Hemingway has a deservedly incredible reputation as one of America's greatest 20th C writers and The Old Man and the Sea distills this talent into a gripping and poignant tale - absolutely splendid.

One of my favorite quotes is an early description of Santiago:
The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of the scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert.
Everything about his was old except his eyes which were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated."
Classic Hemingway in the precision of the language and careful use vocabulary. Notice the alliteration from 'back', 'brown', 'blotches', 'benevolent', 'brings'. The two similies about the scars and his eyes just jump out of the text.
A short, but splendid masterpiece. A late flowering of his genius before the ignominious end of his life.

Don't miss my review of the Meyer biography of Hemingway: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My rating of all the Pulitzer Winners: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

The wolves will come...

I started this in high spirits as my updates show: "fifth re-read, how thrilling it is to plumb new depths in old wells of wisdom..."

But, as I read on towards the last few pages, I couldn't shake the feeling that this is Moby Dick set in an alternate universe.

In this alternate universe:

The Giant Leviathan is a noble, unseen fish - steady and without malice.
Captain Ahab is transformed into a gentle, wise old zen master. Santiago - a humble fisherman with no legendary crew to command and only his frail body instead of a Pequod to do his bidding.
Ishmael is a young boy, who instead of being a "end is nigh" Nostradamus is a loving, weeping young boy who cares deeply about the world.
Queequeg is probably the dolphin which was the old man's only hope against his foe, his brother.

Now Moby Dick for me was the grand struggle of an obsessed genius with his destiny (in fact, about the creative struggle) - it proves that life is a tragedy and in the grand conclusion, you go down with a mighty confrontation and your ambitions take you down to the depths of the sea - no trace left of either you or your grand dreams except a mist of madness propagated as a half-heard story.

This was profound and it moved me to tears - but it was still grand, was it not? The great struggle, the titanic battle and the heroic capitulation! It was operatic and it was uplifting - even amidst the tragedy, the mighty bellow of man's cry in the face of the unconquerable; that gave me goosebumps.


But Hemingway and his Old Man has turned the story on its head.

It takes you beyond the happily-ever-after of Moby Dick (!) and as always those unchartered waters are beyond description. This alternate universe is much more cruel and much more real. There is no grand confrontation that ends in an inspirational tragedy.

It turns it into a battle of attrition - you are inevitably defeated even in success and life will wear you down and leave no trace of your ambitions.

It makes you battle to the last breaking point of every nerve and sinew and lets you win a hollow victory that you cannot celebrate as life has worn you out too much in your pursuit of your goals and the destiny, the destiny too now seems more and more unreal and you ask yourself if you were even worthy enough to start the battle.

And as you turn back after that jaded victory, then comes the sharks, inevitably, inexorably. And then begins the real battle, not the grand epic, but a doomed, unenthusiastic battle against reality - with the knowledge that no grand ambition can ever succeed.

And the old man tells it for you - "I never should have gone out that far!"

The alternate universe is depressing and it is Zen at the same time, I do not know how. I probably have to read this many more times before any hope, any secret light in it comes to illuminate me - for today, for this reading, Hemingway has depressed me beyond belief and I cannot remember how I always thought of this as an inspirational fable!

The scene in which the restaurant lady sees the bones of the once great fish sums it up for me - In the end you give up hope of success and only wish that at the very least you might be able to bring back a ghost of the fish so that people can see how great your target really was - but all they see is the almost vanished skeleton of your idea; your grand dreams are just so much garbage now and who will have the imagination to see the grandeur it had at its conception?

“They beat me, Manolin,” he said. “They truly beat me.”

“He didn’t beat you. Not the fish.”

“No. Truly. It was afterwards.”

My big fish must be somewhere.

Many years ago when I read The Old Man and the Sea I thought it was going nowhere, that it was too simple and ordinary to be of any consequence. On a second reading, however, my view changed and I ended up loving it. What I mistook for repetition was a literary device for emphasis and the boat, like the story, that I judged to be unmoving in the rolling seas was caught in a whirlpool churning the waters in its depth so that the boat and the old man at the sea were never at rest till the end.

Although grounds for comparison do not exist, reading this novella, Orhan Pamuk came to mind. It's their ability to weave the many similar threads of narrative into a stunning improvisatory whole that turns a small, and prima facie simple, scenario that might be covered in a few pages into an expanded mass of words that transcends the boundaries of its immediate context to inform on larger human struggle. Repetition or artistic improvisation, when done well, is fascinating and here Orhan Pamuk and Ernest Hemingway appear brothers-in-arms. You start with a pin prick of a view that widens and opens out into a wide vista giving you a clear view of the clutter of human ethos.

Like his so many stories it's a tale of a heroic struggle but only inasmuch as a frail-legged ant suffers to get a tiny lump of sugar to its colony to claim its superiority on the lesser types. A knackered old man dreaming on the seas of a big catch in a boat fit for the axe of a lumberjack with a young boy for a helper do not evoke the romantic world of heroic battles fought by the gun-wielding machismo of Hemingway's other stories. This is something simpler in its setting yet more profound in its humanistic import.

A piece of writing - a prose story or a poem - becomes great because it has no single, fixed, literal meaning that forbids imagination. It is the reader who picks up the idea consistent with the subjective conditions of his own worldview, interpreting the text, changing it, and then getting changed by it in turn. This novella lends itself to interpretation on multiple levels and, for its rich imagery of natural elements and human emotions, remains one of the very best Hemingway offered us.

October 2015

|| 2.0 stars ||

You think this is about a lonely, crazy old man having a mental breakdown? Well, yes, it is. But mostly… There was fishing. And more fishing. Oh, and even more fishing! The end.


n  Ernest Hemingway’s stories:n
Hills Like White Elephants - 3.0 stars
The Old Man and the Sea - 2.0 stars

The plot is pretty much known. The old man - Santiago, a fisherman, poor and with wife either gone or dead - goes to the sea one September in early 20th century Cuba to catch a fish, a marlin, and is gone a long time. His best supporter in his home town is Manolin, a young boy who wants to become a fisherman too, and who helps him get by when not at sea. And the fish - "my big fish" - is the challenge, a 18footer, that surfaces first time right in the middle of the story, which I feel was written to happen so.

I figure this is Cuba from the mention of Havana, and the Hatuey beer. The old man and the boy also discuss baseball here and there, including DiMaggio. The old man is made fun of or pitied, mostly, though at the end when he comes back with the fish eaten right down to skeleton by the sharks, he might be viewed differently for a while.

I observe him as he spends time on the boat, thinking about his past life's moments of glory and witnessing the natural beauty moments while working (especially the lions). I witnessed the toughness of the chase: hand cramps, cord burns, cuts, the tiredness, the varying levels of consciousness (and perhaps the breaking of a rib, which could've been the reason for blood-spitting?).
The moment when he finally gets to harpoon the marlin was almost close to feeling it for this reading, very intenese. And then the sharks made me feel the intensity again, even though the loss would be inevitable - no chance of pulling the marlin on the boat *sigh*. I almost expected there to be a storm among other things, but that didn't happen XD

But at the end, when he's back home, the despair of loss is in my opinion somewhat averted, as the man and the boy already start making plans for more fishing, even if the old man's experience, and desire to catch a similar, tough-to-get fish might be gone. It seems the boy is more motivated to be a fisherman. And the slightly amusing moment at the end with the tourists and the 'shark' skeleton is very fitting, and makes for a perfect ending for this great experience of a story.

“I may not be as stong as I think, but I know many tricks and I have resolution.”



The language of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea evokes some bygone fable, but it is still direct and powerful. For those who want it, there's a simple story here of a down on his luck fisherman, Santiago. In order to change his fortunes, Santiago takes his boat out further than he's ever done before. What seems like good fortune on this fishing trip turns into a fight for survival. For those who want to look deeper, in addition to the man vs. nature theme, there is a multi-layered story which isn't bogged down by the symbolism. Enjoyed and would recommend The Old Man and the Sea, even for those who haven't enjoyed other works by Hemingway.

A part of my personal challenge for 2023 is to read classics. It's not what I usually read, but I want to try.

I got a paperback copy of The Old Man and the Sea from my library late last year from their "discard" pile

In less than 100 pages, this book will make you appreciate your non-fishing hobbies.

Sad book. Read it, but know it is sad.
This is probably written at about a 4th grade reading level, and the audience is at least that broad.

I'll spare you the christ imagery chit-chat.

Why did Ernest Hemingway cross the road?

To die. In the rain.

n  n

My very first time reading Papa and I absolutely LOVED IT. Sometimes the experience you have with a book can be effected by many things beyond the narrative itself, and I think that is certainly the case here. While I believe I would have loved this story regardless, there is no doubt that the stars aligned themselves perfectly to make this a singularly special read for me.

Let me explain...

Last year, I was in Napa with my wife and two of our best friends celebrating my (oh shit!!) 40th birthday. It was the latter part of October (near the end of harvest time) and the weather was perfect...DUH, it’s Napa.

We were staying at our favorite Napa sanctuary, the Villagio Inn and Spa.
n  n
Though pricey, Vellagio is just about perfect, it's centrally located, with wonderful rooms, and one of the BEST breakfast spreads in the world...Hey, when you are going out drinking all day, it is important to load up on foodstuffs to avoid alcohol-related trouble. have a nice big breakfast before you go out and drink all day...it is called being practical.

Speaking of drinking all day, we had just come back from an awesome tour of the Castle di Amarossa Winery which is, I shit you not, a real castle in the middle of Napa, California...
n  n

…complete with MEGA DINING HALL
n  n

...and a TORTURE CHAMBER…..yep, a rack, an Iron Maiden and some device that made me constipated just looking at it.

n  n
.
.
.
Anyway, we got back to the room and had a few hours to relax before a late dinner reservation. Well, I don’t sleep all that much and so, while my wife took a nap (light weight that she is), I decided I would find something fairly short to read. I choose this story because it was only 100 pages long (or just under 3 hours via audio) and it seemed to fit my time allotment perfectly.

So, feeling a little buzzed and in a superb, yet contemplative mood (I had just turned 40 for crying out loud), I poured myself another glass of wine (shut up and don't judge me), went and sat on the balcony outside our room and, with the sun starting to go down, began listening to the audio version of this story.

Well, this story slammed me and had me sucked in and captive from the very first words: “He was the old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.” By the way, now would be a good time to mention that the audio version I listened to was read by Donald Sutherland, and the marriage of the story with Sutherland’s perfect narration was nothing short of magical. In my opinion it is THE ONLY VERSION of the audio book that should be sold. 



As many have said (and almost as many have complained), this is in many ways a simple story about an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago, who has had a significant run of bad luck fishing (i.e., 84 days). "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the 
same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." Attempting to change his luck, he decides to take his skiff further out than he has ever gone before, "beyond all the people of the world." Eventually, he lands the largest Marlin he's ever seen and the bulk of the narrative details his epic struggle to reel in the fish and get it back to shore. 



Yes, a simple story and Hemingway uses sparse, straight-forward prose...and devastates with them. The most powerful emotions, passions and struggles that people experience are often tied to the most basic needs and the most elemental aspects of who they are. I felt an immediate connection to the story and was deeply moved by the restrained, yet palpable power of the narrative.

The most lasting message that I took away from the story was that, despite the many hardships Santiago faces, and the titanic trials that he endures on the open sea, I NEVER ONCE felt that I was supposed to pity or feel sorry for him in any way. Here was a person doing what he loves to do, what gives him purpose in life, and struggling with an iron will to accomplish his goal. The struggle is hard, it is difficult, but it is who he is and what gives him fulfillment in life. All I could feel was giant admiration for this man.

I found this uplifting and a powerful reaffirmation of what is truly important in life. "But a man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed 
but not defeated."

Whether it was the setting I was in, the mood I was in, the wine I was drinking, the wonderful narration or the power of the words themselves, in the end the result was the same. I felt ALIVE, and for that I say thank you “Papa” wherever you are!!! 


That is basically it, but I wanted to leave you with my favorite line from the story, one that I think encapsulates everything Hemingway set out to accomplish in his tale. "And what beat you, he thought. 'Nothing,' he said aloud. 
'I went out too far.'" 


5.0 stars and one of my “All Time" favorites. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!

On the first glance, The Old Man and the Sea is a very simple story about a Cuban fisherman fighting against a giant marlin. On the second glance ... it is still a very simple story. You won't find any complex characters in this story, you won't find even the smallest trace of complexity. One can try to find symbolisms in this story (and will most likely succeed), but as Ernest Hemingway said himself:

"There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The sharks are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know."

What remains when you take away the lack of complexity? A powerful tale about the efforts of a human being to achieve a certain goal and about how easy it is to lose what you have won. And powerful it is indeed. I was familiar with Hemingway's writing style and his tragic life due to preparing a school presentation about him years ago and reading some of his short stories, so I was able to direct my expectations to the necessary direction, ultimately finding - as surprising as this may sound - a lot to enjoy in here.

I don't know if any other author would have been able to spend 140 pages on a subject as simple as this (although Dickens probably could), but Ernest Hemingway succeeded in the attempt, creating a timeless classic. The language is not very demanding - sometimes even poor, if you look at the way he repeats himself unnecessarily at passages every writing adviser would cringe at. And yet there is something powerful, endearing behind those words, something which lures you in without you even realizing it. It is impossible to describe the atmosphere within this tale. Read it for yourself if you are open for classics without a lot of action going on - and this is a short one, a story I read in the course of two hours with interruptions - or don't if you need your complex plots. For everyone else, I'd highly recommend it.

It's a bit shameful that it took me so long to understand such a renowned work. Perhaps my literary foundation wasn't strong enough, the first few times I read it (over a decade ago), I couldn't grasp the deep-rooted Christian themes or the profound insights mentioned in many critical analyses. I only had a superficial understanding of the inherent dilemmas in literary creation.

Did I understand it now? Well, before reading others’ reviews on Goodreads, I expected to find unanimous praise. But to my surprise, everyone had their unique perspectives. I suppose that's the power of a classic. You see only what your own life has prepared you to see. I've realized that searching for a definitive interpretation is pointless.

I always thought of myself as a pessimist, but while reading The Old Man and the Sea, I didn't feel a sense of despair. Many readers have pointed out Hemingway’s deep-seated despair, but I didn't see it.

To me, the boy represented hope, the lion symbolized strength, the great fish embodied life, and the sharks were like fate. I especially loved Hemingway’s description of the first shark: It was beautiful and noble and above everything else, afraid of nothing."

I noticed Hemingway’s use of words like "beautiful," "noble," "excellent," and "champion." It seemed like the old man was almost boasting about his life, despite his poverty and hardships. He praised the fish, the boy, the lion, and even the world that had given him so little.

He helped me see beyond my own pessimism. He taught me that even in the face of despair, it's important to hold onto hope and believe in oneself.

First, do your best. Second, do your best again. Finally, accept what fate brings. When faced with difficulties, remember the old man's words: ”I must kill him. Though he is great."

Perhaps I haven't experienced enough hardship to lose all hope. Even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, I'm still willing to try.

Dreams may lose their significance as we grow older, replaced by the realities of life. But I believe the greatest obstacle we face is ourselves. Just like the old fisherman and Hemingway during his writing slump, we often have to battle against our own doubts and fears. On one side, fate deals us blows, urging us to give up. On the other side, there's the indomitable spirit that refuses to yield. Some people win, while others succumb to their own limitations.

Hope is a choice. It's up to you to believe in it or not.

There's a certain beauty in failing while still believing in tomorrow. Perhaps Hemingway, despite his reputation for pessimism, held onto a glimmer of hope. When he wrote about the old man dreaming of lions and the boy by his side, he was affirming the enduring power of hope, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Many might disagree with my interpretation. You might say it's too simplistic or misses the deeper meaning of Hemingway’s work. But I believe that a great work of literature can have many meanings, and it's up to each reader to find their own personal connection.

After all, I think I finally got it, and that is it.

4.8 / 5 stars