Attempt the following question in not more than
300-400 words: Critically analyse the story Old
Man at the Bridge.
Answers
The story ‘Old Man at the Bridge’ is in the form of conversation between a soldier and an old man. The writer takes the ordinary detail and transforms it into a powerful story about the tragedy of war. The old man in the story becomes a symbol of countless civilians who perish in war.
The story ‘Old Man at the Bridge’ is related through a conversation between a soldier and an old man who had to leave his hometown during the Spanish Civil War. During the war there was panic and anxiety all around. Everyone was aware of the impending death. An old man with spectacles sat exhausted by the side of a road near a pontoon bridge that crossed the river. The soldier got engaged in conversation with the old man. During the conversation he came to know that the old man was worried about his animals that he had left behind. The old man told the soldier that he had the charge of two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. He said that a captain had told him to leave the town and the animals because of artillery fire. He had no family but he expressed concern about what would happen to his animals. He said that the cat would be all right because cats could look after themselves, but he did not know what would happen to his other animals.
The soldier was concerned about the old man’s safety whereas the old man was concerned about his animal’s safety. He told the soldier that he was an old man of 76 and had come 12 kilometers and was too tired to walk up the road and catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona. The old man thanked the soldier for his concern for his safety but he continued to express his concern over the fate of the animals he had left behind. The old man remained obsessed with the thought about the safety of his animals. At the end of the story the soldier felt pity for the old man and thought “There was nothing to do about him.” He realized that he could not remove the old man’s concern about the safety of his animals. The story reflects the theme of depression and impending death.
Old Man at the Bridge Summary in English
The conversation between a soldier and an old man
The story ‘Old Man at the Bridge’ is related through a conversation between a soldier and an old man who had to leave his home town during the Spanish Civil War. During the war there was panic and anxiety all around. Everyone was aware of the impending death. An old man with spectacles who had walked 12 kilometres from his hometown sat exhausted by the side of a road near a pontoon bridge that crossed a river. Carts, trucks and men, women and children were crossing the bridge. Peasants, refugees and Republican soldiers laden with munitions and supplies fled the advancing Fascist army. The narrator, who said that his mission was to cross the bridge and find out how far the enemy had advanced, did so. He saw the old man sitting beside the bridge when he crossed toward the enemy. He found him still sitting there when he crossed back. He began talking to the old man and came to know that his hometown was San Carlos. He was the last person to leave the town, as he was anxious about his animals.
Old Man at the Bridge Summary
Old Man at the Bridge Summary
The narrator asks the old man about his animals
The narrator, who was nervously awaiting the advent of the Fascist army and the ensuing battle between the armies, asked the old man about his animals. The old man said that he had charge of two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. He said that a captain had told him to leave the town and the animals because of artillery fire. He also told the narrator that he had no family. He, then, expressed concern about what would happen to the animals. He said that the cat would be all right because cats could look after themselves, but he did not know what would happen to the other animals.
Old man’s Political Views
The narrator, who was more concerned for the old man’s safety than those of the animals, enquired what the old man’s .politics was. The old man replied that he had none. He told the narrator that he was an old man of 76 and had come 12 kilometres and was too tired to go further. The narrator told him to walk up the road and catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona.
The old man expresses his thanks to the narrator
The old man thanked him, but continued to express his concern over the fate of the animals he had left behind. The narrator reassured him, saying the animals would be fine. The narrator told him that the pigeons would fly away, but the old man continued to worry about the goats. The narrator told him that it was better not to think about them and that he should get up and walk to the trucks
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