"The Old Man and the Bridge"
How old is the old man?
seventy-six
What was the old man doing in his native town?
taking care of animals
The old man is a symbol of what?
the civilian victims of war
How does Hemingway show that war is disrupting the lives of the peasants? Is this portrayal realistic? Why or why not?
the old man says that he had to vacate the town and leave behid his belonging; realistic, many towns have to vacate during war
Why does the narrator take so much time to converse with the old man?
to show how worn out the civilians were from the war
Why does the old man stop and not go across the bridge?
too tired
The trucks are crossing the bridge and going where?
Barcelona
What is special about the day the narrator encounters the old man?
Easter Sunday
Author
Ernest Hemingway
What is the old man's native town?
San Carlos
Setting
Southern Spain, near Ebro Delta
How is the narrator portrayed in the story? How does he treat the old man?
a kind person that tries to comfort and help the old man
Which animal is the old man least concerned about?
cat
Why does the old man leave the animals?
due to the artillery
What is the narrator's job?
he scouts ahead for the enemy's location
What kind of life has the old man been living? What keeps him going?
simple and poor; his animals