What is the critical analysis of the story "The old man at the bridge"
Answers
Answer:
The story ‘Old Man at the Bridge’ deals with the themes of resignation, depression and impending death. This theme is reflected in a conversation between a soldier and an old man who had to leave his hometown during the Spanish Civil War. The old man is gripped by panic and anxiety. He is a fatalistic hero of the story who is resigned to his fate as a casualty of war. When the soldier who is concerned about the safety of the old man tells him to walk up the road and catch a ride on the truck to Barcelona, he tells him that he is an old man of 76 and is too tired to go further. So he resigns himself to his fate. Then the soldier reflects that he is sure to be killed once the Fascists advance to the bridge across the Ebro. His life is prolonged by the fact that the day is overcast and the Fascists cannot launch their planes. His mind is eased by the fact that cats can look after themselves, but aside from that the soldier says that nothing can be done for him and his death seems certain.
The soldier seems more affected by the inevitability of the man’s probable fate than by the old man. On the other hand, the old man is worried about the fate of his animals. He can’t get rid of the thought of safety of his animals. This gives him depression. When the soldier tells him that it is best not to think about his animals, he is unable to stop thinking about them. This leads him to depression.
Conversational Form
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. The conversation takes place at the bridge where the soldier is performing his duty.
The story conveys the problems faced by people as victims of war in the form of a dialogue. The conversation advances the story further and takes it to its logical conclusion. The theme of the story and the characteristic traits of the two characters involved in the conversation are revealed through conversation.
First Person
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.
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