Hemingway's Pulitzer Prize Winner

While The Old Man and the Sea might not be Ernest Hemingway’s most extensive piece of work it’s certainly among his most famous and the one that won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. It was also a major factor in Hemingway’s Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. As it turned out, it also happened to be his last published work in his lifetime.

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella (or short story) that tells the tale of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman. A traditionalist, Santiago is down on his luck and finds himself the ridicule of the younger, modern day fishermen who have adapted to commercial productivity. Never giving up hope, the old man suddenly finds himself battling with the biggest catch of his life, an 18 foot marlin.

The story is extremely pensive and descriptive. Through conversations with his young companion, and later through streams of consciousness when the old man is alone at sea, we get nice little insights into his philosophy mixed in with random musings. Similarly, again from the old man’s perspective we get well thought out descriptions of the sea around him. There are elements of Moby Dick and The Odyssey here as we come to a larger appreciation of the great power of the open ocean.

The main part of the story revolves around the old man’s duel with the marlin. It’s a long event that is an inspiring tale of perseverance and endurance. As such he develops something of a relationship with his nemesis. From the hunter, his mindset changes to pity and then later empathy. He questions his worthiness of the catch, the worthiness of those that would eat it. Throughout all of this Hemingway’s narrative is extremely compelling.

Taken on the surface, this an inspirational and entertaining short read. It’s poetic and descriptive but also clearly and concisely written. This makes it an ideal read for children. However, beneath that there are several instances of symbolic interpretation. Most notably the story is filled with biblical interpretations as several references bear comparison to Jesus Christ and the crucifixion. Additionally we have references to the circle of life or oneness of the universe. We witness this in the relationship between the old man and the fish, and the old man and the young boy, as well as the evolving world around him.

The Old Man and the Sea is an extremely easy read. Hemingway writes in simple short sentences, making for straightforward comprehension. It’s an ideal read for young readers, probably anywhere from 10 up. At just over 100 pages it’s also a pretty quick read; I read it in about 2 hours. But true appreciation comes from subsequent reading and reflection. There’s a certain inspiration to the tale, and while I didn’t get excited by any hidden symbolisms, it did give me a great appreciation for Hemingway’s genius.