The Old Man and the Sea is a classic literary work. Hemingway was at his shining best when he wrote about the fearless old man, Santiago, and the epic personal battle with a hooked marlin. Here, unlike in Melville's Moby Dick, Hemingway's main character is both at odds with himself while seemingly being at peace with the natural world. Many time he describes the marlin as his "brother." Hemingway is also a master of unconcious symbolic gestures. Many times the old man describes his wish for a young man to help him with the tasks aboard his small skiff. There is a young male character who had fished the ocean prior to the start of the text with Santiago, but if the reader has read such books as Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and Farewell to Arms one would interprate this as another one of Hemingway's symbolic loopholes that leads us to a further understanding of the intristic nature of Santiago. In simple terms, The Old Man in the Sea examines the search for youth through the experiences of an old Cuban fisherman who examines his life while praising DiMaggio and cursing his lack of strength. But, all the while, never losing his confidence and spirit. A beautiful story.
Amazon Home
