WORKBOOK ANSWERS
in a different way
OLD MAN AT THE BRIDGE
- What is the pontoon bridge? Why are there so many people on the bridge?
A pontoon bridge is a structure of enormous hollow containers full of air.
During the Spanish Civil War, the story takes place, and civilians are crossing the bridge to avoid being attacked by opposing troops.
ANS: The elderly gentleman was too exhausted to continue because he had already traveled twelve kilometers since leaving his village of San Carlos. Can you tell me where the older man is sitting? Why doesn’t he move like the others?
3the excerpt above, who is the speaker? What is his purpose in being here?
The speaker is the unidentified narrator, who is an army scout. He was on a mission to cross the bridge and determine the extent of the enemy’s approach.
Four at is the narrator’s first inquiry to the older man? What does he say in response? Why is the older man grinning?
Answer: The narrator inquired about the older man’s origins. The elderly gentleman
“San Carlos,” he said, smiling since the mention of his hometown made him happy.
- Why is the old guy the last person to leave his hometown? Describe his physical characteristics.
ANS: Because he cared for his elderly father, the older man was the last to go animals. The older man was dressed in filthy rags and wearing steel-rimmed spectacles. He had a grayish and dusty complexion.
EXTRACT NO.
- In the excerpt above, who is referred to as He? What is his current state?
Answer: He is an older man. He’s exhausted because he’s already walked a long distance. I was exhausted after twelve kilometers and couldn’t go any further. His clothing is also dirty, and his face has become grey.
What kind of animals did he have? What sort of connection did he have with them?
According to the answer, he had two goats, a cat, and four pairs of pigeons. The animals were his family; he adored and cared for them to the point where being separated from them made him feel as if he had lost his purpose in life.
What was his plan for the animals? What compelled him to act in this manner?
ANS: He left the animals at San Carlos, where he grew up. He was obliged to do so by the enemy’s overwhelming fire.
- Why doesn’t the older man cross the bridge and go somewhere safer?
ANS: He was too exhausted to go further after having already traveled twelve kilometers. He was frail. The elderly guy had no family and had abandoned his animals; he felt powerless because he couldn’t save his animals, so he accepted his fate.
- What do the events of the story reveal about the war’s consequences?
ANS: The plot is set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.
Hemingway portrays how a man acts inhumanely toward his race during times of conflict. The state of the old guy, who might be considered a metaphor for civilian victims of war, emphasizes the causes of death and damage that war brings. The old guy gives his life meaning by caring for his animals, but the war rips everything away from him. He sits alone on the side of the road, helpless like his father.
He is surrounded by goats and cannot flee since he is too old and exhausted to save himself.
3 QUESTIONS and ANSWER
1. What does it imply for the old guy to say, “I am without politics”? Why does he make a point of mentioning his age?
The older man wants to say that he is a war victim who is an innocent civilian.
He mentions his age and that he has already walked twelve kilometers to demonstrate his exhaustion.
(ii) Give an account of the older man’s appearance. What exactly was he up to in San Carlos?
(ii) The older man sported steel-rimmed spectacles, dusty black attire, and a grey face.
As it was his hometown, he lived in the Sam Carlos with his animals.
“This is not a nice location to stop,” the narrator continues. Why isn’t it a good idea to come to a halt there? To which location is he referring?
(iii) The narrator’s location is a combat zone on the Ebro River’s pontoon bridge.
Because of the enemy’s intense fire, it wasn’t a good idea to stop there.
(iv) What is the narrator’s suggestion to the older man? What is the older man’s reaction?
(iv) The narrator recommends that the old guy cross the bridge and take a truck to Barcelona.
(v) Describe why the elderly guy eventually accepts his fate. What does the older man’s fate represent? Do you believe the older man had a chance to change his fate? Give reasons for your response.
ans
(v) The older man accepts his fate because he doesn’t want to do anything because he is concerned about his animals.
His fate represents the plight of war’s innocent victims. The older man could have changed his fate by crossing the bridge and beginning a new life.
Four no extract QUESTIONS
1. What is the source of the older man’s blank and exhausted expression? How can you say the older man needs to talk to someone?
The old guy appeared blank and exhausted because he was concerned about the welfare of his animal and felt terrible for abandoning it.
The older man wanted someone to talk to since he was sad, and sad people always need someone to express their feelings with.
(ii) What is causing the old man’s anxiety and guilt?
(ii) The older man’s concern was for the safety of his animals in San Carlos, and he was responsible because he left his animals alone in San Carlos during intense enemy fire.
(iii) Describe how the story highlights the tension between man’s inner self and outer self.
(iii) The author skillfully elucidates the Old Man’s two levels of conflict between his inner and outside selves. To preserve himself, the old man was obliged to abandon his animals. The story also features a competition between men. Man destroys his own race for his own gain in times of war.
(iv) The elderly gentleman appears to have given up on life. Do you agree with me? Why?
(iv) Yes, the old guy has given up on his life since, even though he had a chance to live, he did not want to.
This demonstrates that the elderly gentleman has given up on life.
v) The narrator tries to cheer up the old guy by conversing with him.
No, he is not successful, as the poet relates later in the story that the old man remarked, “I was taking care of the animal.”
This statement demonstrates the narrator’s failure.
extract 5