Peace and Conflict

Exploring the human experience through literature during times of war and the pursuit of peace

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Unit 11: Peace and Conflict

This unit examines themes of war, peace, and human resilience through powerful literary works that capture the complexities of conflict.

Old Man at the Bridge
Lesson 2

"The Old Man at the Bridge"

Ernest Hemingway

A poignant short story set during the Spanish Civil War, highlighting the impact of war on civilians.

Read Analysis
Stories From Gaza
Lesson 3

Stories From Gaza

Contemporary Voices

First-hand accounts and literary works that reveal life in Gaza amidst ongoing conflict.

Explore Stories
Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway

Nobel Prize-winning author known for his terse prose and depictions of war.

"The Old Man at the Bridge" (1938) reflects Hemingway's experiences as a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War. The story exemplifies his "iceberg theory" of writing, where deeper meanings lie beneath the surface of sparse narration.

"The Old Man at the Bridge"

by Ernest Hemingway

Short Story Spanish Civil War Minimalism

Full Text

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.

It was my business to cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead beyond and find out to what point the enemy had advanced. I did this and returned over the bridge. There were not so many carts now and very few people on foot, but the old man was still there.

"Where do you come from?" I asked him.

"From San Carlos," he said, and smiled.

That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled.

"I was taking care of animals," he explained.

"Oh," I said, not quite understanding.

"Yes," he said, "I stayed, you see, taking care of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos."

He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, "What animals were they?"

"Various animals," he said, and shook his head. "I had to leave them."

I was watching the bridge and the African looking country of the Ebro Delta and wondering how long now it would be before we would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever mysterious event called contact, and the old man still sat there.

"What animals were they?" I asked.

"There were three animals altogether," he explained. "There were two goats and a cat and then there were four pairs of pigeons."

"And you had to leave them?" I asked.

"Yes. Because of the artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery."

"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. 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." "What politics have you?" I asked.


"I am without politics," he said. "I am seventy-six years old. I have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further."
"This is not a good place to stop," I said. "If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa." "I will wait a while," he said, " and then I will go. Where do the trucks go?" "Towards Barcelona," I told him.
"I know no one in that direction," he said, "but thank you very much. Thank you again very much. He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, and then said, having to share his worry with someone, "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?"
"Why they'll probably come through it all right." "You think so?" "Why not," I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts. "But what will they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery?"
"Did you leave the dove cage unlocked?" I asked. "Yes." "Then they'll fly." "Yes, certainly they'll fly. But the others. It's better not to think about the others," he said. "If you are rested I would go," I urged. "Get up and try to walk now." "Thank you," he said and got to his feet, swayed from side to side and then sat down backwards in the dust.
"I was taking care of animals," he said dully, but no longer to me. "I was only taking care of animals."

There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good luck that old man would ever have again.

Vocabulary

Pontoon bridge
A temporary floating bridge supported by boats or barrels
Staggered
Walked or moved unsteadily
Plodded
Walked slowly with heavy steps
Artillery
Large caliber guns used in warfare
Ebro Delta
The delta region of Spain's Ebro River where the story is set
Unquiet
Anxious, uneasy (old-fashioned usage)
Overcast
Clouded over
Ceiling
In meteorology, the height of the lowest cloud layer
Fascists
Refers to Franco's Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War
Dully
Without interest or enthusiasm

Literary Analysis

Themes
  • The Human Cost of War: The old man represents civilian casualties and shows war's psychological toll
  • Responsibility and Duty: Contrast between the old man's care for animals and the soldier's military duty
  • Helplessness: Symbolized by the old man's physical inability to move
Literary Techniques
  • Iceberg Theory: Minimalist style with much left unsaid
  • Symbolism: The bridge (transition), animals (innocence), Easter Sunday (irony)
  • Dialogue-driven: Story told primarily through conversation
Discussion Questions
  1. How does Hemingway's sparse writing style affect the story's impact?
  2. What does the old man's concern for animals reveal about his character?
  3. Why is the setting on Easter Sunday significant?
  4. How does the story show different experiences of war?

Character Analysis

The Old Man
  • Represents civilian casualties of war
  • Shows how war disrupts ordinary lives
  • Concern for animals reveals his kind nature
  • Immobility symbolizes helplessness
The Narrator (Soldier)
  • Professional soldier doing reconnaissance
  • Shows concern but ultimately powerless to help
  • Represents the military perspective
  • Serves as a foil to the old man

Ernest Hemingway's Literary Style

Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)
Key Characteristics
  • Iceberg Theory: Minimalist style where most meaning lies beneath the surface
  • Journalistic Precision: Short, declarative sentences with precise word choice
  • "Grace Under Pressure": Focus on characters facing adversity with dignity
  • War Themes: Explored violence, courage, and trauma from his wartime experiences
Major Works
  • The Sun Also Rises (1926)
  • A Farewell to Arms (1929)
  • For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)
  • The Old Man and the Sea (1952)
  • In Our Time (short stories, 1925)
  • Men Without Women (short stories, 1927)
Nobel Prize (1954): Awarded for "his mastery of the art of narrative... and for the influence he has exerted on contemporary style"

Historical Context

Bridge

The story is set during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), where Hemingway served as a journalist. The Ebro Delta region was the last Republican stronghold against Franco's Nationalist forces. Hemingway's experience informed his realistic portrayal of war's impact on civilians.

The reference to "Fascists advancing toward the Ebro" specifically places this story in April 1938, during the Aragon Offensive when Nationalist forces broke through Republican lines.

Stories From Gaza: Voices of Resilience

Literary Responses to Conflict

Contemporary Palestinian writers from Gaza have produced powerful works that capture the daily realities of life under siege, while also preserving cultural identity and imagining futures beyond conflict.

Oral Histories

First-person narratives collected from Gaza residents reveal personal experiences of war, displacement, and the struggle to maintain normalcy in extraordinary circumstances.

Stories From Gaza

Selected Monologues from Ashtar Theatre's Production

First-hand Accounts War Experiences Youth Perspectives

Mahmud Bala'wi

Born 1995, Ash Shati' Camp

"I want to write the most beautiful words about Gaza but I can't. I can't not see the poverty, siege and famine..."

"I want to write the most beautiful words about Gaza but I can't. I can't not see the poverty, siege and famine, especially when all Gaza city flooded into Al-Areesh and emptied it from all goods in two hours. I can't not see the deprivation in every house, the fear and the sickness.

What do you want me to say about Gaza? From when I became aware of it, I was sad about everything inside it. Especially the kids and even the adults, youth, women, girls, animals, stones and trees, everything in it is crying... I'm looking for nice words to say and I can't find them.

The sea is the only thing that helps me dream. When I stand on the shore I can imagine Cyprus, travel to Paris, fly to Rome, all while standing in the same spot. I go around the whole world and in the end I land on my bed in our house, in the middle of the refugee camp. I go back to the reality of Gaza, the dirty market, overflowing sewage, the carts, and what's on top of the carts, the suffocating smell, and the silent people who can't speak.

When I look at the clock and it's 11:55 I start shaking and my heart beats faster, I feel that the war started again. Not only the clock scares me – everything that flies does, even the flies. I can't tell anyone about my fear so they don't call me a wimp or a sissy. I'm most scared for my older brothers. When a fly lands on any of them, I feel it's going to kill him, I start shouting and I run away from the place. That's why I'm now escaping outside the house all the time, because of the many flies."

Key Themes
  • Trauma and PTSD from war experiences
  • Contrast between dreams and harsh reality
  • Collective suffering of all living things
  • Fear of recurrence (11:55 symbolism)

Mahmud Najem

Born 1994, Ash Sheikh Radwan

"For the first time the streets of Gaza were clean, there wasn't a paper or a cardboard..."

"For the first time the streets of Gaza were clean, there wasn't a paper or a cardboard. People were collecting the paper from the streets to use it for baking, because the electricity was disconnected. My mum didn't want to bake and she asked me to bring bread from the oven. The queue at the oven stretched from Gaza to the West Bank. People would line up for 8 hours to get to their turn and take half a pack of bread.

In seconds, a Palestinian rocket launcher was erected in the area and in less than one second the Israeli planes started bombing it. People began running in all directions and the ambulances came.

People started falling dead... others were injured. I was in shock, and people in the street started telling me thank God you're safe.

Anyway I went back home without the loaf of bread. And My mum yelled at me... but till today, she doesn't know why I didn't bring the bread."

Key Themes
  • Resource scarcity during conflict
  • Sudden violence in everyday situations
  • Generational misunderstanding
  • Irony of "clean streets" due to desperation

Yasmeen Katbeh

Born 1996, Ash Sheikh Radwan

"When the war started, my mum, my brothers and sisters and I were in Russia..."

"When the war started, my mum, my brothers and sisters and I were in Russia, which made me always worried about Dad. We wanted to leave Russia and return to Gaza among our family to live the events with them. As soon as the war ended and the crossings opened, we returned to Gaza, and from then till today we've been hearing stories of the war.

I couldn't sleep in Russia because of my worry about Dad. Before the war, when the mobile used to ring and it would be from Gaza, we'd be happy and race to answer it. But in the war, every time the mobile rang from Gaza, any number whether we knew it or not, we'd say: 'Dear God...' and start looking at each other to see who will answer.

After the war, a lot of things changed in me. I started seeing things differently. I began to like the city, life became more beautiful and so did I. My friends changed, and I made older and more mature ones. I became very outspoken and brave even in front of Dad, and I could face anyone. Mum and I became friends, a lot of times we stay up at night and talk about everything.

In the future if I grow up, and in Gaza it's an achievement to grow up, because death is standing at your doorstep, I want to be a children's caretaker and defend their rights; because I feel that the children of Palestine are born as old people, a kid can be 6 years old and yet supporting a family."

Key Themes
  • Diaspora experience during war
  • Transformation through trauma
  • Changed family dynamics
  • "Children born as old people" metaphor

Comparative Analysis

Common Themes
  • Trauma: All monologues show different manifestations of war trauma
  • Family Dynamics: Changed relationships with parents/siblings
  • Everyday Survival: Focus on basic needs (bread, safety, communication)
  • Youth Perspective: Unique viewpoint of teenagers experiencing war
Literary Techniques
  • Stream of Consciousness: Raw, unfiltered narration
  • Symbolism: Bread, flies, phone calls as symbols
  • Contrast: Before/during/after war comparisons
  • Metaphor: "Children born as old people"

Discussion Questions

  1. How do these monologues provide a different perspective on war compared to traditional news reports? What details stand out as particularly powerful?
  2. Compare Mahmud Bala'wi's experience of fear with Yasmeen Katbeh's transformation. How does trauma affect individuals differently?
  3. Analyze the symbolism of bread in Mahmud Najem's monologue. What does it represent about life during conflict?
  4. Yasmeen mentions that in Gaza "it's an achievement to grow up." How do all three monologues reflect this idea of childhood interrupted?
  5. What literary techniques make these personal accounts more impactful than statistical reports about war?
  6. How does the theatrical presentation of these monologues (as performance pieces) likely affect their emotional impact compared to reading them?
Activity Idea: Write your own 2-3 paragraph monologue from the perspective of a teenager in a conflict zone, incorporating specific sensory details as these writers have done.

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places."