Name- Pandya Riva M

Roll no- 23

Paper-10

Topic-Thematic concern in Old Man and the sea

Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer and journalist.

His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th century fiction , while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations.

Many of his works are considered classics of American.

About the novel

The Old man and the sea is Hemingway's final short story or novella published during his lifetime.

In many ways the novel gives us a glimpse into the award winning author’s mind as this story’s events and themes connect to Hemingway’s life.

It is a story of an old man who have all good and bad experiences of life .

It is a story about a battle or struggle between fisher man and Marlin(large fish) .

Themes

• Perseverance• Isolation

• Defeat and death

• Pride

Youth and Age

Respect and

Reputation

HungerThe man and The Nature

pride

Santiago’s pride is portrayed as the single motivating force that spurs him to greatness.

It is his pride that pushes him to survive three days at sea, battling the Marlin and shark. Yet it is important that his pride is of a limited sort.

Pride never pushes him to try be more than he is, When Manolin tells him that you are the best fisher man ,Santiago humbly disagree.

He achieves the crucial balance between pride and humility that was not disgraceful and it carried no true loss of pride.

Defeat and Death Santiago is characterized as someone struggling

against defeat. He has gone eighty four days

without catching a fish ,he will soon pass his own

record of eighty seven days.

Santiago represents every man’s struggle to

survive and just as his effort to bring the Marlin back

to land intact is doomed , no man can ever escape

death.

Through Santiago’s struggle Hemingway makes the

case that escape from death is not the issues. As

Santiago observe near the death of his struggle with

the Marlin, "A man can be destroyed but never

defeated.” In other words , victory over the

inevitable is not what defines a man. Rather it a

man’s struggle against the inevitable even when he

knows it is inevitable that defines him. And the more

difficult the struggle , the more powerfully a man can

prove himself.

Isolation

The old man lives his life isolated from most people especially during his time on the sea.

This isolation defines who he is and emphasizes the unique nature of his character.

Isolation becomes both a weakness(He suffers from loneliness).but also a necessary elements to his battle with fish

Old man accepts and admits his its helps from others it is alone that he does battle with the marlin and must prove himself and his capacities.

Perseverance

Old man’s battle with the fish is not only a battle of wills.

He makes up for his old age with incredible endurance , willing to withstand hunger ,physical pain and isolation from the rest of the world as he battles the fish.

Endurance becomes a way we connect the old man and the fish he fights ,as they share a determination that in its magnitude ,separates the from other people and creatures.

Youth and Age

The title of the novella The old Man and the sea, suggest the critical thematic role that age plays in the story.

Santiago and Manolin represents the old and the youth and a beautiful harmony develops between them

Manolin has energy and enthusiasm ,he finds food and cloths for Santiago or encourages him despite his bad luck.

Santiago has wisdom and experience. His determination to be a good role model for Manolin is his main motivation in battling the Marlin because he wants to show Manolin, What a Man can do.

Respect and Reputation

Although Santiago does not recognize himself what makes the stakes of the battle with Marlin so high is the notion of respect.

Santiago himself feels great aweand respect for Marlin , repeatedly emphasizing this during his struggle and he has killed the fish.

Additionally The old Man’s friendships are also based on mutual respect.

Man and Nature

The Old man and the sea is also represents the relationship between the old man and the natural world.

He thinks of the flying fish as his friend the sea is dangerous with its sharks but it also sustains him by providing food in the form of shrimp.

He says to the Marlin , “Come on kill me . I do not care who kills who.”

His statement shows the depth of his admiration for the Marlin and hints at the fundamental law of nature the unites man and animal, all beings must die must kill or be killed. So Man and nature are joined in a circular system in which death is necessary and fosters new life.

Hunger

Santiago is almost superhuman in his eating pattern.

He never professes hunger, despite eating very little or not at all.

For him eating is not about pleasure but is instead a painful act that he must endure for strength.

The old man does at one point refers to hunger as pain but in terms of the fish’s hunger , not his own.

Conclusion

The themes in The old man and the sea

shows Hemingway's philosophy of life

as exemplified by manhood or

Santiago's willingness to struggle

against an undefeatable opponent.