The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954 and was the last major work of Ernest Hemingway. It’s a brutally simple story about an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago who is alone in life and his only friend is Manolin, a boy who used to fish with him before but because of a series of bad luck including not catching anything for 84 days, was soon told by his parents to go with other fishermen instead.
On the 85th day though, Santiago sailed further out than the other fishermen and was able to hook a giant marlin who happened to pull him farther away in the sea. What happened next? Where did the fish pull him to? Was he able to bring it home? Did he really hook the fish or was it the fish that hooked him? Was he able to change his luck?
This might not sound much of a plot for most people but I think it’s a good read. I found it an engaging story about an old man and his relationship with nature, an old man with nothing left to lose, an old man that has faith in himself, an old man who never backs away from his goal whatever it takes.
The ending was quite sad but moving. I felt really sad for Santiago but he was not at all sad for himself. Though he was totally drained in the end, he was still very optimistic while talking with Manolin which reflects what he said earlier in the book, “A man can be destroyed but never defeated.”
Quotable Quotes:
“Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.”
“Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”
“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”
“Why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day?”
Rating : 4/5 stars
I recently read the book and reviewed it. I liked the themes disucssed in the book but found it difficult to concentrate while reading about the events leading upto the big old man versus fish battle and the sad events following it.
Review:https://paperecstasy.com/2018/10/06/review-the-old-man-and-the-sea-by-ernest-hemingway/
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It got kinda slow on that part but still a good read as a whole.🙂
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I have this book on my bookshelf…😊
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😊👍
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One of my interesting literature course books at high school. Thank you
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I see… what other Hemingway works have you read?
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Unfortunately not any other apart from “the old man and the sea”
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One of my all time favorite books.
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Any other Hemingway works you can suggest for me to read?
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For Whom The Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell To Arms. Excellent Hemingway books.
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Noted! Thanks! 😊
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You’re very welcome ☺
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Thanks so much for this post. Haven’t read the book but will check it out!!
xoxo
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Oh! I hope you’d like it!
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Looks like you are a pretty great “Hoper”. Kindred Spirit wavelengths??? So was my guess right, close?? Ha!
xoxo
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Haha! I believe so!😊😊😊
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Yep! Did you get my other email address?
xoxo
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Yeah! I sent you an email this morning using that other email address.😊
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Will go check!
xoxo
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