Final Writing Test (20%)

The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest Hemingway

Among the many english literature classics, Ernest Hemingway definitely deserves a profound respect for his writings. As a journalist, but mostly as a novelist, he succeeded many times in showing the true nature of man through his deep moral novels. When he wrote The Old Man and the Sea in 1951, it was acclaimed by the critics and he was given the Pulitzer Prize as well as a Nobel Prize in Literature the next year. People who read this book might think that it is the story of the fight between the man, Santiago and the blue marlin and that there's nothing more to it. This book actually is the perfect example of a conflict between man and nature in general. Whether it is because of the setting, of the plot or of the main themes, there's certainly more to this story than meets the eye.

First of all, the location of the action chosen by Hemingway really confirms that the conflict in this novel is the pure model of a man versus nature battle. It starts in a poor Cuban fishing village, where people live with simple ways of life. It is clear in this story that the choice of the region was made because of its simplicity. What's a simpler way of life than inhabiting a small coastal village? Also, it's important to take note that for the most part of the novel, the action takes place in the sole fisherman's boat somewhere in the Gulf Stream current. The description of the sea made by Hemingway has everything to make this man feel alone against a force that's way bigger than him.

Second of all, what contributes to this point of view of the story's interpretation is the basic elements of the plots. Hemingway made it very simple. An old fisherman deserted with luck has to feed his village. So when he's out there at sea hunting the blue marlin, he knows that if he keeps failing at his job, he will eventually die of hunger, he know that's it's a matter of winning as humans against the will of nature. What is so original about this novel is that you can see the battle between the will of those two forces in a captivating metaphor, the blue marlin representing the powers of nature, and Santiago as the ideal values promoted by man, such as courage, endurance and honor.

Third of all, the main themes of the story, according to me, lead to an similar interpretation. Men, even if handicapped by life (Santiago's old age) can accomplish great acts when their mind is sharp and brave. The values Hemingway included in this story would represent the perfect attitude to not only defeat a fish, but to treat any problem we could face in our life. Moreover, it presents a stoic model, that proves the reader how the force of will and intellectual vivacity are good weapons against a nature that is wild and uncontrollable. Some might say that the action in this novel is based in the fisherman's actions to catch the fish, It is in the way Santiago confront his problems. This attitude, once transposed to any other of our lives' issues could only be an advantage.

Finally, this simple fight between an old man and a fish can be used to find more profound meanings that Hemingway clearly wanted to transmit. By this metaphorical story, he draws the picture of the key virtues of man, that are essential for man's victory over the outside obstacles. The setting, the plot and the main themes are good aspects of the novel to base my judgment on, as they are the core of any literary work. Although no one can claim he knows exactly what Hemingway wanted to express, my interpretation of the conflict sticks with the important parts of the text.

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