A Book Analysis of Hemingway's Old Man in the SeaThe Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is a story of determination, friendship and also man's struggles with nature. Hemingway leads the reader though an interesting story of an old man and his will defeat nature. He also shares a story of friendship between young and old.Ernest Miller Hemingway was born July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He was the second oldest of six children and grew up in a typical American family. "His mother encouraged Hemingway's marked impulse toward creativity, and his father provided an early grounding in nature lore and woodsmanship."("Hemingway"1). Hemingway's work shows both his mother and fathers influences.Hemingway's career started when he did an editing job for his school newspaper. After high school Hemingway went on and became a reporter for a Kansas City newspaper called the Kansas Star. He stayed with this newspaper for only six months, when he then joined the war effort, of World War1. In the war Hemingway was a dedicated ambulance driver.Hemingway's days in the war were cut short when he suffered a bad knee injury and so he retreated to Michigan to read, write, and fish. Hemingway also lived in many European cities and traveled quite a bit. The experiences that he had traveling gave him many ideas for his stories. Finally he settled in Cuba were he passed away by suicide in 1961.Hemingway's last novel was Old Man and the Sea. It was also one of his most famous novels. In this book the main character, an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago, is faced with bad luck and looked down on by the town's people. His only friend is a young boy named Manolin. After not catching any fish for eighty-four days the old man still goes out, till finally he snags an enormous marlin. The stories plot continues with the old man fighting the huge fish.Santiago shows his determination in the story by sailing out farther than any of the other fishermen to catch fish. Also he shows his strong will when he finally catches the Marlin. He continues struggling with the fish and proves that he will not give up. "Fish, I love and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends" (Hemingway 54). This shows that Santiago has set his mind to do something and is determined to follow though.Another key point in this story is the friendship between Santiago and Manolin. Even though there is a great age difference between them, their friendship is still strong. Manolin's parents are disagreeable with the fact that he wants to stick with and fish with the old man, but Manolin works out a way to stay with him. There is such an alliance between the two that even way out on the Gulf Stream Santiago thinks of him. "I wish I had the boy" (Hemingway 45), Santiago states when he is fighting with the fish. The two have an enduring friendship.As the old man battles with the fish and the sea, the reader is reminded of man's constant battle with nature. The fight that the fish puts up is great and is a true battle between him and the old man. Santiago thinks "If I were him I would put in everything now and go until something broke. But, thank God, they are not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and more able." (Hemingway63). Also his feelings about the sea demonstrate his will to battle with the strong forces of nature. It is said that "The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea." (Hemingway 61). The old man pushes the limits of nature.The themes and ideas make this novel worthy of literary merit. Hemingway themes of bravery, strength and companionship make the book an easy read. He even proves that young and old can have an outstanding friendship. The plot itself keeps the reader interested in the battle between the old man and the Marlin. The reader even feels disappointment when Santiago great fish is eaten by the sharks. This is why this book should be included in the literary meritIn conclusion The Old Man in the Sea is a novel of determination, friendship and also man's struggles with nature. It is not hard to see why this novel received a Nobel Prize. It is a powerful story of an old mans strong will and strength also filled with a touch of disappointment. All in all this is an outstanding, powerful novel.
