Old Man and the Sea was written by Ernest
Hemingway in 1951. This book is considered the best or one of the best novels in
Hemingway's life. It was specifically cited when the Nobel Prize for Literature was
awarded to him in 1954. The story is of a Cuban old man named Santiago, a fisherman
who did not know the meaning of quitting. If Cuba and its surrounding majestic seas
were human, they would be character's themselves. Hemingway enthusiast and experts
claim Santiago and his four-day encounter with the great fish, is a story that resembles
Hemingway's own thoughts and beliefs of manhood.
In this story an old man lives the simple and prideful life of a fisherman.
His life is not made up of the material world or modern day business complications.
Santiago lives in a village community of other hard working fisherman and villagers. His
bond with a young village boy is also non-materialistic and built upon a loyal and honest
friendship. As Santiago goes out into the sea for what he thinks is just another normal
day of fishing, but doesn't return for four days, one can sense the concern and worry of
the boy. The story takes us into Santiago's long four-day encounter with a great fish.
The encounter is much more than that of an old man that catches a huge fish and ends up
getting it eaten by sharks. It is this long struggle with the fish that Hemingway uses to
take us deep into the character of Santiago.
The story reflects Hemingway's views that there are great men in this world
who are not seen on the front page of newspapers or magazines. These men are not or
popular nor are they rich or famous. They do not acquire the material things of this world
nor do they lust or desire them. Instead they are men whom character is based on
intangible things such as hard and honest work, p
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