The themes of prejudice and the lack of regard for prejudice are clearly seen in Evan Hunter’s “On the Sidewalk Bleeding.” Andy, the main character, is unfairly judged because he belongs to a gang and is judged solely based on his jacket, rather than who he truly is. As a society, we fail to recognize the injustice that exists within our culture. Prejudice, an unseen and unmentioned inequality, ultimately decides Andy’s fate and separates life from death. Even though Andy desperately needs help after being stabbed, those who could have potentially saved him react in ways that are heart-wrenching.
Andy’s failure to acknowledge his loss of identity proved fatal. If he had recognized that he was no longer himself, he might have left the gang and potentially saved his life. His involvement with the gang led others to suspect him of harboring prejudices. Despite feeling a slight sense of pride in being a Royal amidst his pain, all pride had disappeared. As the rain chilled him and blood flowed from his fingers, dizziness overwhelmed him. He only wished to be Andy.
Andy fails to understand that his choice to join the Royals was a fatal error. He recalls hearing the voice uttering, “That’s for you Royal!” accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps in the rain. Subsequently, he collapses onto the pavement and clings to his abdomen while desperately attempting to halt the blood flow (1). Andy is stabbed solely due to his affiliation with the opposing gang, regardless of any assessment of his character. His lack of discernment not only results in him relinquishing his uniqueness but ultimately culminates in his untimely demise.
Andy experienced a hate crime because of his purple jacket with the name “The Royals” on it. The bias in this incident is also displayed by a police officer who, despite Laura’s pleas, only perceived Andy as “A Royal” based on his jacket. The officer’s indifference towards Andy’s identity or name further emphasizes the prejudice present. When the cop picked up the jacket, he commented, “So you’re a Royal?”.
She gazed at the cop and, in a hushed tone, uttered, “His name is Andy.” The cop casually draped the jacket over his arm, pulled out his black pad, and opened it to an empty page. “A Royal,” he stated before proceeding to write. The officer’s treatment of Andy is insufferable and filled with prejudiced words. However, the officer remains oblivious to his own intolerance towards Andy, seemingly blind to it. When confronted with the body, the officer displayed no emotion; instead, he prioritized noting down “A Royal” as the first and most crucial piece of information on his notepad.
Despite the prejudice Andy endured while he was alive, he continues to face it even after death. Nevertheless, there was a brief glimmer of hope when the couple Freddie and Angela attempted to save him. Unfortunately, their fear, intolerance, and arrogance towards Andy ultimately led to his demise. It was the sight of Andy’s jacket that caused Freddie and Angela to change their minds about helping him. The jacket served as a constant reminder of his pain and suffering, intensifying his distress. Removing the jacket could have possibly saved his life. His unfortunate fate was sealed the moment they laid eyes on the lettering on his jacket.
Andy was labeled as a Royal, causing hesitation and concern in Angela and Freddie. They were unsure of what to do, fearing the repercussions from the Guardians. Freddie expressed his reluctance to get involved, emphasizing the consequences that would follow. Andy’s survival seemed bleak, as he faced mistreatment merely for wearing the Royals’ jacket, leading to a loss of his humanity.
He was not referred to as “Andy” by the public, but as a member of the Royal family, which he resented. The jacket was extremely distressing for Andy, causing him to desire its disposal and never wanting to lay eyes on it again. Andy’s only sense of achievement came when he managed to remove the jacket, liberating himself from the burden that was consuming his life. “Even if he never did anything else, all he wanted was to get rid of the jacket. The jacket held only one significance now, and that was a very straightforward one. If he hadn’t been wearing the jacket, he wouldn’t have been stabbed.”
The knife did not harbor any hatred towards Andy; it only despised the purple jacket. To the knife, the jacket was a senseless and foolish object that was robbing him of his life. He struggled with the wet jacket, feeling his arms weighed down and experiencing searing pain with each movement. However, he contorted his body until he freed both arms and rolled away from the jacket. Motionless and breathless, he listened to the sound of raindrops mixing with his own breathing. In that moment, he thought: “Rain is sweet, I’m Andy.” (8) It becomes clear that Freddie and Angela could have saved Andy if it weren’t for the presence of the jacket. This tragic outcome resulted from prejudice alone. This short story succinctly illustrates society’s failure to recognize prejudice and our own inclination towards it. If only Andy had understood the consequences of joining that gang or if only the police officer hadn’t prejudged him or if only Freddie and Angela had disregarded Andy’s jacket—Andy’s fate would have been drastically different, far from death.
