The Bridge

The bridge that the men build can be seen as symbolic in several different ways. First, it is symbolic of Nicholson's perseverance against all odds. He is convinced that they must stick to their principles and not allow officers to work. When he is finally released, he becomes committed to having his men build the best bridge possible. His hard work finally pays off when the bridge is finally finished.

The bridge can also represent Nicholson's foolishness. He believes that now that the bridge is built, they must keep it up at all costs. Although he realizes that it will help the enemy, he also recognizes that it is their way of standing up to the enemy even in captivity. In order to save the bridge, he lets several British soldiers get killed, but he finally realizes his duty and falls onto the detonator to destroy the...