Summary Of Old Man At The Bridge
OLD MAN AT THE BRIDGE – In this article, we are going to learn more about the summary and important lessons of the “Old Man at the Bridge” story.
The story begins with an old man sitting along a bridge, tired, and covered with dust. Several people are rushing to pass the bridge with their families as they run away from the Spanish Civil War but the old man is too exhausted to continue.
The Narrator of the story, a soldier, checks the bridge if the enemy is close by and spots the old man. When he returns, the old man is still at the bridge and urged him to move forward to get to safety.
The old man explained that he was taking care of the animals and could not leave the village. Meanwhile, the Narrator tried desperately to carry him to safety as he wouldn’t move.
However, according to an article Litcharts, the old man refused to move from his post and said “I was taking care of the animals”. Afterward, he said that he couldn’t help the old man and leaves him there to his fate.
Lessons from the story – The story provides a narration into the effects of war and the suffering of those involved. Furthermore, the old man in the story was alienated from the rest of society with only his animals that keep them happy.
It also presents how some people are tied down with no prospects of life, especially in a scenario where war is a looming figure.
Moreover, the story ties down with a sense of Duty. As others are fleeing the village, the old man at the bridge stays put because he knew that he had a duty to his animals.
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