The Family Under The Bridge

The theme of found families is often present in literature and typically applies to characters who lack traditional family structures. There are many reasons why a character may not have a “traditional” family—some characters may be orphaned, some may find themselves living far away from their families, some may be estranged or rejected by their families, and others may live on the margins of society. Found families consist of close, loving relationships between people who are not related. Often, these characters meet within the story, as is the case with Armand and the Calcets; other times, these characters are introduced with their bonds already established. In many cases, a “found family” fulfills the characters’ needs for belonging, love, and community. A found family can also enhance a character’s self-esteem and give them a sense of purpose.

Armand has no family of his own. In the earliest chapters, Armand takes pride in this, seeing the lack as a sign of his freedom to live life on his own terms. Having a family, to him, would mean being tied down to a single location and burdened with endless responsibilities. He claims to hate children, though Mireli, the woman who reads his fortune, suggests that Armand actually fears “the sly little things will steal [his] heart if they find out [he] has one” (5). This rings true in Armand’s first interaction with children. When young boys call him a “funny old tramp” (7), Armand initially threatens to tell Father Christmas about their behavior; one of the boys feels badly and offers Armand half of his apple, and Armand thinks, “Mireli was right. These starlings would steal your heart if you didn’t keep it well hidden” (7). Even such a small interaction has Armand feeling wary and defensive, suggesting that he is not truly averse to children—that, in fact, he knows he is quick to grow fond of them. Armand is more self-aware than he seems; he thinks about how “he [wants] nothing to do with children” because “they meant homes and responsibility and regular work—all the things he had turned his back on so long ago” (7-8). This bit of insight serves as foreshadowing for the events of the rest of the novel.

After Armand meets the Calcet children, they quickly begin to refer to him as their “grandfather.” This shows that the children are not bound to conventional, biological ideas of family. “Grandfather” is a title that Armand first receives with mixed reactions, showing the contradiction between his love for children and his desire for a solitary life. When Suzy suggests they could pretend Armand is their grandfather, Armand tells her that it’s one of the last things he would want to be, but he shares his food with them anyway. Later, when the children ask to go with Armand, he turns them down, but he quickly changes his mind. He cares for them like a grandparent, taking them to see Father Christmas, buying them treats, and otherwise keeping their spirits up. He storms off when Madame Calcet insults him, and although he quickly finds himself worrying about the children, he refuses to acknowledge his feelings, only allowing himself to go check on them by telling himself he wants to scold them.

It is only after he learns that the children are at risk of being taken away that he begins to accept his attachment to them. Knowing Madame Calcet wants to keep her children with her no matter what, Armand takes it upon himself to relocate the family, taking them to the Roma camp where he knows they will be safe. By the time the Calcets lose this shelter as well, Armand has grown so attached to the family that he fundamentally changes his life in order to help create a better one for them. He actively seeks out the “homes and responsibility and regular work” that he’d disparaged early in the narrative (7-8) and feels ashamed over his untethered lifestyle, which does not allow him to care for the children properly.

At first, Madame Calcet protests his plan, claiming that they “aren’t even related” (108). This sets her apart from the children and shows her rigid views and traditional mindset. The children protest, calling Armand “the only grandpa [they] have” (108); Armand himself challenges the dismissal, asking, “Do I have to beg for grandchildren?” (108). This is the clearest sign that Armand’s priorities have fully shifted to the family, just as Mireli forewarned. Madame Calcet’s refusal of help is the last barrier between the Calcets and Armand; once she gives in, he becomes a fully embraced member of the family.

At the conclusion of the story, Armand claims to Monsieur Brunot, his new employer, that he is a “family man”: “Oh, I’ve got a family all right [...] Three children and their mother. You should see my grandchildren. They would steal your heart away” (119). This claim helps Armand to get the job as it marks him as a responsible, ethical person in the eyes of Monsieur Brunot. It also expresses Armand’s changed views. Though he began the novel as a single, untethered man, Armand ends the story as grandpa to three. Despite the changes in his life that adopting the family will entail, Armand is pleased to do it. He found love, acceptance, and value in his relationships with Madame Calcet and the children. Though they are not blood related, the new family cares about each other deeply and works to help and support each other.