On The Sidewalk Bleeding Flashcards

Setting

• The story opens on a cold, rainy night in a New York alleyway, evoking a dark, historical atmosphere.

Theme

• Highlights the significance of individuality, emphasizing how gangs can strip away personal identity.

External Conflict

• Includes a person versus person conflict when a Guardian stabs the protagonist, Andy.

Internal Conflict

• Andy experiences a person versus self struggle, grappling with his desire to be himself amid gang affiliation.

Point of View

• The narrative is told from a third person limited perspective, focusing on Andy's thoughts and emotions.

Rising Action

• As Andy lies dying, he observes various passerby—a drunk, a young couple, and an old lady—none of whom offer assistance.

Climax

• The pivotal moment occurs when Andy realizes he is dying and fights to remove his jacket and distance himself from being just another casualty of gang violence.

Falling Action

• Laura discovers Andy's lifeless body and rushes to contact the police, while an officer begins to document the incident.

Conclusion

• The officer disregards Andy's identity by labeling him merely as “a Royal,” indicating societal disregard for individual lives.

Metaphor

• The rain is described as beating a “steady relentless tattoo on the cans,” symbolizing the overwhelming nature of Andy's predicament.

Personification

• The knife is described to “hate only the purple jacket,” signifying its role in the violence associated with gang life.

Inference

• Inferences can be drawn from evidence and personal experiences, aiding in understanding character motivations and themes.

Antagonist

• The antagonistic forces are represented by the Guardians and the purple jacket, embodying the societal pressures of gang affiliation.

Protagonist Definition

• The protagonist is the main character who drives the narrative forward, striving to overcome their internal and external conflicts.

Antagonist Definition

• The antagonist is the primary source of conflict for the protagonist, often represented by a character or group opposing their goals.

Main Symbol

• The purple Royals jacket serves as a central symbol throughout the story, representing gang identity and its consequences.

Symbolism for Freddie and Angela

• For Freddie and Angela, the jacket represents danger, gang violence, and a warning to avoid affiliation with gangs.

Jacket Symbolism at Conclusion

• By the end, the jacket symbolizes loss of identity, regret, and impending death, illustrating its multifaceted significance in the narrative.