show that there are times when people are made helpless by situation beyond their control. justify the statement. In the story 'old man at the bridge '
Answers
The story ‘The Old Man at the Bridge’ is a beautiful illustration of how people can at times become helpless by situations beyond their control. In this story, the army was getting ready to attack the place the author was staying. It was his duty to cross the bridge every day to see how much the army had advanced. One day, he noticed an old man who was sitting there.
The old man refused to move even when he knew the army was drawing closer. This was because he had to let go of his favorite animals and birds. The author was ready to help him board a truck towards Barcelona so that he could escape. But, the old man did not budge from his stand. The poet felt helpless because the old man’s refusal to save himself was because of a situation that was not in the poet’s control.
The short story ‘The Old Man at the Bridge’ is written by Ernest Hemingway. It is a story which depicts how people become helpless due to situations that are beyond their control.
This story shows a setting in San Carlos during the Spanish Civil war. The author’s mission was to cross the bridge daily to check the advancement of the army into their territory.
On one such occasion, the author happened to come across an old man sitting near the bridge at the Ebro river. Although he knew the army had reached really close, the old man would not listen to the author’s plea of moving from there. He could not bear to part with the animals and birds he loved the most.
The author was prepared to help the old man to get out from there. However, the old man refuses to move from there, which makes the poet feel helpless.