The Old Man and the Sea

Great book. I love my books that use clear fonts on white paper and are slim enough to offer easy reading. This book clicks on all fronts

“A beautifully crafted tragedy, students will appreciate its symbolism and emotional depth;light and portable book”.

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA ………………………………………………………… Everyone talks about it. But no one does anything about it. This is the expression attributed to ‘weather’ It applies to ‘classics’ also. Everyone talks about it. No one reads it. ……………………………………………………. The book by the title of the article fits exactly into CLASSIC. I have heard about it. I have heard about the author. I have read one of his novels in Tamil. ……………………………………………………………………… Particularly after undergoing a surgery I am instantly connected to the novel. The hero of the novel has a name . But it finds mention only in a couple of instances. The old man has a friend ,a boy, too young to be called a friend. ……………………………………………….. The old man entertains a guilty feeling that he had not got anything worth in the last 84 days in the sea. He ventures alone. He talks to his own self. When he catches a marlin (big fish) he talks to the fish. And yet he is conscious that in sea he should not talk . ………………………………………………………. The marlin entangles in the hook of the old man. But does not reach his hands before taking the old man for ride. For long hours the marlin (of the size larger than the boat) draws the boat (skiff) into the deep sea at great speed. Two nights and a day.The old man is not tired. His spirits are intact. ………………………………………………………………. Ultimately when the old man is successful in killing it , he finds it extremely difficult to tow the big fish ashore. Trade winds are his polestars at night. The return with the marlin is greatly disturbed by the attacks by sharks. The sharks eat half the catch. With several survivals he reaches the shore to fall into the arms of the boy in a semiconscious state. ………………………………………………….. Like the hero I was also sanguine about the surgery. I had rosy feelings that a new lease of life is given to me. But the post operative care in ICU was the most difficult one. Convalesing at home is also difficult. ………………………………………………. Now from the OLD MAN AND THE SEA “I am not religious,” he said. “But I will say ten OUR FATHERS and ten HAIL MARYS that I should catch this fish, and I promise to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Cobre if I catch him. That is a promise.” Like the hero I prayed within my mind hundred times I was chanting my favourite slogan many times I vowed in my heart to undertake pilgrimage to many of my favourite Gods and goddesses Exactly like the hero. ………………………………………….. “I could not fail myself and die on a fish like this,” he said. “Now that I have him coming so beautifully, God help me endure. I’ll say a hundred OUR FATHERS and a hundred HAIL MARYS. B ut I cannot say them now.” Hemingway, Ernest. Old Man and the Sea (p. 56). Scribner. Kindle Edition. Hemingway said that it was "the best I can write ever for all of my life". I say that “this is the best I can READ for all my life.” ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Susan Beegel had very correctly pointed out that “ he tells the truth about human fear, guilt, betrayal, violence, cruelty, drunkenness, hunger, greed, apathy, ecstasy, tenderness, love and lust.” ………………………………………………………………….. To the extent that the title could have been THE OLD MAN AND THE MARLIN, the marlin plays most part of the novel than sea.

I love this book

Good 👍

Recently ordered this book with a lot of other book and surprisingly only this book came in correct publication and everything correct!!! Btw thanks Amazon for within time delivery

It's a award winning book by Ernest Hemingway. It deals with human psychological conflict at an advanced age and the thirst to prove one's capabilities. But it might feel a little ennui to read if you don't get the meaning of the book. Ernest Hemingway got the nobel prize in literature for this work.

The themes are a bit different and foreign. However the reader can relate himself to Santiago. Himself as the man of the sea.