#38/52: The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
#38/52: The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
“Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead.”
Stats
Date Read: Dec 14 - 19
Pages: 96
Format Read: NYPL hardcover
Genres: Classics, Literature
My Rating(out of 5): 4 Stars
Quotes
Why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day?
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is.
If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.
Review
Ernest Hemingway is said to be one of the most, if not the most influential American writer(s) ever, yet I’ve never read any of his books. The Old Man and the Sea is his most famous book, is a classic, and is a very short read. For all these reasons combined, I had to read it.
It tells the story of a Cuban fisherman, Santiago, who has gone months without catching a fish. Determined to break the streak, he sets out alone in the early morning one day. He manages to catch a few smaller fish, but only enough to feed himself, nothing that will provide him with bragging rights or earn him a small fortune. So, when his line hooks onto a fish, a giant Marlin so big that he can’t reel it in and gets dragged around, he refuses to let go, and spends days going further and further out to sea battling to catch it and bring it home.
It’s quite a simple story with only the old man, fish, and sea for the majority of the book, but it was certainly written beautifully and that’s what made it a good read. The sentences are often short and matter of fact but they somehow flow together really well. And lots of them, particularly the old man’s thoughts and words are meaningful aphorisms and introspection that had me nodding along and made me respect and feel for his character.
There was a fair bit of descriptive writing too, and admittedly some of the fishing and boating terminology lost me a little. But the descriptions also helped to create some powerful imagery of the old man alone against the vast sea, acknowledging fate and luck yet still holding his own with dignity. This made the story feel like an epic, tragic ancient tale. I don’t really know how to describe it better, it just made me feel all these big, complex things, like the world is so massive and we are so small, yet we still manage to have our place in it. I probably am missing the deeper meaning from all the literary analysis that has been done on this book. But reading doesn’t always have to be about original intentions and accurate takeaways, right? Sometimes it can just be about how the book makes you feel.
So, I think it's worth a read. Not just because it's a classic, but also because of the simplicity yet poetic feel of the story and style. And it's a pretty quick read too for the feelings and thoughts it may inspire.