The short story “The Old Man At The Bridge “ is about relationship. Do you agree? Give reasons.(from 300 to 350 words)
Answers
Explanation:
An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers helping push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading out of it all and the peasants plodded along in the ankle deep dust. But the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther.
Question 1.
Who was sitting by the side of the road?
Answer:
An old man wearing steel rimmed glasses and very dusty clothes was sitting by the side of the road.
Question 2.
What does the term “pontoon bridge” mean?
Answer:
A pontoon bridge also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load they can carry. Most pontoon bridges are temporary, used in wartime and civil emergencies.
Question 3.
Why were the soldiers “helping to push against the spokes of the wheels”?
Answer:
The soldiers were “helping to push against the spokes of the wheels” because there was a steep elevation.
Question 4.
What does the reference to the old man in the beginning and the end of the passage indicate?
Answer:
The author through the reference to the old man in the beginning and the end of the passage intends to bring the figure of the old man under a sharp focus.
Question 5.
Why did the old man continue to sit without moving with the other villagers?
Answer:
The old man continued to sit because he was too tired to walk further.
Answer:
The story is written in the first person and narrated by a nameless soldier whose duty is to observe the advancing of the enemy. The soldier has captured the atmosphere of war and the helplessness of the people as victims of war in
his conversation with the old man who was forced to leave his hometown and animals behind. He has explored the region and the situation by suggestive hints. The first person narrative helps the reader to identify with the scene of threat and helplessness.
Metaphors and Symbols
The story abounds in metaphors and symbols. One of the symbols is the bridge which represents uncertainty and dangers. The pigeons symbolise peace and harmony and the fact that they fly away, from the war, may be a reference to the refugees who flee from the war to a safer place. The cat is a symbol of independence who does not need anybody to survive, but the goat is often used as a sacrificial animal and this probably represents the old man who reconciles himself with his impending death.
Language
The story is narrated in a conversational form and the language used is simple. But several simple words are symbolic in significance. The style is lucid and intelligible. The dialogue between the soldier and the old man takes the story forward. The simple conversation reveals the characteristic traits of the speakers and reflects the theme of the story.
Explanation:
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