I would have to say my favorite part about The Old Man and the Sea is the lesson I learned from the innocent and dedicated Santiago, along with the way the material was presented. Call me cheesy, but I think the old man’s spirit really lifted me up by the time I finished the book. He had such a gentle notion about fishing that it made me realize how relaxing the sport itself was. I am not a big fan of most classic books, just for the fact that most of them spit out the same message time and time again. It was different with The Old Man and the Sea. I was very moved when I learned that the old man lost the marlin, but still kept his head up despite the fact the worst possible scenario happened to him. I think the overall message of the novella hit me even more because it was definitely not what I was expecting, especially in the way it was presented.
One of my favorite quotes by Santiago is, “You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who,” (Hemmingway 92). I sort of laughed out loud when I read this, only because I could not picture this sweet and tender old man saying this to himself while completely alone out at sea. It struck me how Santiago formed such a strong bond with the marlin, who he believed would be caught and killed by him. I think Hemmingway reveals through the old man that having an attitude like that of Santiago really helps when in situations that seems to be failing you. I think I learned a lot from The Old Man and the Sea, like how to stay calm and collected in tough situations, even though the book itself was seemingly short and to the point.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.
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