yet we can’t stop reading about them. Some examples of these novels include ‘To kill a Mockingbird’, ‘The Outsiders’, and ‘Looking for Alibrandi’. These books focus on the ugly duckling stage of a swan’s life through to when they transform into a majestic swan. No book shows this better than the Peter Goldsworthy’s book Maestro.

    Read More

  • On The Sidewalk Bleeding Short Story

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, Andy suffers with the inner conflict of his self-identity

    Read More

  • Coming Of Age In The Body By Stephen King

    1522 Words  | 4 Pages

    Your age doesn't determine how or if you are coming of age, Your mindset and mentality to move forward determines that. The Novella “The Body” by Stephen King is about a group of boys who all come from abusive, dysfunctional families and this book is their journey to discover a dead body. They are young and their immaturity makes them excited to see a dead body, but along the way, they begin to realize various things and begin to grow. In this book, the four boys Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy come of age. In this essay, there will be brief descriptions about three of the four of the boys from this novella. Chris came from a bad family and was thought to come out the exact same way as his family and was doubted his whole life. Teddy came from

    Read More

  • A Summary Of Andrew Bridge

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    and Mrs. Leonard were not satisfied with their income; as a result, they used to go through other trash and pick free items. Mrs. Leonard gave very miserable time to Andy while he did not do as she wanted. While Andy was in Faster home, social worker rarely visit him, and his mother also visited him once in awhile. Living in the foster home, he also met with someone who taught him to write poems. Since the age of fourteen, he worked and started to save for his future life. There used to be a time when he was bitted up by Mrs. Leonard, and she used to warned him by saying that she would called social worker. Only one time Andy met with his grandmother during those eleven years of foster care. By being in loveless childhood, but it kept a roof over his head and got him through high school. Regardless being in the foster family who was not willing to accept him as their own, he remind very strong. Andy achieved many honors in his school, took part-time job, and determined by everywhere by his bicycle. With the help of his teachers and counselor, he succeed to graduated from the high school, and figure out what he wanted to with his life. Ultimately, Andy earned a full-scholarship to go Wesleyan, then later he went on to Harvard Law

    Read More

  • John Updike A & P Transition Into Adulthood

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    The transition from childhood to adulthood is not only a physical challenge but, psychological and socially exhausting. John Updike who wrote “A & P” recognized this and used it characterize the main character. The protagonist Sammy was developed around the concept of the journey into adulthood. Sammy is a nineteen years old boy who works at the A&P grocery store in a small New England town. It is not until three young girls walk into the store in just their bathing suits that Sammy is faced with the realization that he undoubtedly has to face the harsh truth of growing up.

    Read More

  • What it's Like to be a Black Girl by Patricia Smith

    632 Words  | 2 Pages

    Puberty is usually defined by the biological changes a young boy or girls body undertakes around the age of 9 up until about 14. “It’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished,” writes Smith, “like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong.” (Smith, 4) These thoughts have run around the minds of almost every puberty stricken youngster. However, Smiths subject seems to also have the added pressures of a racially jagged society. This “black girl” she refers to in her poem is feeling the awkwardness of...

    Read More

  • Sammy As A Pynamic Character In A & P By John Updike

    644 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story "A&P" by John Updike we see a nineteen year old store clerk named Sammy; who presumably projects self-centered young adult who eventually matures throughout this one day in particular when three girls walk into the store. Later on making an impact on a decision that changes him mentally for good, this portrays his process in maturing. Into all showing that Sammy is in fact a dynamic character. Where his characters point of view evolves from having an immature behavior to slowly maturing as the day goes by to taking a stand; not caring what the consequences his decision will bring and thus, showing his becoming of age (going from boyhood to adulthood).

    Read More

  • Shaving Leslie Norris Analysis

    423 Words  | 1 Pages

    In “Shaving,” by Leslie Norris the theme coming of age is identified by physical changes, time of year, and increased responsibility. Without a doubt, Barry’s changing physical appearance proves he is growing up from a child into an adult. For example, “But time had transformed him. He was tall, strongly made, his hands and feet were adult and heavy, the rooms in which all his life he’d moved had grown too small for him” (Norris 104). Even though Barry still lives at home in the same place that once appeared so large to him he realizes things are changing. Barry realizes his hands and feet are no longer childlike but that of an adult. He has grown tall and physically strong. Not to mention, his mental interpretation

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Loss Of Innocence In Catcher In The Rye

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Growing up” is a very broad term that is used without a true, consistent definition. In essence, it describes and encompasses themes of coming of age and the loss of innocence as a person moves from child to adult. In many respects, people view this change as a specific, pivotal moment in a person’s life, such as an eighteenth birthday, or the day a person leaves their parents’ house. This idea of having a crucial moment in life, which provides the open door into adulthood, is portrayed in many novels. It is easy to find a death that occurs, or a specific event that causes a character to “grow up” prematurely, but many times, contrary to most beliefs, that exact event is not the turn of the key leading through the doors to maturity. It is rather just a small push which starts a domino effect. This is the same scenario in the novel All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. This novel proves that loss of innocence is a learning process rather than the result of a

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'On The Sidewalk Bleeding'

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    Conclusion: The author Evan Hunter, of the story, “On The Sidewalk Bleeding” successfully demonstrates the theme of Coming of Age as he shifted his main character from an adolescent, idealistic view of the world to a more mature and realistic view. The character matured from making ignorant and selfish decisions to a more knowledgeable and selfless decisions. Andy came of age from a boy to a man, as he lay on the street bleeding to death. All in all these newly developed characteristics all prove the genre of coming of

    Read More

  • Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coming-of-age stories commonly record the transitions—sometimes abrupt, or even violent—from youth to maturity, from innocence to experience of its protagonist, whether male or female. Greasy Lake by T.Coraghessan Boyle and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates are great examples of traditional coming-of-age stories. The roots of the coming-of-age narrative theme are tracked in the male protagonist’s perspective for Boyle’s short story, while the Oates’ story captures the coming-of-age theme from Connie; a female protagonist’s perspective. In both short stories, the authors fulfill the expectations of a coming-of-age genre when they take us through the journey of rebellion and self realization, as the

    Read More

  • Thirteen: The Age of Adolescence

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    Adolescence is the stage in life when you are no longer a child, but not yet an adult. There are many things that still need to be explored, learned and conquered. In the film Thirteen, the main character, Tracy Freeland, is just entering adolescence. While trying to conquer Erikson’s theory of Identity vs. Role confusion, Tracy is affected by many influences, including family and friends that hinder her development. Many concepts from what we have learned in class can be applied to this character from identity development, to depression, to adolescent sexuality and more. In this film Tracy is a prime example of an adolescent and much of what I have learned this year can be applied to her character.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Growth In A & P And James Joyce's Araby

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coming-of-age is a chapter that every individual must eventually trek through in order to grow and mature into one’s own self. In John Updike’s A&P and James Joyce’s Araby, the theme of growth permeates throughout the narratives as their respective protagonists fabricate an ideal world from their own naive perspectives, only to shed their ignorant fantasies about how they believe to understand that the world can bend to their decisions to truly understand the cruelty behind world they live in: reaching maturity through the loss of innocence. Dismissing the pragmatic aspects of life can lead to the downfall of a person’s ideals as they inevitably come to the realize that their dreams are impractical, and even impossible to bring to reality in

    Read More

  • The Flowers By Alice Walker Literary Devices

    598 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coming of Age is when a character in a story goes through a life-changing event they learn a life lesson from. There are many types of books and short stories that are based on Coming of Age, "The Flowers" by Alice Walker is one of them. In the story the main character, Myop, is wandering through the woods. However, she later decides to shorten her walk, after she starts to feel uncomfortable and fearful, of her surroundings. Soon she decides later to find her way back home until she stumbles across something... a dead body. At first Myop was astonished of what she had uncovered . It was something she had never encountered before. After examining the body she began to realize that it was actually something very interesting. Seeing the lifeless

    Read More

  • Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close Rhetorical Analysis

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    The cliché saying, “Youth is wasted on the young” may apply to many people but not to all. Oskar Schell, a nine-year-old fictional character, can attest to that. In Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), he implies that youth is defined by a person’s intellectuality, relationships, and experiences.

    Read More

More about Cognitive Development In On The Sidewalk Bleeding, By Evan Hunter

Open Document