The Old Man and the Sea blog 10

The lions on the beach was a symbol repeated three times throughout The Old Man and the Sea.  Since the book’s first publishing, debate has occurred about the meaning of this symbol.  The following quote is one of the three times the lions are mentioned.  “He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength nor of his wife.  He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach.  They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy” (Hemmingway 25).  There could be many reasons why Ernest Hemmingway chose to include this symbol in this book.  It obviously was very important to him because it is mentioned so many times.  Santiago believes this picture of lions at the beach is comforting and he loves them dearly.  In his trials, this dream is almost like an escape from life and a unity of opposite forces.  “Because Santiago associates the lions with his youth, the dream suggests the circular nature of life.  Additionally, because Santiago imagines the lions, fierce predators, playing, his dream suggests a harmony between the opposing forces- life and death, love and hate, destruction and regeneration- of nature”  (Sparknotes 12).  All these thoughts are speculation since they are not connected to a single meaning.  Santiago only ever uses the dream as a source of comfort and renewal.  He also connects this dream with his love to Manolin, which makes the circulation of nature idea a good explanation.  Though we may never learn exactly why Ernest Hemmingway included this image in The Old Man and the Sea, it is apparent that it has some deep meaning behind it.  This is why literature is so amazing; there is always something else to dissect and learn from.  Great literature can only be seen under a microscope, because it has some many parts to be found. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

"The Old Man and the Sea." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 21 July 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/>.

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Manolin is really the only other human that is seen in The Old Man and the Sea.  Though he is only seen in the beginning of the story and at the end, Manolin is a key character that loves and cares for the old man.  He can almost be considered Santiago’s apprentice to fishing and his best friend.  The old man and boy share a father-son like relationship which gives Santiago motivation to keep going in his fight against the marlin.  The two of them love to talk baseball and just spend time with each other.  Manolin’s greatest character trait is his compassion for others.  “Where did you wash? the boy thought.  The village water supply was two streets down the road.  I must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel.  Why am I so thoughtless?  I must get him another shirt and a jacket for the winter and some sort of shoes and another blanket” (Hemmingway 21).  Manolin was always worried about the wellbeing of the old man.  He would get other villagers to help him provide food and other necessities to the old man.  This compassion was based in his love for Santiago.  Even when Manolin’s father says that he can no longer fish with Santiago, he still goes out and spends his time with him.  At the end of the story, he refuted his dad completely and says he will sail with the old man no matter the consequences.  Manolin allows Santiago to have life after his defeat at the hands of the sharks.  He gives the old man a purpose to continue in his fishing and a friendship that nothing can break.  This uncompromised devotion to each other shows both Santiago’s and Manolin’s depth of character and makes them feel real. Manolin demonstrates a huge level of maturity for his age by helping the old man.  His purity allowed for him to be a symbol to the old man. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Moon Is Down blog 9

The Moon Is Down was the most influential piece of literary propaganda during World War II.  Thousands of illegal copies were produced in many different languages to spread around underground resistance efforts.  “Throughout Norway, Denmark, Holland, and France, it was translated, printed on clandestine presses, and distributed, sometimes under the very nose of the Gestapo.  The underground operations involved lawyers, book dealers, retired military personnel, housewives, businesspeople, students, and teachers who took great risks to disseminate The Moon Is Down because it spoke so directly to them and to their situation and so persuasively supported their cause”  (Steinbeck xiii).   Through the efforts of all these people, The Moon Is Down grew in popularity and continued to sell off the selves well after the end of the war.  Steinbeck’s hope to write an effective piece of propaganda became more than true.  Very few other novels have brought about such a wave of dedication to a cause as this one.  “In spite of the Nazi’s’ efforts to suppress The Moon Is Down, hundreds of thousands of copies of the Norwegian, Danish, Dutch and French clandestine editions circulated during the occupation.  It was easily the most popular work of propaganda in occupied Western Europe.  The efforts put forth by the resistance and by ordinary citizens to distribute the novel within their respective countries and the risks they took in doing so, bear witness to the importance they attached to it”  (Steinbeck xiii).  It is amazing that Steinbeck was able to communicate so directly his story even though he lived thousands of miles away from the events he was writing about.  The Moon Is Down provided those suffering with the hope that freedom will have victory.  Even though owning a copy of this book was an automatic death sentence by the Germans, thousands of copies still switched hands and thousands more were coming off the press.  In the face of defeat, something in the human spirit drives us to fight on which is why The Moon Is Down became such an influential work of literature. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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The Moon Is Down accurately reflects some of the events during World War II.  Many of the conquered countries probably had small towns that dealt with many of the same things as seen in The Moon Is Down.  Betrayals were also commonplace during the war.  Like Mr. Corell’s treason against his town, the Nazis had spies everywhere promoting their ideas and conquests.  The Moon Is Down could also be compared with many revolutions in history.  When America had its war for independence, it was over the issues of freedom to rule itself.  The themes of democracy expressed in this novel show that people will be moved to action when their freedom is taken away.  This issue has been repeated over and over again in the history of the world.  From the Israelites in Egypt to the war in Vietnam, freedom has been an issue that has caused countless wars and deaths.  It only proves just how important it is to us as humans.  We only live once, so why would we waste our lives being controlled by others.  John Steinbeck believed that important responsibilities existed between people groups like the mayor and his citizens.  “’I arrested you as a hostage for the good behavior of your people.  Those are my orders.’  ‘But that won’t stop it,’ Orden said simply.  ‘You don’t understand.  When I have become a hindrance to the people, they will do without me.’” (Steinbeck 109).  The mayor only had as much power as that to which he was given; the people held the true power.   The mayor’s role was to act as a symbol to his people to keep them motivated and willing to fight back.  The idea of mayor would not die out with Orden, for the people hold the power to keep their democracy alive.  The outbreak of war in Europe and his compassionate attitude towards those affected by it led Steinbeck to write this novel.  Refugees escaping the dangers in Europe also influenced his writing and the way it was portrayed. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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                John Steinbeck uses many techniques in The Moon Is Down to keep the reader interested and convey his message of the importance of democracy and freedom.  These techniques include symbolism and Steinbeck’s use of multiple character perspective.  The most common symbols seen in The Moon Is Down are light versus darkness.  From the beginning of the novel these symbols are used as foreshadowing for the invasion and the future rebellion seen in this book.  “’It’s a cloud,’ she said.  ‘There’s word snow is on the way, and it’s early, too.’  Doctor Winter went to the window and squinted up at the sky, and he said, ‘Yes it’s a big cloud; maybe it will pass over.’  Mayor Orden switched on a lamp that made only a little circle of light.  He switched it off again and said, ‘ A light in the daytime is a lonely thing.’” (Steinbeck 44).  The symbolism of light and dark is seen plainly in this quote.  The coming of an early winter symbolized the hard and evil times waiting for the citizens of the town.  The lamp symbolizes the comparison of the amount of good versus the amount of evil they are dealing with.  The lamp hardly makes a mark on the storm brewing, but it is enough to spark the hope of the people.  The other technique that Steinbeck commonly used in The Moon Is Down was telling the story through multiple people.  He did not only focus on one character but included conversations and feelings from a whole range of characters including Mayer Order, Colonel Lanser, many of the majors, and Annie.  By using so many perspectives, Steinbeck allowed both sides of the invasion to be understood.  This created a sense that the reader could feel linked to the side or people they felt most in common with.  By using this writing style, Steinbeck was able to build suspense at parts because the reader new something that another side did not.  Overall Steinbeck has used all these techniques to make The Moon Is Down into the great novel that it is.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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We still read The Moon Is Down because of its historical impact and its famous authorship by John Steinbeck.  This book played an important role during World War II by raising the morale of conquered countries.  Thousands of illegal copies of this book were made and distributed through underground resistance efforts.   “No one knew how effective Steinbeck’s contribution had been.  Over the last few years new evidence has emerged that documents the extraordinarily positive reception of The Moon Is Down in Nazi-occupied Western Europe, and confirms the novel’s success as propaganda” (Steinbeck xiii).  This fact alone should be enough to prove that this is no ordinary book.  The Moon Is Down captured the trials those people were facing and gave them hope knowing someone else understood what was going on.  It is truly spectacular that Steinbeck could so accurately picture what those countries were dealing with when he was hundreds of miles away.  Just the fact that this novel was written by John Steinbeck is enough reason to still read this book.  Steinbeck was one of the most popular writers of his day having already written The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men.  His captivating writing style has continued to amaze both critics and joy-readers alike for over sixty years.  Steinbeck has made the message of democracy in the face of trials a timeless message.  He has demonstrated the power of the people and what the human spirit can accomplish.  From reading The Moon Is Down, the reader can take home the idea that democracy and freedom depend solely on the people.  If all the people involved believe in democracy, then it will be impossible to fully destroy.  Someone will always be there to fight and keep fighting even in the face of death.  There is something about freedom that makes it worth every moment of pain that one must go through.  John Steinbeck has proven that an army may win the battle, but it is the freedom-fighting citizens who win the war. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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The Moon is Down was written by John Steinbeck to raise the morale of occupied countries during World War II and encourage them not to give up.  This book reflects what actually occurred during World War II to many of the affected countries.  Each town that was conquered by the Germans probably went through very similar challenges as seen in The Moon Is Down.  Some of these challenges include the use of citizens for forced labor and the setup of puppet governments to control the people.  The behaviors seen in The Moon Is Down also reflect the attitudes and feelings during World War II.  The Nazis were still human, and many of them probably did not want to be fighting.  This is the same as seen in this novel, where the soldiers are portrayed as real people not monsters.  “’Maybe we could go home for a while.’  And he said, smiling,’ Maybe I could walk down the street and people would say, ‘Hello,’ and they’d say, ‘There goes a soldier,’ and they’d be glad for me and they’d be glad of me.’” (Steinbeck 67).  This quote shows that even the commanders of the invasion just wanted to go home and were miserable were they were at.  Attitudes of depression were seen like this during World War II for both the Allies and the Nazis.  The themes and symbols addressed in The Moon Is Down played a significant role in its effectiveness as a work of war propaganda.  The themes of democracy being incorruptible gave conquered countries a much needed morale boost while the symbolism of winter and “the missing moon” represented the evils that were taking over Europe during this time.  The title of this book represents the idea that the absence of the moon means the entrance of evil.  Steinbeck borrowed this idea from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  These significant themes and symbols have made The Moon Is Down into the great classic that it is referred to as today. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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                The Moon Is Down does not really have one specific hero.  There are many characters that contribute in a way that makes them heroic, but the true hero is the idea of democracy.  It is the uncorruptible force that only the people can change.  Since Steinbeck has a focus from so many characters points of view, there is no one character that can be described as the main hero.  Some of the characters with more heroic qualities include the mayor, Alex Morden, and Molly Morden.  Each of these characters risked their lives in order to fight for their freedom in large ways.  “Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat.  Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the head men who wins the battles and the free men who win wars” (Steinbeck 111).  This quote said by the mayor sums up the idea that the true hero is the collective people.  When united, a group of people can fight on past defeat and demonstrate the highest levels of bravery and perseverance.  Though they did have a mayor of the town, his greatest asset to the effort was being a symbol of unity.  Throughout the book the hero of democracy accomplished its given task.  The people had united to fight back and had succeeded in breaking the invaders will to continue fighting.  The biggest accomplishment of the people was to prove that fighting for freedom will also trump fighting for a leader.  John Steinbeck has shown in The Moon Is Down that democracy cannot be destroyed while there are still people willing to support it.  He has shown that democracy represents the abstract idea of freedom.  “’You see, sir, nothing can change it.  You will be destroyed and driven out.’  His voice was very soft.  ‘The people don’t like to be conquered, sir, and so they will not be’” (Steinbeck 111).  When the people put their mind to an idea, they will stop at nothing to carry it out. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

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                The universal themes addressed in The Moon Is Down include Democracy, the power of unity, and the nature of war.  Democracy is seen as being an incorruptible power in this book.  “’But they can’t arrest the Mayor,’ she explained to him.  Orden smiled at her. ‘NO,’ he said, ‘they can’t arrest the Mayor.  The Mayor is an idea conceived by free men.  It will escape arrest.’” (Steinbeck 112).  Even when the mayor was sentenced to death, the idea of democracy lived on because it is controlled by all people, not just its leader.  The theme of unity also played a role in The Moon Is Down.  When the citizens of the town banded together, the invaders lost hope, and became the victims of their own conquest.  This unity came at the cost of the martyr Alex Morden who killed a commander out of anger.  When he was sentenced to death, the people realized they must find a way to fight to earn their freedom back.  A final theme addressed in The Moon Is Down is the nature of war.  There is no good side of a war; both are at fault and do morally wrong things to each other.  What Steinbeck tried to point out was that the enemy is also human despite being an opposing force.  “Steinbeck depicts his putative Germans as human being with normal feelings.  They offer the citizens of the conquered country justifications for their invasions.  They plead for understanding.  They miss their families.  They want their victims to accept them.  Yet nothing can disguise their theft of freedom, and eventually the local patriot’s desire to regain it impels them to resist”  (Steinbeck xi).  Steinbeck understands that every human needs love and compassion.  The soldiers lost their confidence and nerve because the felt alone in their quest.  This psychological need is almost as important as food and water.  In war, this is often times the deciding factor of the overall outcome.  It does not matter who wins the battle, the true victory lies in the end of the war.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon Is Down blog 2

The conflict dealt with in The Moon is Down is centered around the occupation of a small town by an invading army.  The causes of this conflict revolve around an important coal mine near the town.  The invading army needs this important resource to further their war efforts and the townspeople become the primary laborers of this mine.  “This whole thing is more an engineering job than conquest.  The coal must come out of the ground and be shipped.  We have technicians, but the local people will continue to work the mine.  Is that clear?  We do not wish to be harsh”  (Steinbeck 15).  This quote, stated by Colonel Lanser, explains what the purpose of the invasion was.  The army invaded a free and quiet town just to take some coal, and they ended up receiving a lot more than that.  Because of the invaders, the citizens of the town became more united than ever.  They secretly began to fight off their oppressors and slow the progress in the mine.  This gain also allowed a martyr to rise up after he killed an officer in the army.  “Alex, go, knowing that these men will have no rest, no rest at all until they are gone or dead.  You will make the people one.  It’s a sad knowledge and little enough gift to you, but it is so.  No rest at all”  (Steinbeck 55).  Alex was the martyr that united the people to begin to fight back against the army.  This eventually led to the dropping of dynamite by England to aid the citizens in their plight.  A loss of the conflict included many civilians being killed for their “crimes” against the invaders.  Morality was also lost during this time where anything was acceptable for killing a soldier.  Some bonds of trust were also broken from this invasion.  When the people learned one of their shopkeepers betrayed them, he was never treated the same.  These people could be conquered, but their spirit could not be destroyed.  No matter what the invading army threatened, resistance continued and democracy proved to be indestructible. 

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down blog 1

The Moon is Down reveals much about the values of John Steinbeck, its author.  Of these values freedom and democracy can be seen as the most prominent.   This book was written during World War II and Steinbeck was a firm supporter of the Allies cause.  “He was also both a clear-eyed political realist who understood that U.S. involvement in the war was inevitable and a patriot eager to contribute to the Allies’ cause” (Steinbeck vii).  This quote reveals that Steinbeck was a devote American and wanted to aid in the war effort in his own way.  By writing The Moon is Down he accomplished just that.  This book is now remembered as the greatest piece of propaganda during World War II.  “The war came on, and I wrote The Moon is Down as a kind of celebration of the durability of democracy”  (Steinbeck xii).  John Steinbeck believed that nothing could destroy the power of democracy in the people.  When the freedom of the townspeople was taken away, they began to secretly fight the invaders.  After friends and family started to die, they turned to more of an aggressive defense.  As Steinbeck wrote, even if invaders conquer and take away freedom, people will always rise up and fight until there is no one left.  Steinbeck valued freedom and democracy as the utmost importance and these values were reflected in The Moon is Down.  John Steinbeck wrote this book from the third person point of view allowing all the characters thoughts and opinions to be heard by the reader.  Although he strongly supported the Allies, Steinbeck wrote from the perspective that the invaders were really not that much different from anyone else.  This won him many critics because some believed that John Steinbeck was making the invaders (Nazis) look like good people.  Steinbeck did not really care about what the critics thought though, he was writing to try to encourage as many suffering people as possible and he believed this was the best way to do it.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea blog 8

                The Old Man and the Sea is not a book that really shows much historical importance.  It tells the story of the challenges of a Caribbean fisherman in the early 1900s.  If it reflects any events in history, it would be the challenges that every fisherman must face with a low income depending on the availability of fish.  Ernest Hemmingway instead wrote this book as more of a parable.  It tells a story of man’s attempt to overcome the forces beating him down in the world.  Santiago’s struggle represents the trials to overcome our greatest challenges and never give up.  Though this might have had a true story behind it, The Old Man and the Sea does not really reflect events in history.  Ernest Hemmingway believed that humans and nature share a special relationship.  In The Old Man and the Sea, he shows that Santiago cares for the marlin, but believes he must catch him because it is the way life works.  “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars….Then he was sorry for the great fish that had nothing to eat and his determination to kill him never relaxed in his sorrow for him.  How many people will he feed, he though.  But are they worthy to eat him?  No, of course not.  There is no one worthy of eating him from the manner of his behaviour and his great dignity” (Hemmingway 75).  Though this is a very long quote, it accurately explains what Hemmingway believes the relationship between animals and people is.  As humans we must eat animals to survive, but we must still care for them and honor them even when they will die.  It is apparent that Hemmingway’s love of nature and the sea played a role when he was writing this book.  These ideas are clearly seen through Santiago’s characterization. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

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                Ernest Hemmingway used many literary elements to engage the audience in The Old Man and the Sea and make the story effective.  These literary elements included symbolism, suspense, and Santiago’s own thoughts.  Symbolism has always been a popular element in literature because it makes the reader think and draw their own conclusions about the abstract ideas used in the story.  The symbols used in The Old Man and The Sea include the marlin and the sharks, both creatures of the sea.  Hemmingway used these symbols to represent opposite sides of an honorable battle and a detestable chore.  “As opponents of the old man, they [the sharks] stand in bold contrast to the marlin, which is worthy of Santiago’s effort and strength. They symbolize and embody the destructive laws of the universe and attest to the fact that those laws can be transcended only when equals fight to the death” (Sparknotes 1).  These two symbols capture the idea of the opponents we face in life and fight to overcome.  Suspense is another technique that Ernest Hemmingway implores in The Old Man and the Sea.  This buildup of tension is at its highest when Santiago has just captured the great marlin and is stuck in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.  A huge storm is approaching and when the sharks begin to attack the reader is left to wonder if Santiago will make it back or not.   This suspense is what made the story interesting and kept you reading until the last page.  A final technique that Hemmingway used in this book was giving insights into what Santiago was thinking.  This included his dreams of the lions on a beach in Africa and his thoughts about the game of baseball and his favorite player, DiMaggio.  By adding these thoughts and feelings in, Hemmingway created a character that the reader felt he could compare himself to and understand what he was going through.  Hemmingway brought the book to life with his great ability to show insight upon Santiago’s struggles and victories. 

"The Old Man and the Sea." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 21 July 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/>.

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From the day it was published, The Old Man and the Sea has been a topic of much debate in the literary world.  Many critics believe it to be a great classic which it is remembers as today, while others thought that Hemmingway had lost his talent to write. “ While some critics have praised The Old Man and the Sea as a new classic that takes its place among such established American works as William Faulkner’s short story “The Bear” and Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, others have attacked the story as “imitation Hemingway” and find fault with the author’s departure from the uncompromising realism with which he made his name.” (Sparknotes 1).  After all these years we still read The Old Man and the Sea because it was written by one of America’s most famous authors.  Hemmingway had gained much popularity during his career of writing, and he even won the Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize for this novel.  Besides being written by Ernest Hemmingway, we still read The Old Man and the Sea because it has an important underlying message.  This message of pride and perseverance through challenges that seem to reap no rewards has remained a popular theme in modern literature.  What makes this book unique is that Ernest Hemmingway’s writing style captures the imagination of the reader and holds them in through his short purposeful sentences and vivid imagery.  We still read this book because it is so well written and like every other classic, it has layers upon layers to peel away.  These layers include all the themes, imagery, motifs, and every other literary device that Hemmingway has included in this book.  Another fact that makes a book a classic, is the ability to be reread multiple times and still find something new that had been previously overlooked.  This is definitely true for The Old Man and the Sea.  From reading this book, we can learn that honor can be gained even in the face of defeat, just like Santiago’s struggle against the fish and his loss against the sharks.

"The Old Man and the Sea." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 21 July 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/>.

The Old Man and the Sea blog 5

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella written by Ernest Hemmingway that seems very unique to itself.  It does not really reflect the history or the behaviors occurring during the time it was written.  This fact has led many critics to call the book a parable and a tragedy.  “Because Hemingway was a writer who always relied heavily on autobiographical sources, some critics, not surprisingly, eventually decided that the novella served as a thinly veiled attack upon them. According to this reading, Hemingway was the old master at the end of his career being torn apart by—but ultimately triumphing over—critics on a feeding frenzy.” (Sparknotes, 1).  It seemed that from some critics point of view, that Hemmingway was attacking them by writing The Old Man and the Sea.  The only thing that this book reflected during that period of history was the life of a Carribean fisherman.  It depicted many of the hardships that a fisherman during those days had to endure though the character of Santiago.  The Old Man and the Sea stood apart from other novels of its day by its unique context and outstanding themes.  The thematic significance of this book is man’s attempt to triumph over a world of forces that are trying to destroy him.  Santiago’s demonstration of pride that led to perseverance is the basis for this idea.  He chose not to give up when everything seemed to be against him.  Symbolism also played a significant role in The Old Man and the Sea.  The marlin was the symbol of man’s ultimate adversary.  Santiago was destined to meet and battle the great fish, with either side able to take the victory.  This symbol tied in with the thematic significance very nicely.  The sharks were also a symbol of man’s adversaries, but they differed from the marlin because the sharks were already predators.  Santiago’s fight with them brought him no honor for the sharks symbolized the destructiveness of the world that is against us.

"The Old Man and the Sea." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 21 July 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/>.

The Old Man and the Sea blog 4

The hero character of The Old Man and the Sea is none other than the old man himself.  Santiago is a very unique character because of many of his qualities and traits.  These qualities include his love of baseball, fascination with creatures of the sea, and deep understanding of human instincts.  Santiago displays his love of baseball through his favorite player DiMaggio and the comparisons he makes between himself and DiMaggio.  “Do you believe the great DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay with this one? he thought.  I am sure he would and more since he is young and strong.” (Hemingway 68).  The old man also deeply cared about the creatures of the sea.  He would often think about how the animals dealt with certain situations and he especially loved the sea turtles.  Santiago’s personality showed that he understood his own instincts and knew that he was not going to give up on catching the fish.  He knew that pride was the base of his perseverance and used it to his advantage.  Throughout the course of the book, the only thing that Santiago really accomplishes is to catch the great fish.  Even this comes to a tragic end when sharks steal all the meat and the old man is left with just a carcass of bones.  So in the end he only gained the honor of not giving up in his trials.  Santiago represents the abstract idea of perseverance.  He never gave up on either catching the marlin or fighting off the shark attacks.  Even when he had lost all hope, Santiago continued to persevere knowing that he had no other choice.  “The old man’s head was clear and good now he was full of resolution but he had little hope.  It was too good to last, he thought.”  (Hemingway 101).  Santiago was a hero in his own way for persevering through his personal trials and not giving up when hope seemed lost.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

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Like in every other work of literature, themes play a major role in The Old Man and the Sea.  Three of the most important themes demonstrated throughout this book include pride, honor, and perseverance.  Ernest Hemingway reveals all these qualities through his portrayal of Santiago and his struggle against the great marlin.  Pride was one of the main themes that Santiago continually expressed throughout the book.  In a sense this was his biggest character flaw which led him to stay with the marlin and not give up.  “’I’ll kill him though,’ he said.  ‘In all his greatness and his glory.’  Although it is unjust, he thought.  But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures.”  (Hemingway 66).  This quote explains Santiago’s stubborn pride that will not let him give up until he is dead.  The old man’s pride was directly linked with his perseverance.  It was his pride that did not let him give up even when the sharks were destroying his greatest prize.  “Now they have beaten me, he thought.  I am too old to club sharks to death.  But I will try it as long as I have the oars and the short club and the tiller.” (Hemingway 112).  Santiago chose to persevere even when all hope was lost.  He did not end up saving the fish, but his perseverance and pride brought him the honor of catching the marlin.  The old man’s honor was the final theme that played a significant role in this book.  He had gained his honor from chasing the fish for three days and not giving up when it seemed hopeless.  By refusing to let the sharks take his fish without a challenge, he also proved his worth.  Through all three of these themes, Hemingway made Santiago into a tragic hero that overcame amazing feats, yet finished with only his honor in tack.  Ernest Hemingway has shown that human nature, when motivated enough, has the ability to overcome almost any challenge placed before it. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea blog 2

                The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is centered around the conflict of Santiago, the old man, and his struggle against a huge fish that lasted for three days.  There were many causes for this conflict and Hemingway chose to use foreshadowing and personification to bring out these events.  One of the main causes of the conflict was Santiago’s choice to go far out in the ocean on his eighty fifth day without catching a fish.  “They spread apart after they were out of the mouth of the harbor and each one headed for the part of the ocean where he hoped to find fish.  The old man knew he was going far out and he left the smell of the land behind and rowed out into the clean early morning smell of the ocean.”  (Hemingway, 28).  The fact that Santiago went out so far is important because no one would be able to help him once he hooked the fish.  Another cause closely linked to this was Santiago believed eighty five was his lucky number so he took more risks on that day.  Santiago did not gain very much from the conflict.  He managed to catch his fish after three days of struggle, but was stuck at sea with a bleeding carcass as big as his boat.  “’It was the only way to kill him,’ the old man said.  He was feeling better since the water and he knew he would not go away and his head was clear.”  (Hemingway 97).  Santiago also gained the pride of catching such a fish, but this was short lived.  The losses in the conflict included Santiago’s injuries like cuts on his hands, but more importantly the shark attacks.  Everything that he had worked so hard to gain was lost again to these carnivores of the sea that stole his pride and he possessions.  By the end of the book Santiago was no more than what he was at the beginning, except he now had the memory of the great fish. 

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea Blog 1

The Old Man and the Sea is a long time classic that reveals the values and attitudes of its writer, Ernest Hemingway.  As the author of this book, Hemingway displays his love of nature and life at sea through this voyage of a lifetime.  Nature is seen as a great and wonderful thing by the old man in this book.  “They are good.  They play and make jokes and love one another.  They are our brothers like the flying fish.”  (Hemingway, 48).  In this quote the old man was explaining to the great fish that two porpoises are also brothers to the fisherman and the fish.  Hemingway most commonly displayed this love of nature through the eyes of the old man making him sound peculiar, yet kind.  Another value that Hemingway showed in this book was his joy at life at sea.  “ He was very fond of flying fish as they were his principal friends on the ocean.” (Hemingway, 29).  This quote, said through the eyes of the old man, shows that the old man like Hemingway valued the little things in life including the individual fish in the ocean.  Old Man and the Sea also demonstrates Hemingway’s value of perseverance and compassion. Perseverance is one of the most obvious traits portrayed by the old man.  Even in the face of lost hope in catching the fish, he pushed on and did not give up.  “Fish, I love you and respect you very much.  But I will kill you dead before this day ends.” (Hemingway,54).  The author also shows this value in the old man’s defense of the great fish from sharks.  Even though he did not succeed in saving the fish, he did his best to punish the sharks for their stealing.  The final value that Ernest Hemingway displays through the old man is compassion.  He loves all the creatures of the sea, with the exception of sharks, and would gladly talk to them as if they were friends.  “Stay at my house if you like, bird.  I am sorry I cannot hoist the sail and take you in with the small breeze that is rising.  But I am with a friend.” (Hemingway, 55).  Through these values and attitudes shown in The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway’s character can be discovered by his past perspective view through the old man.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.