About the Author Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1999- July 2, 1961) was an American noveliest, short story writer, and Journaliest, whose simple and understated writing was a strong influence on twentieth century fiction. He won the Nobel prize in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non -fiction works. Additional works, including three novels, four short stroy collections. The old man and the sea is considered classic of American literature.
Click here to solve ⇒ MCQ on Old Man at the Bridge
"Old Man at the Bridge", which was written by Ernest Hemingway, most likely grew out of the author's experiences as a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). It was a civil war fought between the Republican Government and the National Fascist forces. It is a tale about death and war.
A soldier meets an old man at the bridge of Ebro River on Easter Sunday and the story is based on conversation he has with this old ma. The story details a chance encounter between a young soldier and an old Spaniard at a pontoon bridge. The old man's hometown of San Carlos is being evacuated because of the artillery fire, and he sits at the roadside before the bridge crossing, too tired to walk. The soldier, while anticipating contact with the enemy, expresses concern about the man's safety and encourages him to continue moving. The old man, on the other hand, is not concerned about himself but worries about the animals that were under is care rather than for his own safety. The enemy would cross the bridge soon, and death appears imminent for the old man. Unable to walk and barely able to stand, the old man's luck has run out, and he, too, seems resigned to his fate at the bridge.
Plot of the Story 1. An old man has left his hometown due to Spanish Civil War.
2. He arrives at the bridge and sits on it.
3. The narrator talks to him and the old man expresses his fears about the safety of his animals he has left behind.
4. The narrator thinks about the safety of the old man, but the old man thinks about the safety of his goats.
5. But the narrator is worried about the safety of the old man at the bridge if the Fascists may launch their planes any time.
6. The old man tells him that the cat will be all right because cats can look after themselves. He is worried about the other animals.
Questions and Answers Q 1. What did the soldier not understand ? What else the old man say? Ans. When the old man said that he was taking care of animals in his native town. the soldier didn't understand what he meant by that statement.
The old man said that he stayed in his native town to take care of animals and he was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos.
Q 2. What was the soldier wondering and listening when he was watching the bridge and the African looking country of the Ebro Delta ? Ans. The soldier was wondering how long then it would be before they would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever mysterious event called contact.
Q 3. How have the old man and various animals been used as symbols in the story 'Old man at the bridge'? Ans. The Old man is sysmbolic of the devastating effects of war on civilians who have nothing to gain from the conflict.
The old man's beloved animals symbolize innocent victims of war. The cat, which "can look out for itself," is the most resilient creature because it is autonomous and does not depend on others to survive. It is also a solitary animal, and is an ugle conflict where people must fend for themselves, the cat represents someone who can stay alive but won't necessarily help other. The flok of birds, first called pigeons by the old man and later called doves by the narrator, can escape from the unlocked cage and fly away from the artillery. The fact that narrator refers to them as "doves" ( a symbol of peace) after the old man spoke of them as pigeons reveals his longing for the war to end. The uncaged doves may appear to be a symbol of hope, but their fate is both uncertain and irrelevant to the story's dark ending. Finally, the goats come to be associated with narrator himself, as they have no chance of surviving with nobody to care for them, just as the old man himself will likely die without family or friends to help him escape. Likewise, just as the old man says that it's "better not to think about (the fate of the goats), the narrator comes to believe that it's better to move along and not think too much about the old man.