Old Man at the Bridge

“The was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it.”

This sentence helps depict the chaos of an evacuation, rooting the scene in what the soldier observes. Its structure is almost that of a list, which sustains an objective tone regarding the displacement of a number of people of all ages and the rapidity with which they cross the bridge.”

“The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers helping push against the spokes of the wheels.”

Hemingway’s prose is characteristically minimalist, which highlights the importance of each image presented. Mentioning soldiers anchors the scene in the context of the war. Their efforts to assist the struggling refugees make the narrator’s inactivity more obvious by contrast when he doesn’t help the old man.

“It was my business to cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead beyond and find out to what point the enemy had advanced.”

This detail reveals that the narrator is a military scout. This information supports his reliability as a narrator by confirming his skill at observing what is happening around him and reporting it efficiently and accurately.

“There were not so many carts now and very few people on foot, but the man was still there.”

Hemingway continually increases the tension of the situation by having the narrator notice the decreasing numbers of people coming over the bridge. By noting that the old man is still sitting by the bridge, as opposed to fleeing like everyone else, the narrator highlights his inability to sever his ties with his hometown.

“‘Where do you come from?’ I asked him.

‘From San Carlos,’ he said, and smiled.

That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.”

The old man’s happiness recalling his home emphasizes his pain at being forced to leave it. He reveals his affection for his home, which is further demonstrated by his inability to fully leave it behind by crossing the bridge.

“‘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.’”

This is the first of many reiterations of what the man feels was his responsibility. His anxiety at leaving is centered on the fates of the animals. He does not indicate ownership of them animals or suggest that watching them was his job, and the narrator observes that his clothes make it unlikely that he worked outdoors with them.

“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.”

This quote reiterates the narrator’s preoccupation with the coming enemy. It also notes the old man’s continued lack of movement in an increasingly dangerous situation. “Contact” serves as a euphemism for the inevitable battle to come.

“‘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.’”

The animals listed do not belong to the old man. He states that the birds are pigeons; their pairing reflects their typical domestication. Later in the story, the narrator describes them as doves, an unexpected symbol of peace in the midst of the war.

“‘And you have no family?’ I asked, watching the far end of the bridge where the few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.”

Hemingway’s dual-purpose narration shows both the predicament of the old man who has no family and the situation’s growing tension. The note that the carts are “the last few” and “hurrying” conveys that the window for escape is narrowing.

“‘No,’ he said, ‘only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others.’”

This quote shows the old man’s deep feelings toward the animals. Thinking about what may happen to them is painful, as he cannot envision a scenario in which they are kept safe. This is the first reference to the cat as a symbol of independence and survival.

“‘What politics have you?’ I asked.

‘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.’”

The man’s apolitical perspective reflects the realities of war, in which the entire country becomes ensnared in political and military conflicts. The man’s age, the length of his journey on foot, and his lack of political investment reveal the tragedy of his situation. This reflects a common thread in Hemingway’s writing, which often addresses themes of the morality and impact of war.

“‘I know no one in that direction [(Barcelona)],’ he said, ‘but thank you very much. Thank you again very much.’”

This quote shows the old man justifying his reasons for not completing his journey. His expression of thanks to the narrator serves as a polite dismissal of his suggestion; he has no intention of journeying to a strange city where he has no home or support network.

“‘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.’”

These lines present some of the most vivid imagery in the story, evoking fallen animals and final words. The old man has disengaged with the narrator and given up. His words reflect his bewilderment at finding himself displaced due to a conflict in which he plays no role.