Analysis Of “The Man On The Tracks" By Erika Anderson
When we wake up each day and decide to leave our house whether it be for school, work, or some other recreational activity, we are surrounded by others. Often we become witnesses, or bystanders to events and do not even realize it, or simply do not care enough to intervene because we do not consider it our problem. Whether the circumstance of said event is good or bad, we as humans, are affected by it in one way or another. It shapes us into the individuals we have become today. Not only do these events shape us but, we have to live with them for the rest of our lives. In the essay, "The Man on the Tracks", the author Erika Anderson writes as if the reader is a bystander of a man who has fallen onto the train tracks while waiting at the Manhattan train station in New York.
Mrs. Anderson uses first-person point of view, as well as realistic dialogue to share a life-changing event with her audience, as well as to portray the significance of a single event on our lives. The use of first-person point of view throughout this story grabs the reader's attention, Anderson writes, "You can shout at him... you can yell "train!". Erika's use of repetition of "you can" throughout the story is used to convey to her readers that she may have experienced the man falling on the tracks, but anyone could have gone through that as well. It is not like she asked to go through this dramatic experience on her own, it just happened that way. It also allows the reader to see what is going on as if they were actually standing right there beside her viewing the tragic event, doing and saying whatever it took to get this man out of harm's way.
The second person point of view appeals to pathos because the readers are being told everything they can do to help this random man, that may or may not be mentally ill, and begin to feel sympathetic for him, which shows how much of a difference a person can really make. Just by jumping into action or going to get help you can make an impact on someone else's life as well as your own. First person point of view was used several times throughout this essay, in several different ways. Such as when Erika exclaimed, "No, you cannot get on the train". Erika did not want to take a risk and let the baby-faced man get on the train by himself. Did she have to do this for a complete stranger? No, she did not but she chose to out of the kindness of her heart, a sheer act of sympathy. She kept trying to reassure the readers or maybe even herself that someone was coming for this man, surely someone had to be. There is no way that he has lasted this long without a caretaker, maybe a friend or a legal guardian. This man is clearly not fit to live in society by himself, and Erika knows this. She is a bit frazzled and panicked but she relies on herself that everything will be fine.
The use of first-person point of view is different in this story compared to other stories because it is not used in every line. Erika switches between other forms of narrative language, to allow the readers the chance to get inside the author's head and see her perspective of the situation at hand. It also allows the reader to understand that not only was she impacted by the witnessing of this man almost losing his life, but that he was impacted as well by her chipping in to save him. Why was this man even on the tracks in the first place? Erika exclaims, "The man who was on the tracks does not smell like alcohol." but she also states that "He does not look sad. He does not look high. Which leaves only one option, that this man is mentally ill. According to Erika and the portrayal of this man, he does not have a reason to end his own life. She does describe him as overweight, but nonetheless, he looks as happy and as carefree as ever. I think that this is why she goes out of her way to save this man that she does not know. Realistic dialogue is used by Erika in this story as well.
At the end of this story, Erika returns to her home from her train ride and begins to tell and that will listen about the events that took place and reports their response to the incident. Erika wrote They said, "Wow."They say, "New York moment." They say, "The train hit him and then what?". The realistic dialogue serves as a purpose of allowing her readers to see that nobody even cares about what happened, or what could have happened to the man on the platform. It is as if this is a game or a movie that is beginning to get good, yet it does not so they lose interest in it. Erika cared though, about the man and his wellbeing, even after the man was saved she still was worried about whether someone was coming to get this man or not. It is obvious that Erika wrote this nonfiction story to reveal to her readers the significance of an impact that we have on each other's lives. Even if we do not know someone it does not mean that we cannot chip in to help them, or save their life even if they are not aware that their being saved themselves.
