“Why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day?”
The Old Man and the Sea is Ernest Hemingway’s last published work of fiction in his lifetime. It is basically just about what the title says, about an old man and the sea but let’s not forget to include the fish. I think the main theme of the book is the old man’s exceptional resilience and perseverance. He wanted to prove to people and especially to himself that he’s still the fisherman that he used to be. That old age will not hinder him in his goal. The minimalist prose and narrative style fits the simplicity of the story.
(Spoilers ahead!)
At the start, we are introduced to the old man and the boy who was helping him. Due to bad luck, for not catching any fish for 84 days, the boy was prevented by his parents to stay with the old man. He was alone after that, but I as a reader stayed with him and witnessed his struggles. And I sympathized with him. I rooted for him to go on even though it feels hopeless. But after a long time of difficulty, this reader lost hope. There came a point that even I wanted him to give up. I pitied him. I didn’t want to read about what he’s going through anymore. But the old man didn’t stop. In my head I was saying, “You won’t catch a fish. And you’re old! Can’t you just go home and rest?” And then, yay! How happy I had been when he finally caught the fish. And then how affected I was, even felt like crying, when little by little, the sharks ate the fish. But in the end, his main goal was accomplished. He proved to himself and to others that he can still catch a fish, and a very big fish it was. He had his evidence and he got the respect that he deserves. And I was happy that the boy came back.
(3.5/5 stars)
mecanism 