Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man at the Bridge is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1938. It tells the story of an elderly Spanish refugee who is fleeing the civil war in his country. He is sitting on a bridge in a small village in France, waiting for a train to take him to safety. He is accompanied by a young reporter who is interviewing him about his experiences. The old man talks about his life, his family, and his hopes for the future. He is resigned to his fate, but still holds on to a glimmer of hope. The story ends with the old man's departure, leaving the reporter with a sense of sadness and admiration for the old man's courage and resilience.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1938 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, War Fiction · 759 words
First lines
AN OLD MAN WITH STEEL RIMMED SPECtacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers helping push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading out of it all and the peasants plodded along in the ankle deep dust. But the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther.
What this Textopian page supports
Old Man at the Bridge is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ernest Hemingway, dated 1938 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Date: 1938 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, War Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 759 words
- Structure: 1 section, 33 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway
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Similar titles
- A Way Youll Never Be by Ernest Hemingway
- The Undefeated by Ernest Hemingway
- Che Ti Dice La Patria by Ernest Hemingway
- A Days Wait by Ernest Hemingway
- Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway
- A Natural History Of The Dead by Ernest Hemingway
Genres
- Literary Fiction — Old Man at the Bridge is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway, a Nobel Prize-winning author known for his literary fiction works. The story follows an elderly man who is fleeing from the Spanish Civil War and is characterized by Hemingway's signature sparse writing style and themes of war, displacement, and the human condition.
- Historical Fiction — Old Man at the Bridge is set during the Spanish Civil War, making it a historical fiction work. The story follows an elderly man who is fleeing from the war and is characterized by Hemingway's signature sparse writing style and themes of war, displacement, and the human condition.
- War Fiction — Old Man at the Bridge is set during the Spanish Civil War, making it a war fiction work. The story follows an elderly man who is fleeing from the war and is characterized by Hemingway's signature sparse writing style and themes of war, displacement, and the human condition.
- Short Story — Old Man at the Bridge is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway, a Nobel Prize-winning author known for his literary fiction works. The story follows an elderly man who is fleeing from the Spanish Civil War and is characterized by Hemingway's signature sparse writing style and themes of war, displacement, and the human condition.
Tags
20th century · american and canadian literature · american fiction · animals · artillery · bank · bridge · care · carlos · carts · cat · clothes