Scan barcode
A review by irritablesatirist
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man and the Sea is about overcoming the odds, about how the human spirit can triumph over the worst challenges. The fisherman is in many ways outmatched by the great fish, physically and intelligently, but the fisherman ultimately overcomes the fish, persevering across multiple grueling days on the fumes of hope. It’s a relatively simple message, but Ernest Hemingway does a fantastic job of dramatizing it so that it expresses the themes indirectly.
I found myself gripped from beginning to end. Hemingway’s style is simple but never simplistic in any way. It’s a powerful prose that has the epic quality of ancient literature, conveyed in the simplicity of modern writing. I also liked how Hemingway puts you into the mind of the fisherman, exploring his thought process realistically throughout the journey, and illustrating the enormous psychological challenge on top of the physical challenge.
Even if the great fish only made it back as a skeleton, the fisherman still came out on top in many ways. He defeated the great fish, an awesome creature to many, and made it home alive. That alone is a great achievement, and it’s an inspiring story to look up to.
The Old Man and the Sea is a powerful tale about how hope sustains us. In a world where the odds are stacked against us, we can survive and thrive through hope for a happy ending. I look forward to more from Hemingway.
I found myself gripped from beginning to end. Hemingway’s style is simple but never simplistic in any way. It’s a powerful prose that has the epic quality of ancient literature, conveyed in the simplicity of modern writing. I also liked how Hemingway puts you into the mind of the fisherman, exploring his thought process realistically throughout the journey, and illustrating the enormous psychological challenge on top of the physical challenge.
Even if the great fish only made it back as a skeleton, the fisherman still came out on top in many ways. He defeated the great fish, an awesome creature to many, and made it home alive. That alone is a great achievement, and it’s an inspiring story to look up to.
The Old Man and the Sea is a powerful tale about how hope sustains us. In a world where the odds are stacked against us, we can survive and thrive through hope for a happy ending. I look forward to more from Hemingway.