The old man and the SeaPPT
Background"The old man and the Sea" is a classic American short novel written...
Background"The old man and the Sea" is a classic American short novel written by Ernest Miller Hemingway in 1951. The story tells about an old Cuban fisherman, Santiago, and his battle with a large fish, which lasts for more than eighty days. It is Hemingway's fourth novel after "A Farewell to Arms", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and "To Have and Have Not", all of which have won great popularity. "The old man and the Sea" was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953.Main charactersSantiagoAn old Cuban fisherman. Although he is aging, his strong spirit and optimism have not been eroded. He dreams of catching a large fish that can help him restore his dignity and self-esteemThomas MannA young fisherman, regarded as Santiago's apprentice, who admires him and helps him catch the fishThe fishSantiago's opponent in the story. Although it is only a fish, it represents dignity, self-esteem, and hope for SantiagoPlotThe plot of "The old man and the Sea" is simple. It tells that Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, catches a large fish called "marlin" after more than eighty days of fishing, but during the battle with the fish, his fishing equipment is almost destroyed. Thomas, his apprentice, gives him a timely help to bring him back to land after the long-lasting battle. Although he finally catches the fish, it is decomposed and can not be sold. Santiago's dream of catching a large fish to restore his dignity and self-esteem is shattered. Hemingway uses Santiago's final failure to tell the reader that life is full of unexpected challenges and failures, but we should not be afraid of failure but face it bravely.StyleThe language of "The old man and the Sea" is concise and powerful, with Hemingway's unique style of writing. He uses the first person narrative to show Santiago's inner world and his will to face challenges bravely. At the same time, Hemingway describes nature in a very simple way, using a few words to paint a picture of Cuban fishermen's life on the sea. The language of "The old man and the Sea" is simple and clear, without any flowery language or decorations, which is in line with Hemingway's writing style.Theme"The old man and the Sea" is Hemingway's typical work that shows human spirit in adversity. The theme of this work is mainly about human dignity and self-esteem. Through Santiago's eighty-day fishing battle, Hemingway shows that people should not be intimidated by difficulties in life but face them bravely like Santiago did. The theme of this work has always been deeply loved by readers around the world.Summary"The old man and the Sea" is a classic American short novel written by Ernest Miller Hemingway in 1951. The plot is simple, focusing on an old Cuban fisherman Santiago's battle with a large fish for more than eighty days on the sea. Hemingway uses Santiago's final failure to tell readers that life is full of unexpected challenges and failures, but we should not be afraid of failure but face it bravely. His writing style is concise and powerful with his unique style of writing. The theme of this work mainly focuses on human dignity and self-esteem. Through Santiago's eighty-day fishing battle, Hemingway shows that people should not be intimidated by difficulties in life but face them bravely like Santiago did. This work has always been deeply loved by readers around the world since its publication in 1951.
