Regan LeBus - Short Story Project
Storyboard Text
- The Old Man in Old Man at the Bridge is a pretty flat protagonist. The old man is a lonely and worried character who from beginning to the end, remains anxious about his beloved animals. However, at the end he does seem a little bit more comforted about the fate of his animals, making him a dynamic character. He states his lonelieness when talking to the soldier, another protagonist, And you have no family?” I asked, watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank.“No,” he said, “only the animals I stated. However lonely he might be, he still worries greatly about his animals. 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 others?”
- Old man at the BridgeBy Ernest Hemmingway
- The main conflict in this story is the old man's inner conflict, or man vs self, and about his choice to leave his only family, his animals, to an unknown fate in the hands of enemy soldiers for his own safety. It's purpose is to build suspense and give the old man character for the soldier to help develope.
- The setting of the short story takes place during the Spanish Civil War, on a secluded bridge in the middle of nowhere. The bridge is being used to transport refugees. There was a pontoon bridge accross the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it. The purpose is to show the desperate and worrying times the people crossing were in, reflecting the old man's worried manner when talking about the dangers of his home.
- The theme of this short story is the loss, sadness, and sacrifice that comes from war or conflict. 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.” The loss of the poor old man's only family is an example of the main theme. The other people fleeing their home at the start is another example.
- Review: I believe this is a great short story. It demonstrates the raw human reaction to loss, or fear of possible loss in the future. The constant worried questions of the old man. 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 others?” The old man constantly seeks reasurance from the soldier, which adds to the theme of the loss that stems from war. This short story is an excellent tale that accurately describes the common reaction to loss or anxious uncertainty.
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