The old man at the bridge

 

The short story Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway wholly demonstrates the vicious repercussions of war on disinterested innocents. The short story, narrated by a nameless soldier, sensitively portrays the sorry plight of the refugees who are displaced by war. 

The action takes places at a pontoon bridge near the Ebro Delta on an Easter Sunday during the Spanish Civil War. All the refugees of that area were crossing the bridge to protect themselves from the impending attack by the enemy troops. The young soldier was on a mission to cross the bridge and find out how far the enemy had advanced.

After the soldier had scanned the region for any sign of the enemy troops, he noticed an old man still sitting at the pontoon bridge. The seventy-six-year-old man wore black dusty clothes and his face was dusty grey. He wore steel-rimmed spectacles which suggested that he was neither a shepherd nor a herdsman. He appeared weak and exhausted. The soldier asked the old man where he came from. The old man replied that he was from Sans Carlos. He had already walked about 12 kilometres from his hometown, San Carlos, and was weary and exhausted. Therefore, even after the soldier had advised him to flee, the old man did not move.

The officer asked the old man about his political loyalty and he replied that had no politics. In San Carlos, he owned two goats, a cat and some pigeons which he had to leave behind because of the artillery. His whole life revolved around his animals and his hometown. He was just taking care of his animals without harming anybody just like any other ordinary individual unconcerned with the ongoing war. When he was told to move to safety in view of the advancing enemy troops, he was worried about the safety of his animals and wanted to remain with them. 

The old man is more concerned for the safety of his animals than for his own safety. The animals stand for different qualities. The pigeons, for example, represent peace and harmony and the fact that they fly away, away from the war, maybe is a reference to the refugees who flee from the war to a safer place. The cat being a symbol of independence, does not need anybody to survive, but the goat is often used as a sacrificial animal and this probably represents the old man and his situation. Like a goat which is sacrificed, the old man’s fate is sealed. The old man’s obsession with the safety of his animals brings out Hemingway’s point that this mad war unnecessarily destroys even such useful human beings who help to sustain life. The narrator, the young soldier, advised the old man to cross the pontoon bridge to save himself from the impending assault of the advancing enemies. Although the old man got up and tried to move, he swayed and teetered. So, he sat down again in the dust as he was too tired to move. He finally resigned himself to his fate and the imminent doom.

We, along with the young soldier, arrive at the painful realisation that the old man will not be able to move on and will probably die at the bridge. The irony is that like a goat which is sacrificed, the old man`s fate is sealed on an Easter Sunday, a day of hope and faith. 

Neither the old peasant nor the war is identified by name in the story, for the idea of the tragic sacrifices of uninvolved men in every war is universal. The old man epitomises the victims of war- men, women and children who had to leave their home and their normal life as victims of a war with which they have nothing to do.

 

Extract I 

There was a pontoon bridge across the river…..he was too tired to go any further.

1.    What is a pontoon bridge? Why are many people crossing the bridge?

          A bridge that is made of large hollow containers filled with air is called        a pontoon bridge.

The story is set during the Spanish Civil war and people are crossing the bridge to protect themselves from the impending attack by the enemy troops.

2.    Where is the old man sitting? Unlike others, why doesn’t he move?

The old man was too tired to go any farther because he had already walked twelve kilometers since he left his hometown, San Carlos.

3.    Who is the speaker in the above extract? Why is he there?

The unnamed narrator, who is an army scout is the speaker. He was on a mission to cross the bridge and find out how far the enemy had advanced.

4.    What is the first question that the narrator asks the old man? What does he answer? Why does the old man smile?

The narrator asked the old man where he came from. The old man replied, “ San Carlos”, and he smiled because the mention of his native town gave him pleasure.

5.    Why is the old man the last one to leave his town? Describe his physical appearance.

The old man was the last to leave because he was taking care of his animals. The old man wore dusty clothes and steel rimmed spectacles. His face was grey and dusty.

 

Extract II

He did not look like a shepherd…. “What animals were they?”

1.    Who is referred to as He in the extract above? In what condition is he?

Old man is He. He is in a weary condition as he has already walked twelve kilometers and too tired  to move further. Moreover his clothes are dusty and his face has turned grey.

2.    What all animals did he own? What kind of relationship did he share with them?

He had two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. The animals were his family; he loved them and cared for them so much that separating from them made him feel that he had lost his reason for existence.

3.    What did he do with the animals? What forced him to do so?

He left the animals behind in his native town of San Carlos. They heavy firing from the enemy forced him to do so.

4.    Why doesn’t the old man cross the bridge and escape to a safer place?

He had already traveled twelvekilometers, so he was too tired to go any further. He was weak, the old man had no family and he had left his animals behind, he felt helpless as he couldn’t save his animals; he surrendered himself to his fate.

5.    What do the incidents in the story show about the consequences of the war.

The Spanish civil war forms the background to the story and Hemingway depicts that how in times of war man acts inhumanly to his own race. War causes and death and destruction, and this is highlighted through the condition of the old man who can be seen as the symbol of civilian victims of war. The old man gives meaning to his life by taking care of his animals, but the war takes away everything from him. He sits alone by the side of the road; he is as helpless as his goats; he cannot escape and is too old and tired to save himself.

Extract III

"I am without politics…..forks for Tortosa.

1.    What does the old man mean when he states, “ I am without politics”? Why does he mention his age?

Like other innocent civilians what matters to the old man is his home and animals rather than politics. He mentions his age along with the fact that he had already walked twelvekilometers to reflect the extent of his weariness.

2.    Describe the old man’s appearance. What was he doing in San Carlos?

The old man wore steel rimmed spectacles; his clothes were black and dusty and his face had turned grey from dust. In San Carlos, he was taking care of his animals.

3.    The narrator says “ This is not a good place to stop.” Which place is he referring to? Why is it not advisable to halt there?

The place referred to is a war zone at a pontoon bridge across the Ebro river. The place is 12kilometers from San Carlos in Spain. 

4.     What does the narrator give to the old man? How does the old man react to it?

The narrator advised the old man to cross the bridge and catch a truck towards Barcelona. But the old man replied that he did not  know anyone there. However, he thanked the narrator for his suggestion and continued to express his concern for the fate of the animals he had left behind.

5.    Explain why the old man finally resigns to his fate.

The Spanish civil war forms the background to the story and Hemingway depicts that how in times of war man acts inhumanly to his own race. War causes and death and destruction, and this is highlighted through the condition of the old man who can be seen as the symbol of civilian victims of war. The old man gives meaning to his life by taking care of his animals, but the war takes away everything from him. He sits alone by the side of the road; he is as helpless as his goats; he cannot escape and is too old and tired to save himself. Forced to flee his town the old man sits  near the Ebro river; he surrenders to his fate and waits for his impending death.

 

Extract IV

He looked at me very blankly….think about others?

1.    Why does the old man look blank and tired? How can you say that the old man needed someone to talk to?

The man was forced to flee from his native town, leaving behind his only family i.e. his animals. He was concerned for them but did not know what to do. It made him blank. Moreover, he was 76 years old man who had alreadytraveled twelve kilometers so he was tired.

The manner in which the old man engaged in a conversation with the narrator and told him about his village and animals shows that he needed someone to talk to.

2.    What is the cause of old man’s worry and guilt?

The old man believed that he must watch over the cat, the goats and the pigeons in San Carlos. The man was not able to fulfill his responsibilities so was guilty and wondered what would the animals do in his absence.

3.    Explain how the story brings out the conflict between man and his inner self.

The story has two levels of conflicts. One of the conflicts is that between man and his inner self which is seen in the character of the old man. The old man is guilty of leaving his animals behind for the fear of fire by the artillery.

Man against another man is the other conflict in the story. In times of war, a man causes pain and suffering to another man. He fights with his own race for a seemingly greater good.

4.    The old man seems to have given up on his life. Do you agree? Why ?

Yes, it seemed that the old man had given up on his life:

He was not concerned for his safety. He sat by the side of the road at a pontoon bridge in the war zone. Despite repeated insistence from the narrator to save his life and to catch a truck to Barcelona, the old man paid no heed. He was preoccupied only with the fate of his animals he had left behind in San Carlos.

5.    How does the narrator try to relieve the old man of his worries? Does he prove successful? Support your answer with instances from the story.

The Narrator tries to engage in a conversation and inquires if he had left the dove cage unlocked. He tries to reassure him that the animals would be fine. At regular intervals, he reminds him to cross the bridge. The narrator becomes a friend in need for the old man but he is not able to relieve him of his worries. The  old man surrenders to his fate and till the end he only thinks of his animals. The narrator thusrealizes that  nothing can be done  about him and moves on leaving him at the bridge.

 

Extract V

“ I was taking care of animals……would ever have.

1.     Why does the narrator note that the old man spoke ‘dully’

The old man had lost all hope and was filled with guilt for not being able to look after his animals. War thus does not  only cause physical destruction but also psychological destruction.

2.    What makes the narrator feel that “ there was nothing to do about him?”

The Narrator tries to engage in a conversation and inquires if he had left the dove cage unlocked. He tries to reassure him that the animals would be fine. At regular intervals, he reminds him to cross the bridge. The narrator becomes a friend in need for the old man but he is not able to relieve him of his worries. The  old man surrenders to his fate and till the end he only thinks of his animals. The narrator thusrealizes that  nothing can be done  about him and moves on leaving him at the bridge.

3.    State how both the narrator and the old man are depicted as helpless by the end.

The old man loved his animals so much that separating from them made him feel that he had lost his reason for existence. The old man, like his goats, had no one to take care of him and thus he surrendered to his fate.

The narrator lends a kind ear to the old man and urges the man to get up and cross the bridge; the man tries but fails. The soldier feels sorry for him. Thus the story ends with the old man’s concern for the goats and the soldier’s  concern for the man.

4.    What is “all the good luck that old man would ever have?”

All the luck that he would have is that the cats could protect themselves and as the day was overcast, the Fascists would not  launch their planes to attack the local people.

5.    The story is set on an Easter Sunday, which symbolically shows renewal and peace. How is it ironical with reference to the events in the story?

The Old Man at the Bridge, the action of the story is set on Easter Sunday, the day when Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day after he was crucified. Thus, Easter is symbolically viewed as a welcome time of rebirth, renewal and possible change. However, for the old man at the bridge, this day meant inevitable death and the destruction of that was meaningful to him.

The image of resurrected Christ is like the image of the old man’s doves being released from their cage, both being symbols of hope and peace. The soldier , however, is not hopeful about the old man’s fate-he bitterly remarks that ‘all the good luck that old man would ever have’ was the fact that the artillery planes of the enemy could not fly that  day.

 

 

 

Old Man at the Bridge Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What is your impression of the old man who was sitting at the bridge ?
Answer:

The old man is the protagonist of the story which is written in the background of the Spanish Civil War. A soldier finds him sitting alone and is curious to know about him. From the conversation between the old man and soldier we come to know that the old man is seventy-six years old. Wearing steel-rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes, he was sitting by the side of the road. He was too tired to go any farther. He had come from San Carlos because of a war which is going on. He was a little sad to leave his town and a few pets behind him.

Question 2.
What do we learn about the old man’s concern about his pets ?
Answer:
The old man has been living in San Carlos without any family. Being deserted by his family, he lives in the company of two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. The artillery entered his home-town and the Captain told him to leave the place at the earliest. Therefore, the old man had to follow the command though he was reluctant to leave his goats, cat and pigeons to their fate. He was worried about the goats and pigeons and didn’t know what would happen to them. So far as the cat was concerned he was least worried since “a cat can look out for itself.” Here, we have an indirect criticism of warfare. Not only human beings but also animals and birds suffer during the war.

Question 3.
Bring out the main thematic concerns of the writer in the story “The Old Man at the Bridge.”
Answer:
Hemingway’s famous short story “The Old Man at the Bridge” is an anti-war story. It deals with the themes of resignation, depression and impending death during the war. A war affects not only human beings but also animals and birds. The terrific sound of bombings and explosions is too much for all living beings. This idea is brought out through the description of an old man of 76 sitting all by himself at a bridge during the Spanish Civil War. He has come all the way from his home-town, San Carlos, and is relaxing at the bridge. Inspite of a threat to his life, he is unwilling to go any farther. A young soldier who has come there to assess the enemy position asks the old man to walk on and catch a truck to reach Barcelona. But the old man expresses his inability to walk due to fatigue. The young soldier feels pity for the old man but has no means to help him. “There was nothing to do about him.” The old man has left ,behind two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. Though he knows that a cat can fend for itself, the others (i.e., the goats and pigeons) are only at the mercy of God.

Question 4.
How has Hemingway painted the scene at the bridge where the old man was sitting ?
Answer: Hemingway has provided a picturesque scene of the bridge and the movement of the army across the river. It was a pontoon bridge (i.e., a temporary bridge made of flat-bottomed boats, floating objects etc.) A long caravan of carts, trucks, men, women and children were crossing it. The mule-drawn carts were staggering up the steep bank from the bridge with some difficulty. The peasants were also struggling up in the ankle-deep dust. But the old man, the protagonist of this story, sat still without making any signs of willingness to move. He was obviously too tired to go any farther.

Question 5.
“I am without politics”. Explain the implications of this remark made by the old man.
Answer:
During the conversation with the old man, the young soldier asks : “What politics have you ?” In reply, the old man says that he is without politics. His simple reply has far-reaching implications. It implies that a common man is interested neither in politics nor in war. It is the politicians who wage a war and it is the common man who suffers the most in a war. Not only human beings, but also animals and birds suffer in a war. There is a large-scale destruction on both sides. The old man is wise and doesn’t take anybody’s side in the war that is going on. The message of the old man is that one should be above politics for the sake of human well-being.

Question 6.
What is your impression of the narrator of the story ?
Answer:
The narrator of the story is a dutiful soldier during the Spanish Civil War. He is at the bridge to assess the position of the Fascist army on the other side of the river. While doing this duty, his attention is caught by an old man who sits alone on the road-side and who doesn’t seem to be interested in crossing the bridge. Out of his curiosity, he engages himself in a conversation with the old man. All the questions put by him to the old man speak of his sincerity towards the lonely passenger. He wants to know about his where-abouts, his family, his politics etc. He asks about his pets and when the old man tells about his goats and pigeons, the soldier tries to relieve his tension. He asks the old man whether he had left the dove-cage unlocked when the old man replies in the affirmative, the soldier points out : “Then they’ll fly”. It eases some tension from the old man’s mind, though he is still worried about the goats. The soldier is happy to think that the old man is safe for the time being because it was a gray overcast day in which the planes can’t fly easily. The old man is a kind of fatherly-figure for the soldier and he hjes his best to ease out the situation for him. Thus, we have a realistic portrait of the old man as well as the soldier in this wonderful short-story.

Question 7.
Explain why the narrator of the story takes so much time to converse with the old man. Use details from the story in support of your answer.
Answer:
The narrator is a soldier who is doing his field duty during the Spanish Civil War. He notices an old man sitting by the side of the road who seems to be too tired to go any farther. But the soldier’s present business is to cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead on the other side and find out to what point the enemy has advanced. Therefore, he leaves the old man there and moves ahead to finish the task in hand. Having done his duty, he returns over the bridge and notices the old man sitting at the same place. Now, the soldier has ample time to have a hearty chat with the old man. Therefore, he engages him in long conversation to assess his condition. Side by side, he is listening to some signal which would indicate “that ever-mysterious event called contact”.

Question 8.
What statements from the story suggest that the old man is about to give up on life ? Quote specific statements to support your answer.
Answer:
The old man, who is the protagonist of the story, is quite exhausted. He is seventy-six years old and it shows that he doesn’t have much physical strength left in him. He has walked twelve kilometers from the town of San Carlos which is his native town. Now he has left the town because of the coming battle. A captain has asked him to move on for safety. However, the old man has almost resigned himself to his fate. A few statements support this :
“… the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther”.
When the soldier suggests that he can go towards Barcelona, the old man says :
“I know no one in that direction, but thank you very much…”.
He seems to be more worried about his two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. The soldier also knows that he cannot help the old man in any way :
“There was nothing to do about him.”

Question 9.
How does Hemingway show that war disrupts the lives of ordinary people ? Is this portrayal realistic ? Explain why you think so.
Answer:
Hemingway, the great American novelist, is known for his realism. He had himself experienced the agony and horror of war. His first-hand experience as an ambulance-driver in the first world-war gives an authentic touch to his descriptions. All his stories and novels depict the senselessness of war which is a crime against humanity. The present story also brings out the fact that not only the human beings but also animals and birds suffer terribly from the ruthlessness of war. The old man in the story is . indeed a symbol of the countless civilian victims of war who are “without politics”. He perhaps doesn’t know why the war is being fought and yet he is made to suffer. The agony of leaving his home along with his pets is too grim to be described in words. Displaced, disoriented and alone, he is faced with the inevitability of death. Even the soldier who converses with him sympathetically knows that “There was nothing to do about him.” Just as the old man has to leave behind his pet animals and birds, the soldier has also to leave the old man behind (to meet his fate). This is the tragedy of war.

Question 10.
Explain why the narrator takes so much time to converse with the old man. Use details from the story to support your answer.
Answer:
During the Spanish Civil War an old man sat exhausted by the side of a road near a pontoon bridge that crossed the river. The solider who was on duty there engaged himself 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. The soldier was concerned about the old man’s safety. He took time in conversing with the old man, hoping to change the mind of the old man. He felt that the old man was totally disillusioned. The soldier asked the old man to walk up the road and catch a ride on a truck of Barcelona. But the old man refused to do this. Finally the soldier felt that there was no hope for him. He could not remove the old man’s concern about the safety of his animals. The soldier is aware of the impending death of the old man but he can’t do anything.

Question 11.
What statements from the story suggest that the old man is about to give up on life ? Quote specific statements to back your answer.
Answer:
From the conversation between the soldier and the old man we come to know that the old man is extremely depressed. He is about to give up on life: He is seventy six and he has walked 12 kilometres to reach the pontoon bridge. Now he is totally exhausted. To the queries of the soldier, he gives very brief replies. He tells the soldier that he was the last man to leave the town of San Carlos. He was taking care of animals, his pets and he had no desire to leave them to save his own life. The soldier tells him that that is not a good place to stop. He advises him to take lift in the truck and go to Barcelona. The old man says, “I know no one in that direction.”
Referring to the old man’s pets the soldier says “Why they’ll probably come through it all right.”
The old man only says this “You think so ?” In extreme depression the old man says,” …
It’s better not to think about the others.” When the soldier says, “If you have rested I would go,” the old man simply says ‘Thank you’. He shows no desire to move from the place though he gets up slowly. All this shows he is extremely frustrated and disheartened.

Question 12.
How does Hemingway show that war disrupts the lives of ordinary people ? Is this portrayal realistic ? Explain why you think so.
Answer:
War impacts everyone. It spreads panic, anxiety and scare of death all around. Everyone becomes aware of the impending death. Confusion and chaos prevail everywhere. It may cause depression to some of the people. In this story ‘Old Man at the Bridge’, the old man suffers from depression during the Spanish Civil War. This is reflected in the conversation between a soldier and the old man who had to leave his hometown during the Spanish Civil War. He is worried about the fate of his animals that he had left behind. The old man tells the soldier that he has no family but is concerned about the fate of his animals. War has also impacted the soldier as he is worried about the safety of the old man. But the old man is worried about the safety of his animals. The soldier tells the old man to get up and catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona to save his life. But the old man who is 76 and has walked 12 kilometers to reach the bridge tells the soldier that he is too tired to walk. He remains obsessed with the thought of his animals’ safety. The soldier assures him that his animals would be fine and that he should not think about them. But the old man is unable to get rid of the thought of his animals’ safety. This gives him depression. It is the result of war. War has shattered his confidence and he lives in fear, panic and anxiety.

The soldier thinks that the old man is sure to be killed once the Fascists advance to the bridge across the Ebro. In this way war makes the soldier aware of the old man’s impending death. He tells the old man to leave the bridge and save his life but he does not look beyond the safety of his animals. The soldier feels pity for the old man – and says that nothing can be done about him and that his death seems certain.
Thus, portrayal of war and its effects is highly realistic. War disrupts the life of not only civilians and soldiers but also of animals and birds. Thinking about his animals the oldman says, “But what will they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery.” This means that they are sure to die.

Old Man at the Bridge Comprehension Passages

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
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.

(i) Who sat by the side of the road ? Where had he come from ?
Answer: An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. He had come from San Carlos.

(ii) Why did the old man not move from his place ?
Answer: He was so tired that he could not move from his place. Moreover he was a fatalist and did not care about his safety.

(iii) What was the duty of the narrator of the story ?
Answer: His duty was to cross the bridge and find out how far the enemy had advanced.

(iv) What did the narrator find when he returned over the bridge ?
Answer: The narrator found that there were not so many carts now and very few people on foot, but the old man was still there.

(v) Which place did the old man belong to ? Why did he leave his place and his animals ?
Answer: The old man belonged to San Carlos. He left his place and his animals because a captain told him to do so because of the artillery fire.

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.
“I was taking care of animals,” he explained.
“Oh,” I said, not quite understanding. “Yes,” he said, “I stayed, you see, taking care of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos.”
He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, “What animals were they ?”
“Various animals,” he said, and shook his head. “I had to leave them.”

(i) What was the old man’s native town ? What was his occupation ?
Answer: The name of the old man’s native town was San Carlos. He took care of his animals.

(ii) Comment on the old man’s appearance.
Answer: The old man did not look like a shepherd or a herdsman. He was an old man with a gray dusty face. He wore black dusty clothes and rimmed spectacles on his face.

(iii) Why did the old man leave his hometown ? Why did he leave it reluctantly ?
Answer: The old man left his hometown during the Spanish Civil War. He left his hometown because a captain had told him to leave the town and his animals because of the artillery fire. He left it reluctantly because he did not want to leave his animals behind. He was worried about the safety of his animals. He had to leave it because a captain had advised him to do so.

(iv) What animals did the old man take care of ? Why was he worried about them now ?
Answer: He took care of two goats and a cat, four pairs of pigeons, and several other animals. During the war, he was worried about the safety of his animals.

(v) What did the soldier ask the old man to do to save himself ? How did the old man react to his suggestion ?
Answer: The soldier asked the old man to walk up the road and catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona to save himself. The old man told the soldier that he was an old man of 76 and had walked 12 kilometers and was too tired to go any farther.

3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
I was watching the bridge and the African looking country of the Ebro Delta and wondering how long now it would be before we would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever mysterious event called contact, and the old man still sat there.
“What animals were they?” I asked.
“There were three animals altogether,” he explained. “There were two goats and a cat and then there were four pairs of pigeons.”
“And you had to leave them ?” I asked.

(i) Who is ‘I’ in the above extract ? What duty does ‘I’ perform ?
Answer: ‘I’ is the soldier in the above extract. The soldier who is posted at the bridge has to cross the bridge to find out how far the enemy had advanced. This is the duty that he has to perform as a soldier.

(ii) What animals did the old man leave behind in his hometown ? Why ?
Answer: The old man left behind two goats, a cat and four pairs of pigeons. During the Spanish Civil War, a captain told him to leave the town and his animals because of the artillery fire.

(iii) Describe the scene at the bridge where the soldier was performing his duty.
Answer: It was a pontoon bridge across the river. Carts, trucks, men, women and children were crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge. The peasants plodded along in the ankle deep dust. The old man sat there without moving.

(iv) How old was the old man ? How did he reach the bridge ? Why did he not go farther ?
Answer: The old man was 76. He walked 12 kilometers in order to reach the bridge. He did not go farther because he was too tired to go ahead.

(v) Why did the old man thank the soldier ?
Answer: The soldier had asked the old man to catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona and save his life from the enemies. So the old man thanked the soldier for the concern he showed for his safety.

4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I am without politics,” he said. ”I am seventy-six years old. I have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further.”
“This is not a good place to stop,” I said. “If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa.”

(i) Why cannot the old man walk further ? Why does he refuse to do so ?
Answer: The old man is 76 and has walked 12 kilometers to reach the bridge. He is too tired to walk any further. When the soldier tells him to catch a ride on a truck and leave this place to save his life from the enemies, he refuses to do so because of fatigue. Moreover he is worried about his animals’ safety whom he had left behind in his hometown.

(ii) How old is the man without politics ? How does his old age affect him ?
Answer: The man without politics is 76 years old. His old age affects him physically. He gets so tired after walking twelve kilometers from his hometown to the bridge that he cannot walk any farther.

(iii) Why does the narrator tell the old man that it is not a good place to stop ?
Answer: The narrator tells the old man that it is not a safe place to stay there because the enemy planes can hit this place any time. There is a danger to his life.

(iv) Why does the narrator ask the old man to leave that place ? Where does he want him to go ?
Answer: The narrator asks the old man to leave that place because there is a danger to his life. The enemy planes can hit that place any time. He wants him to catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona and save his life.

(v) Why does the old man thank the narrator ?
Answer: The narrator had asked the old man to catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona and save his life. He thanks him for showing his concern for his safety.

5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, then said, having to share his worry with some one, “The cat will be all right, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat. But the others. Now what do you think about the other ?”
“Why they’ll probably come through it all right.”
“You think so ?”
“Why not,” I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts.
“But what will they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery ?”
“Did you leave the dove cage unlocked ?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Then they’ll fly.”
“Yes, certainly they’ll fly. But the others. It’s better not to think about the others,” he said.

(i) What does the old man worry about ? Why ?
Answer: The old man is worried about the fate of his animals that he had left behind in his hometown during the war. He is worried about them because they could be killed by the artillery fire in the war.

(ii) How does the narrator try to console the old man ? Does it affect the old man in a positive way ?
Answer: The narrator tries to console the old man by saying that nothing will happen to his animals. He tells him that the pigeons will fly and save themselves. When the old man expresses his concern about the other animals, the narrator tells him not to think about the others.
It does not affect the old man positively because he is obsessed with the thought of animals’ safety. Moreover the old man is worried about the goats because they cannot fly and save themselves.

(iii) Why was the old man asked to leave his hometoum ? Why was he the last to leave ?
Answer: The old man was asked to leave his hometown during the war because there was a danger to his life. He was asked to leave his hometown and his animals because of artillery fire. He was the last to leave because he was reluctant to leave his animals behind. He was worried about the safety of his animals and therefore did not want to leave his hometown. But a captain asked him to leave the town and his animals because of the artillery fire.

(iv) Why is the old man not worried about the pigeons ? Why is he less worried about the cats ?
Answer: The old man is not worried about the pigeons because they can fly and save themselves. He is less worried about the cats because they can look after themselves.

(v) Why does the old man express his worry about his two goats ?
Answer: He expresses his worry about his two goats because the goats cannot fly and save themselves.

6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
“If you are rested I would go,” I urged.
“Get up and try to walk now.”
“Thank you,” he said and got to his feet, swayed from side to side and then sat down backwards in the dust.
“I was taking care of animals,” he said dully, but no longer to me, “I was only taking care of animals.”

(i) What did the narrator urge the old man ? Did he accept his advice ?
Answer: The narrator urged the old man to catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona and leave that place to save his life. He asked him to do so because there was a danger to his life. The enemy planes could hit that place any time. No, he did not accept his advice. He told ‘ him that he was too tired to walk any farther.

(ii) Why did the old man thank the narrator ?
Answer: The narrator had asked the old man to catch a ride on a truck to Barcelona and save his life from the enemies. He thanked him for showing his concern about his life.

(iii) Why did the old man sit down again in the dust ? What light does his action throw on his character ?
Answer: The old man had walked 12 kilometers to reach the bridge. He was too tired to walk any farther. He tried to walk but could not do so due to fatigue. So he sat down again in the dust. His action shows that he is a fatalist who has resigned himself to fate.

(iv) What does the narrator think of the old man at the end of the story ?
Answer: The narrator thinks that since the old man cannot get rid of the thought of his animals’ safety, nothing can be done about him. Thus he feels pity for him.

(iii) Why did the old man feel dull and sad ?
Answer: The old man was obsessed with the thought of his animals’ safety. He was scared of the impending death of his animals. He was worried more about his animals’ safety than his own safety. This thought makes him dull and sad.

Old Man at the Bridge Assignment

Question 1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good luck that old man would ever have.
(i) Explain the line “There was nothing to do about him.”
(ii) Why could the planes of the Fascists not fly ? How would it affect the fate of the old man ?
(iii) Why does the old man say that the cats can look after themselves ? Why is he more worried about the goats ?
(iv) Why did the old man not leave the place even when he was advised to do so by the narrator ?
(v) What does the narrator think about the old man’s fate ? Why does he take pity on him.

Question 2. (a) What do the birds and animals mentioned in the story symbolize ?
(b) How does war disturb the life of the common people ? Discuss with reference to the story ‘The Old Mam at the Bridge’.
(c) How does the conversation between the old man and the soldier reflect the anti¬war views of the writer ?