The Old Man's Solitude

Arthur sat by the window, the faint winter sun doing little to warm the ancient armchair or his frail bones. The silence in his small cottage was absolute, save for the rhythmic tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the hall, a constant, measured heartbeat in the quiet. He watched as a lone robin hopped across the frozen patch of grass, searching diligently for worms in the hardened earth. Once, this house had rung with laughter, with the playful chaos of children and the gentle murmurs of his wife. Now, only memories lingered, ghosts of joy that flickered at the edges of his vision. His gnarled hands, spotted with age, rested heavily on the woolen blanket covering his lap, their work long since done. A sigh, heavy and laden with years, escaped his lips, barely disturbing the dust motes dancing in the weak sunlight. He felt like the last leaf on a tree, clinging on through a desolate winter.

Task

Read the passage above. Write an analytical response answering the following question:

How does the author make the reader feel sympathy for Arthur?

In your response, you should:

• Refer closely to the details of Arthur's physical state and his environment.
• Analyze how the author uses language, imagery, and contrast to convey his isolation.
• Support your points with direct quotations from the text.