Question

Attempt a thematic analysis of the stories ‘Old Man at the Bridge’ and ‘The Sniper’ and document your observations in not more than 250 words. ​

Answer 1

Both of these short stories are set in wartime and they elaborate on the horrors of the war. "Old Man at the Bridge" is written by Earnest Hemmingway while "The Sniper" is written by Liam O'Flaherty

Explanation:

• Earnest Hemmingway explains the frustration of common men and how agonizing it is for them to be caught in the middle of a was. The writer also explains the effects of war on innocent people as well as the country and how everyone suffers because of it but no one can do anything about it.  

• The Old man in the story is used for symbolic purposes while the bridge also holds a lot of significance since it was the place where Earnest Hemmingway met an old man who told him about war stories. The bridge is located on the Ebro river.

• The Sniper however is an Irish story based on civil war. The story is set during the famous Dublin war. The author explains the inhumane behaviors adopted towards people and how it affects their thinking process over general mankind and its related emotions.

• The Sniper is also used to emphasize irony since it killed his own flesh and blood i.e. his brother.