The Old Man and the Sea
by
Ernest Hemingway
1952
Classics, Short Stories, Fiction
Richard Alex Jenkins
Quite brilliant and unexpected and phenomenally well written and what starts off as a seemingly sentimental look at old age, life and the wonders of fishing and the sea becomes a genuine page turner with real action from Ernest Hemingway would you believe it - I did not expect that!
And the strangest thing of all is the people who don’t like this book and sometimes even hate it, which I can’t comprehend.
Going into great works of literature requires knowledge of who to read through the written or spoken recommendations of others, otherwise how do you come across such titles other than running into them at the bookstore or library, but also analyzing books too much can be a killer and why it’s sometimes better to skim through ratings and just take the plunge while trying to avoid overexpectation and spoiling things
My enjoyment was therefore a total and unexpected surprise.
I subscribe to a group of people who feel the point of life is simply for life itself and everything else is baggage or a bonus, depending on how you look at it, such as status, wealth, love, happiness and the endless toil of worrying about what everyone thinks about you. It’s exhausting.
Sometimes, getting onto a small skiff or boat with nothing but a fishing line, bait, oars, essentials and the strength of your own body is enough, and bringing back a catch is a treat.
At the same time it’s important to keep on going and giving up is not an option as you try and make the best of every situation,
“But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”
Echoing the famous words of Dylan Thomas
“Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Who is right and who is wrong at the end of the day, as man fights marlin or sea monster, or Moby Dick for arguments sake, and who deserves to win the war as men in trenches fire bullets (or drones) while praying to their god for their aim to be the truest?
You have to believe that it’s you and destined for victory, to never give up until the reaper takes you.
A surprisingly marvellous and life-affirming novella and I will definitely seek out more Ernest Hemingway in the future.
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