The Old Man and the Sea

The GOP has offered us a ready-made item to begin this list, and yes, I know that John Stewart already snagged this one and threw it back.

I turned up a visual art concept that fits in, for a restaurant based on EH themes:

Although I did not sit for this photo, the resemblance is indeed striking

And, of course

The Old Man and the Cee Lo.

I suppose am certain there are plenty more images one might lure into our net, but sticking to words for a bit, we will pass on the porn offering, The Old Man and the Semen. How about the moving tale of a Navy Construction veteran, The Old Man and the Seabees, or an obstetrical episode of Grey’s Anatomy, The Old Man and the C-Section. Then there might be a psychological drama about a man with bipolar disorder, The Old Man and the See Saw, or a book about an elderly acupuncturist, The Old Man and the Chi. How about a Disney adventure in which Paul Hogan rescues a pinniped, yes, gentle reader, The Old Man and the Seal. Maybe a bit of Cuban self-affirmation, The Old Man and the Si. I could go on, of course, and probably will, at home, until my wife threatens to leave. The possibilities are rather endless. But the Geneva Conventions might be brought into play, and we can’t have that. Tackling such a review head on seems, somehow, wrong, like using paint by number to copy the Mona Lisa, carving the Pieta out of gigantic blocks of cheddar, writing a love poem for your beloved using MadLibs or righteousness sanity wanted this one deep-sixed:

…checking for skid marks on Ghandi’s dhoti. Ok, 12-year-old inner me is all giggly now. [ Yes, the forces ofsanity wanted this one deep-six : …checking for skid marks on Ghandi ’ s dhoti. Ok, 12-year-old inner me is all giggly now. ( hide plunderer )

I struggled mightily with this one, finding a hook, then having it pull away, grabbing hold of an idea and watching it disappear beneath waves of uncertainty. I tried waiting a while, resting between attempts, losing myself in other contemplations. Smiling a bit, but always hoping for something I could finally yank aboard. Notions of religious connections, Papa’s personal philosophy, and story-telling technique all pulled in diverse directions. As you will see, it was a not a simple contest. And I am not certain that what I ultimately caught is all that filling.

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky.

So opens The Old Man and the Sea, the book, we hear tell, that convinced the Nobel committee to reel in EGH with the biggest literary hook of them all. Santiago is an old, unlucky, but skilled Cuban fisherman. He has an able assistant, the young Manolin. The lad is not a blood relation, but he sees a father figure in the old man, and he may be a younger reflection of the old man himself. Maybe Santiago sees himself in the young man and takes some strength from that. Like the best sort of father, he teaches the boy to fish rather than fishing for him. But Santiago’s ill fortune has marked him as someone to be avoided and Manolin’s parents have put the kibosh on their professional association. The old man is determined to salvage his reputation, and his honor, and bring in some money by going farther out than the other fishermen are willing to sail, in search of redemption. No herald calls him to action. No dramatic event sparks him to excessive risk. It is an internal challenge that powers his engines. But it is a quest nonetheless on which Santiago embarks.

Any time there are fish involved, one might presume a degree of soul saving. I do not know enough Hemingway to have a take on whether or not that figured here. I raise it only as a passing thought. But the second sentence of the book offers a hint. “In the first forty days…”clearly places Santiago’s travails alongside another person who spent forty days in a different barren environment. It was after being baptized that Jesus spent his time in the desert, preparing for what awaited. Is Santiago to be tested here? Will he be offered a route away from his difficult path?

The waters are becalmed. Nothing moves. A moment, then, for a digression. OK, let’s try some simple arithmetic, if Jesus, at age 30, spent 40 days in the desert, and Santiago has gone 84 days in his version of the desert, just how old is the old man? 63, according to my calculations. Possible. I do not recall seeing an actual age noted, so I am gonna go with that. I know you guys will let me know if an actual age is revealed somewhere and my squinty geezer eyes missed it. Done. I can feel a slight breeze beginning to flutter the sail.

Some sort of religion seems to flow through this fish tale. Not only are we sprinkled with forty-day references, but Santiago discusses sin. In his struggles he suffers physical damage in which some might see an echo of Calvary. But I think that is a stretch, personally. So, we have a bit of religion, and a quest. What is Santiago questing for? Redemption would fit in nicely. Having failed for a long time, he feels a need to redeem himself in the eyes of his community. Maybe not a religious thing, per se, but swimming in the same waters. And speaking of religion, water as a baptismal element is always a possibility, although somewhat diluted here, as Santiago makes his living on the water.

The old man is strong, skilled and determined. Maybe it is his character that is at issue. Maybe somehow, taking on this challenge is a way to prove to himself that he is truly a man. He goes about his business, and his fishing is his fate, maybe even his life. It is in how he handles himself when faced with this challenge that will show us the sort of person he is, a common Hemingway theme, and he does just that.

This is a very short novel, more, maybe, a novella or large short story. But it has the feel of a parable. There is definitely something going on here even if it keeps slipping out of my analytical net.

I was reminded of another well-known fish story, Moby Dick (really, allow a little literary license here people. Yes I know the whale is not a fish. Geez.). Whereas in that one, the fisherman, Ahab, sets himself against the whale, and therefore either fate or god, seeing a personal enemy, Santiago sees the fish as his brother, a fellow creature in the universe acting out his part. The challenge is always about oneself and not about the external enemy, or rival. In fact, the fish and Santiago are both victimized, together, by the sharks that feast on his catch.

Then he was sorry for the great fish that had nothing to eat and his determination to kill him never relaxed in his sorrow for him. How many people will he feed, he thought. But are they worthy to eat him? No, of course not. There is not one worthy of eating him from the manner of his behaviour and his great dignity.

One might be forgiven for seeing here a possible reference to catholic communion and the relative merit of so many of those who receive. Is the fish (a Christian symbol if there ever was one) meant to be Jesus or some other form of deity, as Moby was?

Could it be that Hemingway’s notion of religion is less Christian and more a sort of materialist (as in non-spiritual, not as in accumulating stuff) philosophy? Lacking the proper tackle for that I will leave such considerations to those who have spent more time than I trolling Hemingway’s waters.

The writing is mostly either third-person description or the old man’s internal, and sometimes spoken, dialogue. Regardless of the literary ambitions splashing about here, the story is about a very sympathetic character. Santiago is a man not only of physical strength, but moral character. He is not portrayed as a saint, but as a simple man, maybe even, in a way, an ideal man in his simplicity. He knows his place in the world, faces the challenges that world presents to him and using only his skill, intelligence, strength and determination, overcomes (or not). It is easy to climb on board as a Santiago supporter. He is a fellow who is very much a part of the world, even as he contemplates larger things.

The Old Man and the Sea is a small story, but it is a whale of a tale. If you have not fished these waters before, don’t let this be one of those that got away.

WB32

==============================UPDATES

1/5/13 – Jeffrey Keeten sent along this

6/20/13 – I discovered that one of the images I used had vanished into the ether, so I substituted another

9/4/2019 – I just came across a really wonderful piece about Hemingway, this book in particular, by Joe Fassler, in The Atlantic – It is intimidating to offer a rightfully critical attend at such a classic, so we will ease into it with a few images.The GOP has offered us a cliched detail to begin this list, and yes, I know that John Stewart already snagged this one and threw it back.I turned up a ocular art concept that fits in, for a restaurant based on EH themes : Although I did not sit for this photograph, the resemblance is indeed strikingAnd, of courseThe Old serviceman and the Cee Lo.am certain there are plenty more images one might lure into our net, but sticking to words for a bite, we will pass on the pornography put up, The Old man and the Semen. How about the moving narrative of a Navy Construction veteran, The Old man and the Seabees, or an obstetric episode of Grey ‘s Anatomy, The Old man and the C-Section. then there might be a psychological drama about a man with bipolar disorderliness, The Old man and the See Saw, or a book about an aged acupuncturist, The Old man and the Chi. How about a Disney gamble in which Paul Hogan rescues a pinniped mammal, yes, gentle subscriber, The Old man and the Seal. possibly a moment of Cuban self-affirmation, The Old homo and the Si. I could go on, of course, and probably will, at home, until my wife threatens to leave. The possibilitiesrather endless. But the Geneva Conventions might be brought into play, and we can ’ t have that. Tackling such a review head on seems, somehow, wrong, like using paint by number to copy the Mona Lisa, carving the Pieta out of gigantic blocks of cheddar, writing a beloved poem for your beloved using MadLibs or ( view spoiler ) At some point, though, I guess you have to, you know, fish or cut bait.I struggled mighty with this one, finding a hook, then having it pull away, grabbing hold of an estimate and watching it disappear below waves of uncertainty. I tried waiting a while, resting between attempts, losing myself in other contemplations. Smiling a bite, but constantly hoping for something I could ultimately yank aboard. Notions of religious connections, Papa ’ s personal philosophy, and story-telling proficiency all pulled in divers directions. As you will see, it was a not a simple contest. And I am not certain that what I ultimately caught is all that filling.So opens, the book, we hear assure, that convinced the Nobel committee to reel in EGH with the biggest literary hook of them all. Santiago is an old, doomed, but skilled Cuban fisherman. He has an able assistant, the young Manolin. The cub is not a blood relative, but he sees a father figure in the previous homo, and he may be a younger reflection of the old world himself. possibly Santiago sees himself in the young world and takes some intensity from that. Like the best sort of founder, he teaches the boy to fish rather than fishing for him. But Santiago ’ mho ailment luck has marked him as person to be avoided and Manolin ’ randomness parents have put the stop on their professional association. The erstwhile man is determined to salvage his repute, and his respect, and bring in some money by going farther out than the other fishermen are bequeath to sail, in search of redemption. No harbinger calls him to legal action. No dramatic event sparks him to excessive hazard. It is an internal challenge that powers his engines. But it is a request however on which Santiago embarks.Any time there are fish involved, one might presume a degree of soul saving. I do not know enough Hemingway to have a take on whether or not that figured here. I raise it entirely as a casual think. But the second gear conviction of the book offers a trace. “ In the first forty days… ” clearly places Santiago ’ south travails alongside another person who spent forty days in a different barren environment. It was after being baptized that Jesus spent his time in the abandon, preparing for what awaited. Is santiago de los caballeros to be tested here ? Will he be offered a road away from his difficult way ? The waters are becalmed. Nothing moves. A moment, then, for a digression. OK, let ’ s try some simpleton arithmetical, if Jesus, at historic period 30, spent 40 days in the desert, and Santiago has gone 84 days in his translation of the desert, just how old is the old serviceman ? 63, according to my calculations. possible. I do not recall seeing an actual age noted, so I am gon na go with that. I know you guys will let me know if an actual age is revealed somewhere and my askance geezer eyes missed it. Done. I can feel a rebuff breeze beginning to flutter the sail.Some kind of religion seems to flow through this fish fib. not only are we sprinkled with forty-day references, but Santiago discusses sin. In his struggles he suffers physical price in which some might see an resound of Calvary. But I think that is a stretch, personally. so, we have a snatch of religion, and a request. What is Santiago questing for ? Redemption would fit in nicely. Having failed for a long clock time, he feels a necessitate to redeem himself in the eyes of his community. possibly not a religious thing, per southeast, but swimming in the same waters. And talk of religion, water as a baptismal element is constantly a hypothesis, although slightly diluted here, as Santiago makes his living on the water.The honest-to-god man is solid, skilled and determined. Maybe it is his character that is at issue. Maybe somehow, taking on this challenge is a way to prove to himself that he is truly a man. He goes about his commercial enterprise, and his fish is his destine, possibly even his life. It is in how he handles himself when faced with this challenge that will show us the screen of person he is, a common Hemingway theme, and he does precisely that.This is a identical abruptly novel, more, possibly, a novelette or bombastic unretentive narrative. But it has the find of a parable. There is decidedly something going on here even if it keeps slipping out of my analytic net.I was reminded of another well-known fish fib, Moby Dick ( in truth, allow a little literary license here people. Yes I know the whale is not a fish. Geez. ). Whereas in that one, the fisherman, Ahab, sets himself against the giant, and consequently either destiny or god, seeing a personal enemy, Santiago sees the fish as his brother, a mate creature in the universe acting out his part. The challenge is always about oneself and not about the external enemy, or rival. In fact, the pisces and Santiago are both victimize, together, by the sharks that feast on his catch.One might be forgiven for seeing here a potential citation to catholic communion and the relative deservingness of so many of those who receive. Is the fish ( a Christian symbol if there ever was one ) entail to be Jesus or some early form of deity, as Moby was ? Could it be that Hemingway ’ second impression of religion is less christian and more a classify of materialist ( as in non-spiritual, not as in accumulating stuff ) philosophy ? Lacking the proper rigging for that I will leave such considerations to those who have spent more clock than I trolling Hemingway ’ s waters.The write is by and large either third-person description or the honest-to-god serviceman ’ s home, and sometimes spoken, dialogue. Regardless of the literary ambitions splashing about here, the report is about a identical harmonic character. Santiago is a man not only of physical strength, but moral character. He is not portrayed as a enshrine, but as a childlike valet, possibly tied, in a way, an ideal man in his ease. He knows his position in the worldly concern, faces the challenges that world presents to him and using only his skill, intelligence, forte and determination, overcomes ( or not ). It is easily to climb on board as a Santiago garter. He is a fellow who is very much a separate of the earth, flush as he contemplates larger things.The Old man and the Sea is a minor floor, but it is a giant of a fib. If you have not fished these waters before, don ’ t let this be one of those that got away.==============================1/5/13 – Jeffrey Keeten sent along this perplex connect. Gary Wyatt had shared it with him. It will decidedly make you smile6/20/13 – I discovered that one of the images I used had vanished into the ether, so I substituted another9/4/2019 – I just came across a in truth fantastic piece about Hemingway, this book in particular, by Joe Fassler, in The Hemingway Scene That Shows How Humanity Works, in which he interviews novelist Téa Obreht about the unexpected lions in this book – Great stuff. Check it out. 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