Genre
Short story; young-adult fiction
Setting and Context
The story is set on top of a highway-overpass bridge in an unnamed American town.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is narrated by an unnamed limited-omniscient narrator; the point of view stays primarily with Seth.
Tone and Mood
The tone mimics Seth's naive adoration of Adam; the mood shifts from excited to violent to reflective.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Seth is the protagonist; Adam is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
The major conflict of the story is that Seth aspires to be as cool as Adam and thinks less of himself for not engaging in violence or being known to the police.
Climax
The story reaches its climax when Adam reveals his cowardice by blaming Seth for flicking the cigarette butt that landed on the driver's car. The angry driver slams Seth head into the windshield as punishment and Adam lies about why he couldn't intervene to save Seth.
