The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man and the Sea is a novella by Ernest Hemingway that tells the story of an elderly Cuban fisherman named Santiago who embarks on a journey to catch a giant marlin. Santiago has gone 84 days without catching a fish, and his luck seems to be running out. Despite this, he persists in his efforts to catch the marlin, setting out to sea early in the morning and spending days on end at sea.
After several days of battling the marlin, Santiago finally manages to catch it. However, the victory is short-lived, as the fish is soon attacked by sharks, and Santiago loses it. Despite this setback, Santiago remains determined and keeps fighting, eventually making it back to shore with only the fish's skeleton.
Despite his lack of physical success, Santiago's journey is seen as a victory in other ways. His determination and persistence in the face of adversity, as well as his willingness to embrace the challenges of life, are seen as important lessons. The novella is a celebration of the human spirit and the power of the individual to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
Selected Quotes:
“My big fish must be somewhere.”
“But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”
“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”
“Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.”
“Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”
“I may not be as strong as I think, but I know many tricks and I have resolution.”
“If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not crazy, I do not care.”
Everything about him was old except his eyes, and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.
The thousand times he had proved it meant nothing. Now he was proving it again.
He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride.
“It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea…”
“No one should be alone in their old age, he thought.”
“Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.”
“Fish,” he said, “I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”
“It is silly not to hope. It’s a sin he thought.”
“Besides, he thought, everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive.”
“Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?”