Project 3: Analysis of The Old Man and The Sea

The old man and the sea written by Hemingway is one of his most famous novel in his career. By this novel, Hemingway establish his important position in the world literature history. Though online research during today’s class, I think I got the main idea this great novel. 

The old man and the sea tells a story of a old fisherman, whose name is Santiago, has gone 84 days without catching any fish at all. However, he gets a big marlin fish on the 85th day. He spends two days and two nights trying to catching it, and finally straps the marlin and thinks about the high price the fish will bring him at the market. Unluckily, on the way to his home, many sharks are attracted to the trail of the blood left by the marlin in the water, eat the most parts of the marlin, and leave the huge skeleton of the marlin. The old man falls asleep as he gets to the shack and has a dream, a dream for forgetting the cruel reality. 

First, from this story, I saw a brave old man who never gives up hope. He does not get anything in the first eighty-four days, and he still believes that he will have good luck in the eighty-fifth day. Thus, because he keeps trying and never abandons the hope, he finally gets the big marlin fish. 

Additionally, although Santiago is so lucky that meets such a big marlin, the process of capturing the fish is really hard to imagine. Santiago spends two days and two nights fighting with that marlin. His hands, arms and back are injured by the rough rope, and he only drinks and eats little water and food during these two days. He never gives up catching the marlin, and he eventually wins the battle after the fish gets tired in the third day. In this part of the story, the old man shows us what a real man should be. I think the detailed description of fighting against the marlin fish just reflects how brave and firm the old man is. The author Hemingway seems to believe that there are only two options: defeat or endurance until destruction; Santiago clearly chooses the latter. That is why Santiago succeeds after a two-days fight. 

In the last part, the marlin is eaten by many sharks, and Santiago gets nothing but the huge skeleton of the fish. Some people might consider Santiago is a loser here as he loses everything after a long battle. However, in my opinion, I do not agree with that. Although Santiago gets so exhausted, although he does not have a completed marlin fish, he has never been defeated. He tries and pursues for his dream at least. He is not afraid to challenge, and he never surrenders to the sharks. Just like what Beethoven said, “ I can be destroyed, but can not be conquered”. I think the old man just did what Beethoven said, and he is definitely a winner in idealism. No matter if he gains or loses, he should be respected by everyone. 

I think Hemingway uses the different things in the novel to represent the different things in the real world. Apparently, the marlin fish is the dream to the person, the shark is the destiny that people have to undergo, the sea represents the human society, and the process of capturing the fish reflects the fights between people and adversities. Also, I think this story is related to Hemingway’s personal experience at that time period. As we know, Hemingway joined the World War 1, World War 2 and Spanish War, and people were still in the great fear. Therefore, the chaos and confusion of the society hurt Hemingway deeply, and I guess that is one of the reason why Santiago is so old, but still has hope in his blue eyes. Santiago may represent Hemingway himself. 

I will find out more information in the next following days.