Essay Questions

Why do you think Armand did not want the Calcet family living under the bridge?

Armand has been living under the bridge for so long that he has begun to feel a certain ownership of it. He feels as though the family have just waltzed in and usurped his ownership rights, rather like a person in a house would feel if complete strangers strode into the house and began living in the guest bedroom. He also feels like the person in charge of the area and does not like decisions being made that have not been run by him first. It is also possible that he doesn't want them to live there because he doesn't want to bond with the children or start to feel attached to them in any way as on the streets he keeps to himself and has convinced himself that he prefers it that way.

Paul seems to prefer life as a gypsy to life as a member of his own family. What are some of the reasons for this?

Armand correctly points out to Suzy that Paul is enjoying gypsy life because he is enjoying the company of other boys and as he has not been going to school lately he is really stuck with his sisters. He is enjoying having friends again and feeling more like his old self. He is also attracted to what he sees as the excitement of gypsy life, the fact that he won't have to go to school, and the moving from town to town as he sees this as far more adventurous than his own family life which at the present time is hard and racked with uncertainty.

Why does Armand keep one shoe when he cannot wear it?

Armand found a lone dress shoe in the river but unfortunately did not find its counterpart which meant that he was no better off when it came to his footwear situation. As the single shoe was essentially useless he might as well have thrown it away but he kept it because he was sure that he would find the other shoe one day. This shows two things; firstly that one the streets everything is treasure and might come in useful one day; and secondly that Armand was still hopeful enough that he clung to the belief that one day he would find the other shoe and have somewhere to wear a pair of dress shoes would arise eventually.