The Literary Significance and Criticism of "The Old Man and the Sea", by Ernest Hemingway

The fish that did not get away

“The Old Man and the Sea” written by Ernest Hemingway, was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature, in the year 1954. It was originally written in 1951, while Hemingway lived in Cuba. The book was published as a novella (or short novel without any chapters, or parts), in the year 1952. In 1953, he as awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the Award of Merit medal. (1)

My first glimpse into the earlier life of Hemingway was in 1982, when I visited the Ernest Hemingway House, located at 907 Whitehead Street, in Old Town Key West, Florida. This was where he had lived from 1931-1939. Key West is located 207 km southwest of Florida and surrounded by beautiful azure waters. (2)

Hemingway's peaceful home offers a sharp contrast to the horrific, human struggle evident in his book, “The Old Man and The Sea”. In Hemingway's epic, an old Cuban fisherman, named Santiago, becomes the central figure in the story of the fish that did not get away. The three day time frame depicted in this literary work, is often compared to the three day period of Christ's intense suffering.

If one looks at the peaceful abode of Hemingway's elegant mansion, nestled in amongst the palm trees and the tropical foliage in Old Town Key West, one sees a sharp contrast between the quiet calmness in the place where he lived and wrote for ten years and the tremendous turmoil, evidenced in his later, literary work.

When I visited there, my first impression of Hemingway's home was that of an older, well constructed home situated on a peaceful street. It had been opened to the public. As I entered the house, on the left, I saw a rich, dark wooden stairwell that ascended to the second floor. The place was reasonably well furnished, but the only item that was considered Hemingway's original belongings, was an old chandelier, still suspended from the ceiling.

In the back yard, a massive overgrowth of philodendron and other tropical plants surrounded the huge, unkempt, swimming pool that was full of twigs, leaves, and other debris. The author was distinct by his absence and yet, a quiet peace seemed to reign in the unoccupied mansion even after his untimely death.

Life is often a struggle between peace and non-peace and that is frequently depicted in a person's literary expositions. Perhaps in some way, Hemingway's earlier period of writing bears a stark contrast to his later works. Later in life, he wrestled with diabetes and hypertension. Over time, he became an alcoholic and eventually committed suicide, out of despair.

Santiago, whose name means Saint James, in Hemingway's story, was depicted as an old Cuban fisherman, who was down on his luck. Some have perceived him as a martyr and an apostle figure. Interestingly, in spite of his intense suffering, he did not commit suicide and chose to suffer instead.

Perhaps in some ways, Santiago represents Hemingway, as Hemingway converted to Roman Catholicism, perhaps as his answer to a higher calling in life. He also went through a number of earlier brushes with death, during his various adventures and travels.

When one is confronted by death or actually stares death in the face, it is then that one truly understands the meaning and significance of life. The difference lies in the reality that Santiago lived through his ordeal, while Hemingway chose not to do so. Perhaps he did not really comprehend the reality that life is sacred.

In “The Old Man and the Sea”, Santiago's agonizing struggle with the eighteen foot marlin that he caught on a three day fishing expedition in the Gulf Stream, has been comprehended by some, as an outward depiction of how one fisherman was able to endure suffering and still maintain some sense of human dignity.

Imagine for a moment the helplessness of one man, holding on to an eighteen foot fish for three days, while it is dragging his fishing boat out to sea. Santiago's hands were mutilated in attempting to do so and have often been compared to the hands of Christ.

Santiago was ultimately victorious over the marlin, but only managed to bring back the head, spine and tail of the fish that did not get away. His marlin had become food for the sharks. Interestingly, Santiago had not considered any human being to be worthy of eating it, anyhow. Obviously Hemingway and thus, Santiago, in his novella, were both sadly disillusioned with other human beings.

Santiago did not want the marlin to suffer. Instead, he consented to suffer. "Ay," he said, as instead of becoming food for humankind, the fish became food for the sharks, in spite of Santiago's repeated attempts to fend them off. He harpooned the first shark and then, lost his harpoon. Somehow, without letting go of the marlin, he managed to make another harpoon out of an oar and his knife.

Perhaps the one literary criticism one can have of Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea, is not really a criticism at all. It is more of an observation.

Santiago, like Christ, overcame death, but Santiago's trial and suffering was on a human plane of existence. Christ's was a transition from human existence to divine existence.

The passion of Christ is more appropriately portrayed when Christ ascends to the throne, to be seated at the right hand of God, the Father. Santiago continues on in his life, to dream of lions in Africa, part of 

Hemingway's previous life experience. Santiago remained a man to Hemingway. Perhaps that is why he was considered to be a saint and not Christ Himself?

Both Santiago and Christ lived simple lives. Santiago's ordeal on the Gulf Stream remains in sharp contrast to Christ walking on the water and commanding the waters to “be still”.

Perhaps the peace in Hemingway's life is more accurately depicted earlier in his life, during the time when he lived in Key West. That peacefulness probably ended when World War II started, in 1939. He moved to Cuba in 1940. The whole world had been tossed into turmoil, by that time.

Hemingway spent some of his time with an elderly Cuban fisherman, by the name of Gregorio Fuentes, who many think may have been his main figure, Santiago. There is one other figure in the epic tale, Manolin, a young apprentice. Hemingway also had his own boat, which he named the Pilar. (3)

Hemingway suffered injuries during the war. Perhaps his resolution to the suffering of World War II and his own, personal suffering, was depicted in allowing the marlin in the novella, not to suffer. He could distance man from suffering by portraying man as Santiago, carrying the mast from his boat, even as Christ had carried the cross.

But, the true message with respect to human suffering lies in the reality that Christ endured suffering, so that humankind would not have to suffer.

One must ask whether or not Santiago represents Hemingway, who did not get away from suffering, even though he had compassion on the fish that did not get away and even as there is compassion for humanity on the part of Christ?

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_man_and_the_sea

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemingway_House

(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_man_and_the_sea