A Review: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
I wouldn’t feel right about my pursuit to be well-read and an accomplished author if I didn’t make time for the classics. Ernest Hemingway is one of the most esteemed authors of the modern era, and his Nobel Prize-winning novel, The Old Man and the Sea, is often cited as his greatest work. And as the only novel you may read that year after being assigned it in 7th-grade English class, there’s no way it would ruin reading for boys and girls everywhere, right?
Right?
Summary
The Old Man and the Sea follows Santiago, a fisherman in Cuba with the world’s worst luck. It has been eighty-four days since he has caught a fish. Even the father of his young companion, Manolin, is forbidden to hang around him anymore for fear his luck will rub off on him. Determined to break his curse, Santiago takes his skiff out to sea to prove to himself and his community that his bad luck days are over.
Review
My favorite thing about this story has to be the pure, raw determination of the protagonist. Santiago has every reason to give up on his quest, but he doesn’t. His story is one of the best examples of the resilience of the human spirit in English literature, and yet…
And yet…
While reading it, the story was one of the most boring stories I’d read in a long time. Not because the story is inherently boring, and not because I’ve been desensitized to small, intimate stories because of how flashy fiction has become in the last few decades (please don’t send Martin Scorsese after me). Rather, I found this story boring because of its length. At roughly 100 pages, this story shouldn’t at all feel too long. Instead, Hemingway opted to take what could be a 25-page story or less and stretch it to its very limit.
The Main Message: What’s the Point of this Story?
In retrospect, I understand why Hemingway would do this. How better to express the intensity of Santiago’s plight than to make us feel every moment of his struggle? To push even the reader to scream: GIVE UP, MAN! IT’S NOT WORTH IT!
Yet Santiago persists beyond all reason. He fights back against his lack of strength, hunger, exhaustion—defying nature and perhaps even the supernatural will of a higher power.
The story reinforces the importance of faith, courage, and persistence. Santiago refuses to give up hope that his fortunes can turn for the better and that even when everything is stacked against him, he can still overcome.
I still think the method Hemingway chose to evoke the feeling of desperation has and will continue to lose many readers, especially since so many of his readers won’t be well-read adults, but 7th-grade students who don’t have the attention span or interest in a story of this nature. Luckily, there are many stories for kids and teens that can teach the same value. Unluckily, middle school English teachers will probably continue to assign this story instead.
Is It Worth Reading?
But you’re probably not a middle-schooler full of pimple-bursting angst, and you’re ready to give this one a try yourself. Or perhaps a second try. If you go into it expecting a very short story stretched to the length of a novella for thematic effect—that it will take a bit of time and a walk outside for the story to have an effect—you may come away enjoying this one. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Exploring Themes of Perseverance and Struggle in Fantasy Literature
While The Old Man and the Sea offers profound insights into the human spirit, I understand that its pacing and style may not be for everyone. If you’re craving excitement and adventure while still seeking the same thematic resonance, fear not—there are captivating stories out there that offer both thrills and deep themes of perseverance and struggle.
In the spirit of Santiago's journey, I invite you to explore two epic fantasy novels that embody the themes of perseverance and struggle in their own unique ways, delivering excitement alongside profound insights.
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Step into the world of Scadrial, where an oppressive ruler known as the Lord Ruler holds dominion over the land with an iron fist. In Mistborn, we follow Vin, a young street urchin with a hidden power, as she joins a band of rebels determined to overthrow the tyrant who rules their world. Much like Santiago, Vin's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the indomitable human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.
You can check out my thoughts about this story in these articles:
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Journey to the archipelago of Earthsea in Ursula K. Le Guin's classic novel, The Wizard of Earthsea. Here, we follow the young wizard Ged as he embarks on a quest to master the ancient arts of magic and confront the shadowy forces that threaten to consume him. In Ged's journey of self-discovery, we find echoes of Santiago's quest for meaning and purpose in a world fraught with danger and uncertainty.
You can check out my thoughts on this story here!
Another warning: If you love epic fantasy stories, you’re not going to be able to stop reading The Continua Chronicles.
And your first adventure is free!
