The Old Man and the Sea - What exactly is a novella?

Throughout my blogs, I have often referred to The Old Man and the Sea not as a novel, but as something slightly different. Many people refer to the book as being a novel, but the correct term for this short, fictional book is actually novella.

To be considered a novella, a book must be a fictional, prose narrative that is more in depth than a short story, but not as complex as that of a novel (Wikipedia). The Old Man and the Sea fits all of these requirements in an intriguing way thanks to Hemmingway’s creative writing skills. According to a quote by Warren Cariou on Wikipedia, (I know not the most reliable source out there, but after extensive research, I found this site to have the most in depth information regarding this topic) “The novella is generally not as formally experimental as the long story and the novel can be, and it usually lacks the subplots, the multiple points of view, and the generic adaptability that are common in the novel. It is most often concerned with personal and emotional development rather than with the larger social sphere,” (Wikipedia). When I was researching what a novella was and came upon this summary of it, I immediately thought of The Old Man and the Sea. There is no extreme plot that readers have to analyze in their head after finishing the book. I can honestly sum up the entire story in three sentences. But what stands out and catches my attention the most in the latter quote is the point Cariou made concerning “personal and emotional development”. It became clear to me that Hemmingway did not write this story in a diminutive and straightforward way just because he had no time to elaborate more on the old man. I believe he decided to write The Old Man and the Sea as a novella because it would give readers the opportunity to conjure up their own opinions about the book. In other words, I imagine Hemmingway leaves out a complex plot, exaggerated ending, and overly-conflicting characters because he wants to give readers a chance at forming their own literary devices and plots through the old man. The Old Man and the Sea is definitely intended to catch reader’s attention on all ends of the spectrum, from themes and symbolism, to writing style and genre.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

"Novella." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 2 Aug. 2011. Web. 06 Aug. 2011.