The old Man and Sea

About the Author:
The Old Man and the Sea is a 1952 novella by the American author
Ernest Hemingway. Written between December 1950 and February 1951,
it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his
lifetime. It tells the story of Santiago, an aging fisherman, and his long
struggle to catch a giant marlin. Ernest Hemingway is one of my
favourite authors. I have read a couple of books written by him now
including this one and really liked it. The Old Man and the Sea is more
of a novella than a full-length novel but still just as good.
About the Book:
The novella is the story of an old struggling Cuban fisherman Santiago.
As the story begins, Santiago hasn’t caught a fish in 84 days and he is
seen as the worst form of unluckiness. A young boy is his apprentice
Manolin, whom he encourages to work on successful fishing vessels
instead of him. What follows is an epic tale of an old fisherman going
head to head with a huge marlin fish. Santiago is so determined to catch
this fish and he puts all of his strength to make sure the fish doesn’t slip
away from him.
About the Plot
The story has classic elements when it comes to its themes and
symbolism. The themes of perseverance, man versus nature, isolation,
strength and skill, past and pride all come into play in this story. Some
are more explicit while the others are a bit more subtle but constantly
undercurrent to the story. Santiago refuses to give up even when faced
with unwinnable odds and is determined to restore his pride and
reputation by catching the fish.
The narration of The Old Man and the Sea is from a third-person point of
view which I think enabled me to get a complete feel of the overall plot
and the characters. Ernest Hemingway’s writing style is powerful and
descriptive. There are no big words used, and the language is fairly
simple. It is one of the reasons I personally like his writing style. The
descriptions in the novel really give the complete feel of the physical
aspects present in the novel. For example- the smells and the rough sea
descriptions actually help visualize the scenario
About the Characterisation
The Old Man and the Sea is an old man named Santiago, who is a
fisherman in Cuba. Santiago hasn't had any luck at sea for 84 days. He's
poor and looked down on by the younger and much luckier fishermen.
He would be completely alone were it not for a young boy named
Manolin.
About the themes: The main theme of The Old Man and the Sea is how

perseverance and dignity can help one battle through struggles in life.
Religion helps give strength to persevere and reminds of the cyclical
nature of life.
About Overall analysi}
Your Opinion:
Visiting an old age home was a transformative experience that shattered
my preconceived notions and deepened my understanding of life. The
elderly residents taught me that age is not a barrier to joy, wisdom, or the
ability to love.
Compare with Similar works:
Hemingway acknowledges the harshness of fate in a man's life, just as
the Greek tragedians. The adage "Man proposes, God disposes" perfectly
captures the significance of fate in a person's life. The Oldman and the
Sea is a timeless tale because it illustrates how people fight to achieve
their goals in life but are occasionally crushed by the forces of fate.
Appreciation/ Critique:
American journalist Ernest Miller Hemingway, better known as Ernest
Hemingway in English literature, was also a sportsman and author of
short stories and novels. Hemingway published seven books throughout
his lifetime, with The Sun Also Rises, Farewell to Arms, and The Old
Man and the Sea being the most widely read. The core principles of
human life are contained in Hemingway's book The Old Man and the
Sea. Many readers, whether they are linguists or beginners, are drawn to
read and analyze this story because of its easy linguistic style and
profound message. This book is jam-packed with all kinds of symbols,
motivational lessons, and human values. The Oldman and the Sea by
Hemingway tells the tale of an elderly man's fight and helplessness
against fate.