Posted by Pjk on June 11, 19101 at 11:40:19:

In Reply to: Trying to get into reading Hemingay, could someone help me out? posted by Rufus on June 08, 19101 at 14:43:17:

: Recently I've been trying to start reading some of Hemingway's novels. Yesterday, I started The Old Man and the Sea. Could someone give me some pointers as to what to look for in regards to symbolism or theme(does he have a particular style that he follows in his books?).
: Thanks.

I think that the techniques that Hemingway became famous for
were not used to any great extent in The Old Man and the Sea,
one of his last novels. The novel can be read simply for the
enjoyment of the descriptive writing and the story of the old
man who first hooks and then loses the great fish that would
have changed his luck. And who does not complain about losing
the fish, nor complains to a God (a la Johah), but who simply
says "I went out too far," meaning it was his own fault and he
is prepared to accept the consequences for this.

But notice what he gains as well as loses...The young boy, at
the end, decides to defy his parents and fish with the old man
again. And so the old man achieves a measure of immortality in
that he will p on his knowledge of fishing and life to the
boy. Perhaps this "measure of immortality" is why all of those
Christian symbols are strewn about the novel. Perhaps this idea
of disipleship is re-inforced by the old man's name, Santiago,
Saint James.

Good Luck
Pjk

Follow Ups:

• Re: Trying to get into reading Hemingay, could someone help me out? Paul Hammersten 11:38:52 6/12/101 (3)
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