In his prime, with his intelligent and smiling eyes, square jaw, high cheekbones and broad shoulders, Ernest Hemingway was almost a synonym for the finest version of brawny masculinity among his contemporary writers.
His destiny landed him on the pages of books. Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”, published nine years prior to his suicide in 1961 is the recipient of two of the prestigious and celebrated awards given to any writer within the domain of writing; 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and 1954 Nobel prize in Literature.
The book is arguably one of his most enduring and scrutinized books that he has ever written in his lifetime; there involves no hyperbole in making such an exclusive declaration on a fiction that revitalized the world of fiction writing into such a promising and durable stability of the wars fought with the pen.
Written within the shortest time frame of fiction writing, between December 1950 and February 1951, “The Old Man and the Sea” calls its protagonist “Santiago”, an aging Cuban angler whose luck and fortune find no way; the angler is down on his luck. Santiago, troubled and battled by his sheer lack of luck, engulfed with the common difficulties associated with ageing sets out with his habitual fishing excursion which is devoid of any junket and jaunt.
Giant monster
This endeavour brings him into the Gulf, and it ultimately makes room for Santiago to hook a fish the size of a giant monster.
Limiting his book into 112 pages and letting an average reader to spend two hours and eight minutes on the entire book, Hemingway galvanises and conquers the corridors towards the castle of writing.
The fact that Hemingway paints a terrifically and strikingly wealthy picture within the story despite its plot and characters being plain and uncomplicated justifies the affluence and lavishness of the meticulously selected words that gave wings to the writer’s unparalleled popularity.
His knack for the use of foreshadowing, flashbacks, personification, alliteration and similes right across his masterpiece is phenomenal and preeminent that makes the fiction as one of the most sought-after references even for a doctoral dissertation.
A critic notes that the ever-present struggle between man and nature is an engrossing and gripping phenomenon that has the potential of creating an insight into an intended assignment.
Hemingway’s mastery in bringing out such a compelling concept into an award-winning story is his astounding and bewildering lantern that he decorates with the use of the literary devices that have done an astonishing enhancement and elaboration on some specific elements of his literary piece of work.
Extra depth
The scuffle and tussle that protagonist Santiago rigorously takes against the ocean, fish as well as that of the needs of his own body right throughout the story remains as an irreplaceable picture which except for Hemingway, no other artist is able to paint.
The pacing of the story itself is a rapture notably for a reader many times. Each and every element elaborated within the story adds an extra glamour and depth to a relatively short and simple tale.
Hemingway’s masterpiece is unequivocally a timeless classic narrative which could be cozy and complacent in its schematic narrative structure. This durable classic, born in the walled and secured citadel of American literature vehemently showcases Santiago’s ability of possessing human spirit that gives him tremendous power in order to live through the immense hardships encountered in life whilst ultimately being victorious within itself.
The moral depicted through the story is of immense significance and relevance to the never-ending issues and struggles faced by the mankind with the birth; decorum and virtue bring tenacity and persistence whilst conviction and certitude mitigate the gravity of the struggle, conflict and fight in life.
The terrific and substantial resolution fulled by elation and confidence vested with an old man who endures a plethora of austerity and beggary is of its superlative narration that makes a realistic and allegorical story.
Classic elements prevail within the story’s themes and symbolism; the aspects of seclusion, man versus nature and perseverance take its lead along which the tale’s vehicle is driven whilst at different junctures the sense of egoism, pride and dignity also meet with.
Concept of nihilism
Most of the elements of such calibre leave no room for bafflement and skepticism while the remainder being effortlessly and recurrently precise and subtle. Awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature to the then 55-year-old Hemingway, the Swedish Academy in its citation said, “For this powerful, style-forming mastery of the art of modern narration, as most recently evinced in “The Old Man and the Sea”.
Research indicates that Hemingway’s writings predominantly belong to the concept of nihilism.
The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy defines nihilism as “A theory promoting the state of believing in nothing, or of having no allegiance and no purpose”.
Writing his Nobel Prize winning breathtaking and astounding classic tale of “The Old Man and the Sea”, Hemingway himself became a fisherman in Havana, Cuba for a while. Despite being troubled by bipolar disorder and traumatic brain injury, Hemingway went on the sojourn of his writing until his “The Old Man and the Sea” got a shower of awards, prizes, acclaims and accolades.
Through his eloquent, cogent convincing writing as well as that of thematic aspects that go beyond time, Hemingway had made his remarkable tale unforgettable and unprecedented masterpiece.
