Other Side of the Bridge - Violence and Avoidance

Every time he sees Jake limping due to surgeries required after he falls of the bridge, he feels guilty due to his verbal violence and not helping him off. His guilt also causes an internal conflict, as he feels obligated to tell his parents Jake's accident was his fault, even though Jake brought it upon himself. Secondly, Arthur using physical violence when confronting Jake has a harmful impact as his violence only breeds more violence. Again, the adversity Arthur faces is due to his rivalry with Jake, however this time because Arthur always helped Jake, but Jake never does the same. Especially when Arthur marries Laura to protect Jake and Laura, as Laura was pregnant with Jake's child, and Jake walked out. Despite this, when Jake comes back, he tries to rekindle his relationship with Laura. After Ian sees Jake and Laura about to kiss, he goes and tells Arthur, which enrages Arthur as he goes to beat up Jake, this is seen when the narrator and Jake say, "Upstairs Jake was talking fast, still sounding amused, but then there was more scuffling, crossing the landing, and then they heard him say, 'Jesus, Art! Jesus! Take it easy.' And then he came hurtling down the stairs he propelled Jake across the kitchen towards the door and when they were still a few feet away he gave Jake a shove, and Jake cannoned into the screen door so hard that it slammed open. Arthur reached out and took hold of the front of Jake's shirt with both hands and lifted him into the air, right into the air and then slammed him against the car" (Lawson, 341-342). This shows Arthur's violent approach is ineffective as once he finally snaps their rivalry is pushed over the edge, as his physical violence makes the situation worse between the two. In addition, it is ineffective as Arthur's violent actions only cause more violence and the real tragedy in the novel, because once Arthur orders Jake to leave, after their physical altercation, Jake reverses his car to leave, and hits and kills Carter.