A very short, but beautifully written book. Every single word counts in this tale about an old man going out in his boat to catch a very big fish. The old man, who is unnamed, has had no luck with catching fish, and when he takes his skiff far out into the ocean he manages to snare an enormous 18 foot fish after a two day battle against him. However, catching the fish and the return journey takes his toll on the man, and by the time he gets back his success doesn't seem quite so victorious to him.
There are only two (three if you count the fish) characters who we have proper interaction with, the old man and the boy. The old man is philosophical and wise. He understands the ocean, nature and life, which is why he is so accepting of his unfortunate situation. The boy cares a great deal for the old man, and although he is young he feels a fierce need to protect and care for him.
Themes of man versus the elements, the challenges of time and age and the very state of nature all come into play. In a literary sense, the whole book is narrative art. At only 100 pages long, Hemingway doesn't have a lot of room and so each image is evocative and powerful.
Stylistically it is very simple. The old man and the boy are never named, and if something doesn't absolutely need to be divulged to the reader then it isn't. This means the plight of the old man stands out starkly and is what the reader remembers long after they have finished the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment