The Family Under The Bridge

Armand is the protagonist of the novel. He is unhoused by choice because he likes the freedom of his lifestyle on the streets. Armand is initially very isolated: Though he knows many of the people in the neighborhoods where he shelters, he has no family or close friends. As a dynamic character, Armand changes significantly over the course of the novel; though he first reacts negatively to the sudden presence of children in his life, he becomes more nurturing and self-sacrificial as he grows to care for them, emulating the theme Change as a Catalyst for Growth.

At the beginning of the story, Armand is proudly uncommitted. He is pleased with his small number of possessions and his lack of bills, like a mortgage. He claims an aversion to kids, though his friend Mireli says this is just because he knows he is soft-hearted and weak to them. Armand is accustomed to filling his days with walking and “begging,” then sleeping in a location along his rotation of “homes.” Though many characters in the book treat him with derision and prejudice, Armand values his free way of living.

The changes in Armand’s character begin when he meets the Calcets, illustrating the theme of