Books

The Old Man and the Sea

I liked Ernest Hemingway’s style of writing. But to tell the truth, I’ve never disliked an author’s style of writing. To me, the story the author tells is more important than the way they tell it. I thought The Old Man and the Sea was a great story.

The old man and the sea has given me insight into a different way of life. The old man lived the life of our ancestors, the farmers, herdsmen, and the fishermen. He did not struggle programming the VCR, but he killed the food that he ate that night for dinner. He earned his livelihood by working the sea.

Ernest Hemingway seems to respect the old man and his simple way of life. He goes into deep detail of the problems that a simple individual faces, problems that most Americans would not know or care about.

Reasons to disagree:

Some readers might argue that Hemingway’s portrayal of the old man is not entirely respectful. For example, the old man is often described in terms of his physical frailties and his lack of success. Additionally, the story ends with the old man defeated and alone, suggesting that Hemingway may not have had a high regard for the old man’s way of life.

The old man will never get any recognition for his efforts. He will probably die having lived a very lonely life. But in the eyes of Ernest Hemingway, the old man in the story is probably a far better man than the “great DiMaggio.”

I have observed that the underlying theme of most books is how bad things happen to good people. That seemed to be one of the themes of this story. The old man did everything he could to get the fish. He also did it with dignity. He did not kill the fish with hatred or gluttony. He endured terrible pain, hunger, and thirst, and risked his very life trying to catch the fish, and so it breaks your heart to see it eaten by the sharks.

I am glad that we read this book, for the insight it has given me into the old man’s life, and into Hemingway’s heart.

The marlin was everything that Santiago wanted. It represented the end of his bad luck streak. It meant respect from the other fishermen. The marlin represents greatness.

Joe DiMaggio proved his greatness by hitting home runs and making great plays. Santiago proved his greatness by catching the fish. This fish represents Santiago’s hours of work, dedication, and his greatness as an individual.

Santiago knows he is great, but he does not think he is as good as the “Great DiMaggio.” Santiago measures greatness by the challenges that people must overcome. He felt he could sympathize with Joe DiMaggio. Joe DiMaggio had bone spurs that hurt his playing. Santiago had to battle his age, his pain, and other physical problems.