Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

I like Hemingway’s usage of long yet interesting descriptions. I loved his lyrical style in “The Old Man and the Sea”. The book deserves to be read by everyone. The short story has been described as unsurpassed in Hemingway’s oeuvre.

If you like to read short stories, I think “The Old Man and the Sea’ deserves a read. I found myself engrossed in the book. It is described as unsurpassed in Hemingway’s oeuvre. The book is about the fishing experiences of old man Santiago. It is a case of brittle bones, spirit unbroken. It inspired me in some ways.

Ernest Hemingway has written a classic book which revolves around just 2 main characters, the sea and the old man. The book perfectly narrates the whole situation. The writer tells about old man's determination to catch a big fish his hardwork but at the sametime tries and suggest that one should always understands ones limitations. It is very difficult for an old man alone to catch and carry an 18ft fish from the deep sea on the shore. His problem was he was weak, he had a skiff small boat and was alone in the sea. The author precisely tries and suggest whenever you take decisions you should know you're limitations just don't go after any big thing. Think about everything and then take decision even if one is desperate as old man was. Success lies in properly planning and managing things we should salute old man for his efforts but at the same time he should have thought twice before hanging around fish for so long. It's one of the perfect book one can come across. And Hemingway describes the situation in the best way one can. It's truly a classic short tale teaching you a lot.

When Santiago, the old fisherman, finally decides to try his luck far away from the shore, he probably didn't realise he would meet his destiny both as a fisherman and a human being. As a human being because after all his troubles he comes home empty handed, a fate most of us humans will find at the end of our live; we will ask if this is all we have done.

But it seems to me that the story has a second meaning. When a huge sword-fish takes the bait an epic battle starts between the two. The fish swims away forcing the old man to taut the cord for almost two days. During this moments one could ask who's the hunter and who's the hunted.

In my point of view it's this duality that makes the story a masterpiece.