OLD MAN AT THE BRIDGE-Class 9TH

OLD MAN AT THE BRIDGE

1. About The Author
2. Story in Brief
3. Theme of Story
4. HIGHLIGHTS
5. CHARACTERS

Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and sportsman. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his adventurous lifestyle and his public image brought him admiration from later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, six short-story collections, and two nonfiction works. Three of his novels, four short-story collections, and three nonfiction works were published posthumously. Many of his works are considered classics of American literature.Old Man at the Bridge was his most Powerful Story.Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he was a reporter for a few months for The Kansas City Star before leaving for the Italian Front to enlist as an ambulance driver in World War I. In 1918, he was seriously wounded and returned home. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his novel A Farewell to Arms (1929).

Ernest Miller Hemingway

His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926. Hemingway left behind an impressive body of work and an iconic style that still influences writers today. His personality and constant pursuit of adventure loomed almost as large as his creative talent.

About the Story

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.

Theme Of Old Man at the Bridge

The Theme of 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 suddenly 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.

Another theme in Hemingway's The Old Man at the Bridge is the sense of duty. The old man, whom the soldier meets at the Bridge,feels it is his duty to act as a shepherd,and watch over his flock.The old man believes that he must watch over the four doves,the cat, and the two goats in San Carlos.

Highlights of Speech/ Summary

The narrator(Main CHARACTER), who says that his mission is to cross the bridge and find out how far the enemy has advanced,does so and finds out how far the enemy has advanced, does so and finds the old man who was sitting by the Bridge when he crossed towards the bridge when he crossed towards the enemy still sitting there when he crossed towards the enemy still sitting there when he crosses back.He begins conversing with the old man and elicits the information that his hometown is San Carlos : he was the last person to leave the town,as he was anxious on behalf of some animals he had charge of.

The narrator, while nervously awaiting the advent of the Fascist army and the ensuring battle between the armies, asks the old man about the animals. The old man says he had a charge of two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. He says a major told him to evacuate the town and the animals because of artillery fire. HE says he has no family.

The old man expresses concern about the fate of his animals.He says that the cat would be all right because cats can look after themselves,baut he was not sure about what would happen to the other animals.

The narrator, more concerned for the old man's safety than that of the animals, inquires what the old man's politics are,and the old man replies that he has none. He told the soldier that he was an old man of 76, had walked 12 Kilometers and was too tired to go any further. The narrator tells him to walk up to the road and catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona.

The old man thanks him, but continues to express concern over the fate of the animals he left behind. The narrator reassures him, saying that the animals would be fine. he says that the doves would fly away,but the old man conitues to worry about the goats.The narrator advised him not to think about the animals, and that he should get up and walk to the trucks.

The old man tried to get up and walk, but he was too tired and sank back down.In the end, the narrator who was reluctant to listen to the old man's story in the beginning,felt pity for him.He thought that the old man's luck was that the cats could look after themselves and that day was overcast so the Fascists were unable to launch their planes.

CHARACTERS

The Main CHARACTERS are:

1. Old Man:The old man is the second character in the short story, who is presented from the narrator’s perspective. According to his outer characterization, he comes from a town called San Carlos (l. 14), he is “seventy-six years old” he has no family, and he used to take care of animals.His physical portrait is conveyed on several occasions, and helps suggest the idea of helplessness: “An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road.” ; “...I looked at his black dusty clothes and his gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles…” .The old man’s inner characterization is conveyed through dialogue and his actions .The fact that the man walked 12 kilometers from his town and got tired and decided to stop at the bridge suggest not only physical but also psychological exhaustion. He is a man who had to leave his town and who realized he has nowhere to go. This idea is further emphasized by his reluctance to go to Barcelona:
2. The Scout is the narrator(main CHARACTER) who creates the story of the old man at the at bridge.Through his telling of the story,he gradually articulates who the old man is and what he represents.The Scout at the beginning is the impersonal narrator who sees the old man and decides to engage him in conversation.By asking the old man questions about himself,the main CHARACTER gradually thinks the old man is just resting so he encourages him to move on. The fatalism of the old man and the narrators despair are conveyed through the conversation of the scout and the old man.

TITTLE

The story is about the old man,sitting on the bridge, unable to walk to safety as he is too tired, waiting for his inevitable death.Hence the tittle"Old Man On the Bridge" is very apt.The old man is sitting on the bridge which represents uncertainty and dangers.he has left his home and animals and is worried about their face whereas the nameless soldier is worried about his safety.The old man is a goat figure as he is unable to escape,an innocent Victim of the Civil war.

GLOSSARY

1. Steel Rimmed Spectacles: glasses with a round metal frame.
2. Pontoon Bridge: Temporary floating platform made of pieces of metal.
3. Bridgehead: Strong position that the army had conquered,from which it could control or attack the enemy.
4. Ebro Delta: The Ebro river is the longest.
5. Staggered: Walked with unsteady steps.
6. Plodded: Walked Slowly.
7. Artillery: Heavy guns moved on wheels.
8. Mysterious: Strange

Also Read About Capital and capital Formation /Factors Of Production