1. ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’ by Evan Hunter
Essay planning
‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
by Evan Hunter

2. Choosing an essay question
Score out / put a cross beside any that are not suitable.
Tick / circle any that are.
Decide which question best fits the text and your quotations.

3. Essay questions
PROSE
If it says ‘or’, pick ONE
1. Choose a novel or short story in which you feel sympathy or admiration or pity for the main character.
Explain how the writer achieves the effect and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.
2. Choose a novel which is set during a period of social or political change.
Discuss how important the writer’s evocation of the period is to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

4. Quote:
Quote:
Topic 1:
Topic 2:
Essay question:
Text:
Topic 3:
Topic 4:
Quote:
Quote:

5. Quote:
Quote:
Topic 1:
Topic 2:
Essay question: Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.
Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Topic 3:
Topic 4:
Quote:
Quote:

6. Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Quote:
Quote:
Topic 1:
Andy has been stabbed
Topic 2:
Nobody helps him
Essay question: Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.
Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Topic 3:
He does not have a future
Topic 4:
He want to be remembered as Andy
Quote:
Quote:

7. Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Quote: “The knife entered just below his rib cage and had been drawn across his body violently, tearing a wide gap in his flesh.”
Quote: “I don't know. I don't know. I don't want to get mixed up in this. He's a Royal.”
Topic 1:
Andy has been stabbed
Topic 2:
Nobody helps him
Essay question: Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.
Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Topic 3:
The weather is against him
Topic 4:
He does not have a future
Quote: “He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
Quote: “Someday he would marry Laura. Someday he would marry her, and they would have a lot of kids, and then they would get out of the neighbourhood.”

8. Quote:
Quote:
Topic 1:
Topic 2:
Essay question: Choose a short story in which you feel admiration for the main character.
Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Topic 3:
Topic 4:
Quote:
Quote:

9. ? Quote 1: Quote 2: Quote 1: Quote 2: Topic 1: Event 1 – Start
Event 2 - An event from near the start/middle
Essay question:
Text: ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’ ?
Topic 3:
Event 3 - An event from the middle/nr the end
Topic 4:
Event 4 - The end
Quote 1:
Quote 2:
Quote 1:
Quote 2:

10. Key incidents
Start– Andy has just been stabbed by a member of a rival gang at the start of the story
Drunk doesn’t help Andy– the drunk man thinks Andy is drunk and doesn’t call the cops
Couple don’t help Andy – are too scared to help Andy / remind him of Laura
Takes off jacket– Andy realises he was stabbed just because he was wearing the jacket and struggles to take it off
Dies– Andy dies and Laura finds him
End – the policeman records his death as a gang incident

11. Key terms Character – Setting – Plot – Theme – Conflict – Symbol –
Key incident –
Climax –

12. Can you identify the techniques?
Repetition
Word choice
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
Symbolism
Metaphor

13. Word choice – March is the start of Spring
Word choice – March is the start of Spring. The associations of this are of lambs and plants being born/growing. This contrasts with Andy dying too young.
Word choice – this is an American word for ‘pavement’. This reminds us that the setting is America. We also know it takes place in March.
Repetition – the word ‘drilling’ is repeated, emphasising the force of the rain.
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
Symbolism – the jacket represents the gang he is a member of. At this point he still wearing it but, later, he takes it off as he wants to be a remembered as a person, not just a gang member.
Metaphor – the rain is being compared to a drill. Just as a drill easily cuts holes in wood, so too it feels like the rain in making holes in Andy’s flesh. This is violent image that suggests the rain is so hard it is hurting Andy.

14. ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
Writing a critical essay

15. Essay task
Choose a novel or short story in which you feel sympathy or admiration or pity for the main character.
Explain how the writer achieves the effect and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

16. Essay task
Choose a novel or short story in which you feel sympathy or admiration or pity for the main character.
Explain how the writer achieves the effect and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

18. Structure 1 2 3

19. Introduction
Main body
Conclusion

20. Let’s start by looking at the main body.
We’ll come back to the introduction later.

21. Main body

22. Structure your essays like this:
Introduction
MAIN BODY
Paragraph 1 - Topic 1
Paragraph 2 – Topic 2
Paragraph 3 – Topic 3
Paragraph 4 – Topic 4
Conclusion

23. Structure your essays like this:
Introduction
MAIN BODY
Paragraph 1 - Event 1
Paragraph 2 – Event 2
Paragraph 3 – Event 3
Paragraph 4 – Event 4
Conclusion

24. Writing a paragraph

25. Paragraphs should always follow this formula:E A R

26. R = response / link back to essay question
P = point
E = evidence
A = analyse
R = response / link back to essay question

27. Point = P E A R
Topic sentence +
Introduce quotation

28. Topic sentence This is the sentence that starts every new paragraph.
In it you summarise what the paragraph is going to be about.
It should have two pieces of information:
What the task is
What the topic of that paragraph is

29. Topic sentences
T +

30. Topic sentence Topic = The weather is against Andy
Task = Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.
“One way...”
“One event that…”

31. T + T
One way in which sympathy for the character of Andy is created is when the author suggests the weather is hurting Andy.
Topic
Task

32. Introduce the quote
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
Location in the story?
What character(s) are involved?
What has just happened at this point?

33. Quote

34. Introduce the quote
Near the start of the story imagery is used to describe the unpleasant weather:
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”

35. Point – should look like this:
P (TS) One way in which sympathy for the character of Andy is created is when the author suggests the weather is hurting Andy. (IQ) Near the start of the story imagery is used to describe the unpleasant weather:
A colon is used to
Introduce the quotation.

36. Evidence

37. Evidence = This is the quotation you are going to use.P E A R
This is the quotation you are going to use.
Leave a line before and after the quotation and remember to use quotations marks.

38. One way in which sympathy for the character of Andy is created is when the author suggests the weather is hurting Andy. Near the start of the story imagery is used to describe the unpleasant weather:
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
(Start your analysis here.)

39. Analysis This is where you look at the quotation more closely.
Analyse - to examine
in detail in order to
discover meaning,
essential features, etc.

40. Analysis = Analysis Evaluation mention any techniquesP E A R
Analysis
mention any techniques
Evaluation
explain why they are effective

41. Analysis + evaluation
The word ‘drilling’ is repeated which emphasises how strong the rain was. This is also a metaphor as the rain is being compared to a drill. Just as a drill easily cuts holes in wood, so too it feels like the rain is, effortlessly, making holes in Andy’s flesh. This is a violent image that suggests the rain is so hard it is hurting Andy. In addition, the word ‘March’ is word choice. The connotations of this word are of the start of spring and baby animals being born. This contrasts with what is happening in the story and highlights the fact that Andy is dying too young.

42. Response = Your evaluation will lead you back to the essay question
Clearly explain how the quotation you have analysed relates to the essay question
Relate this to the short story’s theme(s)
If you haven’t already, address the second part of the question
Explain how the writer achieves the effect and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

43. Response
Through his effective use of techniques, Hunter uses the weather to create sympathy for Andy. Not only is he in a large amount of pain because of the stabbing, but the rain is adding to his misery. This contributes to my appreciation of the text as a whole because, if the author did not create sympathy for Andy, then we would not care about his death. It is important that the reader cares about Andy so we can understand the story’s theme, that gang violence is futile.

44. Put it all together and it looks like this:

45. One way in which sympathy for the character of Andy is created is when the author suggests the weather is hurting Andy. Near the start of the story imagery is used to describe the unpleasant weather:
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
The word ‘drilling’ is repeated which emphasises how strong the rain was. This is also a metaphor as the rain is being compared to a drill. Just as a drill easily cuts holes in wood, so too it feels like the rain is making holes in Andy’s flesh. This is a violent image that suggests the rain is so hard it is hurting Andy. In addition, the word ‘March’ is word choice. The connotations of this word are of the start of spring and baby animals being born. This contrasts with what is happening in the story and highlights the fact that Andy is dying too young. Through her effective use of techniques, Duffy creates a vivid and disturbing picture of the concentration camps – from the vast numbers of dead bodies that lie in piles, without an attempt at treating them with dignity, to the mindless cruelty of the Nazi soldiers. It is these techniques that skilfully drive home the poem’s themes and make this a poem that sets out to do more than just entertain. Duffy urges us to remember horrifying events of the past and, more importantly, to learn from these mistakes. P E A R

46. One way in which sympathy for the character of Andy is created is when the author suggests the weather is hurting Andy. Near the start of the story imagery is used to describe the unpleasant weather:
“He lay on the sidewalk with the March rain drilling his jacket and drilling his body”
The word ‘drilling’ is repeated which emphasises how strong the rain was. This is also a metaphor as the rain is being compared to a drill. Just as a drill easily cuts holes in wood, so too it feels like the rain is making holes in Andy’s flesh. This is a violent image that suggests the rain is so hard it is hurting Andy. In addition, the word ‘March’ is word choice. The connotations of this word are of the start of spring and baby animals being born. This contrasts with what is happening in the story and highlights the fact that Andy is dying too young. Through her effective use of techniques, Duffy creates a vivid and disturbing picture of the concentration camps – from the vast numbers of dead bodies that lie in piles, without an attempt at treating them with dignity, to the mindless cruelty of the Nazi soldiers. It is these techniques that skilfully drive home the poem’s themes and make this a poem that sets out to do more than just entertain. Duffy urges us to remember horrifying events of the past and, more importantly, to learn from these mistakes.

47. Introduction

48. Introduction The introduction should not be too long.
It should focus on the task right from the start.

49. Identify the text and author
Use words from the essay task to explain what the essay will be about.

50. Use this formula to help you:

51. TATS T – title A - author T – task (this is in the essay question)
S – summary (a short summary of the plot)

52. Complete the list below for your essay:
T (title)
A (author)
T (task)
Essay title = Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.

53. Change the task into a statement which includes the author’s name and the title.
Write a short summary of what happens in the short story.

54. Exercise
Look at the examples of introductions and highlight the following things (if they are there):
T – title
A - author
T – task (this is in the essay question)
S – summary (a short summary of the plot)

55. On the Sidewalk Bleeding is a really boring story about a boy called Andy who stabs a drunk man. The short story was written by Evan Hunter and not much really happens in it apart from Andy kicks the bucket and his girlfriend starts bawling greeting. Then it ends. TATS? Strengths? Weaknesses?

56. ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’ is a poem which takes place in a part of New York where rival gangs are at war. Sympathy is created for the main character, Andy. In many ways. In this essay I will discuss how the author creates sympathy. And look at the techniques. He uses. TATS? Strengths? Weaknesses?

57. ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’ by Evan Hunter is a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character. The main character is Andy and he is stabbed in an alley at the start of the story because he is in gang. Different characters enter the alley but nobody helps him. With the last of his strength he takes off his jacket as it is a symbol of the gang he joined. At the end, his girlfriend finds him and a cop records his death. TATS? Strengths? Weaknesses?

58. Your turn Remember to include: T = ‘On the Sidewalk Bleeding’
A = Evan Hunter
T = Choose a short story in which you feel sympathy for the main character.
S = Short plot summary

59. Peer assess introductions
Swap and peer assess the introductions you have written.
Copy this table and tick the boxes if you can identify them in the introduction.
Write a comment underneath which says:
One thing they did well
One thing they should work on to improve next time
T - title
A - author
T - task
S - summary

60. Conclusion

62. Conclusion The conclusion is a summing up of the essay.
The conclusion is a brief summary of all the points raised in the main body of the essay – use the essay question and your topic sentences.

63. Remember, you should never add anything new in the conclusion.
The conclusion should sum up what you have written and prove that you have answered the question.
Quotes relating to new points should not be used in the conclusion.
Restate your personal opinion (demonstrating your engagement with the short story).

64. All the conclusion needs is three or four strong sentences which do not need to follow any set formula. Simply review the main points and go back to your introduction/the essay question – have you answered it?
It should be more than one sentence.

65. Conclusion
In conclusion, Evan Hunter makes the reader feel sympathy for Andy through his skilful use of techniques, such as imagery and word choice. I felt sympathy for Andy at the end of the story because there were so many things that he wanted to do. Although the policeman saw Andy not as a person but just as another victim of gang conflict, Hunter helps us to see Andy as real person and one way he does this is by describing his hopes and dreams – dreams we know will never come true.

66. Do Start with the words “In conclusion…” or “To conclude..”
Refer back to the words of the question
Sum up the main points of the essay and your feelings about the text.
Identify the a part of the story that made you feel particularly sympathetic towards Andy.

67. End with a bang not a whimper

68. Don’t End with a detailed point or example
Be negative about the text. Whether you enjoyed reading the text or not, your text was chosen because of its literary merit, you should appreciate this.

69. Don’t bring in any new points

70. STOP! Use this acronym to help you:
S – Summarise (what the essay has been about)
T – Task (refer back to the task)
O – Opinion (give your personal opinion)
P – Positive (make sure your opinion is positive)

71. Peer assess conclusions
Swap and peer assess the conclusions you have written.
Copy this table and tick the boxes if you can identify them in the introduction.
Write a comment underneath which says:
One thing they did well
One thing they should work on to improve next time
S – Summarise
T – Task
O – Opinion
P – Positive