The Old Man at the Bridge

 

The Old Man at the Bridge Summary by Ernest Hemingway

The story is compelling from the very start, as the readers are introduced to the character of an old man sitting alongside a pathway with his clothes covered in dust. There are people of all ages shuffling around him with carts and trucks. Men, women and children, all seemed to be moving across the bridge and a few soldiers were helping the people push their carts up the banks of the river. The solitary old man, too tired to move, sits silently on a side of the road watching the passer byes. Here, our narrator makes an entry and tries to assess the progress of the enemy forces. By the time he completes his patrolling most of the citizens have been evacuated from that area, except for that old man who hasn’t moved at all. He walks over the bridge and picks up a conversation with the old man. As they talk, the soldier comes to know that the old man was from the city of San Carlos where he was apparently engaged in the caring of certain animals.Upon further questioning, the old man mentions that there was a cat, a couple of goats and some pigeons under his care and that he was worried how they were going to fare with the invasion coming. The narrator gradually engages the old man in a personal conversation and asks him about his family. To this the old man replies that he has no family and depends only on the animals for companionship. He then proceeds to share his thoughts about their safety. According to him, the cat can take care of itself and will be alright but the others can get into trouble. 

The Old Man at the Bridge: Analysis

Critics have always found the basic plot line of this story to be highly intriguing and thought-provoking. The unprecedented violence of war had forced an old man of seventy-six years to flee his native town, leaving behind his home and animals that were apparently his only source of companionship and comfort. He was all alone in the world with nowhere to go and nobody to go to, just sitting by a dusty old bridge trying to contemplate what will happen to his animals. The unjustness of the world and its general cruelty has been highlighted by Hemingway in this story. The narration talks about having faith and about moving on with the tides of time, but it also illustrates the uselessness of religion and moral practices in the face of War. There is a subtle hint of bitter irony in the story as the narrator speaks to the old man and urges him to escape but fails to help him. In the same way, the old man can be seen in the light of the Good Shepherd as he cares for his flock but ultimately fails to protect them. It’s like assuming the role of a savior through ornamental words but becoming powerless to do anything fruitful in the face of adversity. Here, the savior blames the old man’s luck for his situation and leaves him to the chances of fate. 

The Old Man at the Bridge: Character Sketch

It can be said that the story revolves around the character of an old man who is also the central protagonist. He has escaped from his hometown to avoid the ruthless violence of the Spanish Civil War. We can discern from his conversation with the narrator that this sudden incident has deeply affected his composure. In his nervous state of mind, he could only focus upon the safety of the animals that he left behind. He is tired from the journey but also very confused because the reality of his own safety has not yet dawned upon him. He has no sense of his present situation, and his thoughts keep going back to how the cat, goat, and birds shall escape.

The narrator of the story, who is also a soldier of the Spanish Republicans, notices the old man sitting alone on the bridge and walks up to talk to him. This sets him aside from the other soldiers who are simply busy carrying out their orders through unseeing, inhumane eyes. This soldier, too, has a sense of urgency in his mannerisms as he has to gauge the extent of the enemy’s advances but sets aside his duties to speak to the old man. However, his kindness is short-lived and futile as he moves on when he discovers that the old man is too tired to walk any further. 

The Old Man at the Bridge: Themes

The typical Hemingway themes of impending calamity, perplexed darkness, and loss in faith invade the entire story making it a bleak recollection of one destitute old man’s misery. Among the thousands of war casualties, including entire families of men, women, and children, this old man’s story is almost negligible.

Reflecting the author’s general style of writing, the considerate narrator of the story, who takes on the role of a protector, seems to be more preoccupied with the old man’s fate than the old man himself. It’s like, with the war coming and with the nerves on end, the old man could think of only his animals who depended upon him, while the soldier thought of his vulnerable old native whom he was supposed to escort to safety. The feeling of natural responsibility and care between the biblical shepherd and his herd has been explored in this story. In fact, we can even trace certain spiritual aspects from the Holy books in this story. Just like God’s words are meant to give only wisdom and guidance to humankind, the narrator’s words could also only encourage the old man to cross over the bridge before calamity strikes. God never physically helps his subjects in distress but can only show them the path. Similarly, the narrator gives hope and words of comfort to the old man but did not actually help him to get up and walk towards the waiting trucks. Just like God, the soldier could not give his complete attention to the problems of only one subject (the old man) when he had so many others to protect.

The Old Man at the Bridge: Conclusion

The prose is written in true Hemingway style with complete disregard to form and elaboration of any kind. It begins with a description of an old man sitting idly on a bridge when people all around are rushing about. The initial passage illustrates a war-like situation as the Fascist forces advance towards a town called the Ebro. The contrast between the rushing crowds who are all trying to move forward and get away from the place as soon as they can and the lone old man sitting all by himself strikes the reader as absurd. This level of detachment and vulnerability displayed by the old man as the deadly war approaches is the actual intent of this story.