The Old Man and the Sea has actually a special importance in the Ernest Hemingway canon. Released as the final finish work prior to his death, it to be met with tremendous acclaim. The Old Man and the Sea was featured in the September 1, 1952 issue of Life magazine. Five million copies sold in just a couple of days. The famously fastidious Vladimir Nabokov was even an admirer. Though he dismissed Hemingway as a writer of “bells, bulls, and also balls,” the writer of Lolita couldn’t aid but recognize his appreciation for the “fish story." The Old Man and also the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize, and the Nobel compensation committee described Hemingway"s "mastery that the arts of narrative” in recommendation to the novella. What makesThe Old Man and also the Sea therefore great, and what deserve to we discover from it?

Even civilization who have mild opinions top top Hemingway tend to be attracted to this specific book. That a brief work, to run fewer 보다 130 pages in paperback. The plot is simple: that is about an old male who wrestles v a enormous marlin, loses his catch to hungry sharks, and also returns to the Cuban shore. In these couple of pages, Hemingway was able to imbue his tale with captivating insight and wisdom. Below, we"ve compiled few of the great that assist makeThe Old Man and the Seaa true classic.

You are watching: Moral of the old man and the sea

1.) Perseverance is a universal Law
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Hemingway begins his story by characterizing the fisherman Santiago v his appearance. Hemingway writes: “brown blotches the the benevolent skin cancer the sunlight brings indigenous its reflection on the dry sea to be on his cheeks…and his hands had actually the deep-creased scars from taking care of heavy fish on the cords.” Santiago’s body is significant by its lengthy battle against the hostilities that nature, yet his scars are not ugly. Instead, they room appropriated and made beautiful through the exalted struggle in i beg your pardon they to be formed. Pets are lot the same. Looking toward the sky, the fisherman begins to feeling "sorry for the birds…Why go they do birds for this reason delicate and also fine together those sea swallows once the ocean can be for this reason cruel?” come Hemingway, dignity is gained through stamin amid struggle, the capacity to trudge ~ above in the confront of pain and also exhaustion. In ~ the finish of the book, the author encapsulates this spirit with this famous line: “Man is not created defeat. He can be destroyed but not defeated."2.) Man and Beast Are more Similar 보다 We Think (In a an excellent Way)

Santiago does no hate his adversarial marlin, rather, he reveres it. This is the solitary difference he is able come delineate in between fish and also the person species: “They space not as intelligent together we that kill them; although castle are an ext noble and much more able.” that feels respect because that the fish in his fight. The marlin has actually its powerful virtues, and he has his. Santiago understands that the end in the wilds the nature, every life is equal. The sea does no pick favorites. The noble fisherman refuses come designate himself as a righteous emperor over the animals, rather recognizing his cool fraternity v all roughly him.

3.) part Things room Meant to stay a Mystery

Santiago numbers that that is unjust to have killed the fish in every his “greatness and his glory.” For that is the to kill this gorgeous, dignified creature? he considers the it may have been a sin to death the fish, although the did for this reason to feeding himself and also others. Santiago resolves to collection this feeling of cosmic culpability aside, deciding come let an ext qualified world think around matters that sin. The reconciles his actions by speak to himself, “You were born to be a fisherman together the fish was born to it is in a fish."

4.) We require Hope to make it through Defeat

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When Santiago ties the dead marlin come his skiff, that realizes the is massive, significantly larger 보다 the boat itself. While he has won in his fight against the fish, his work-related is much from over. He should get earlier to harbor, and he is engaged in a grueling battle versus hungry sharks. That fights them through oar and also harpoon, yet they overwhelm him, consuming many of his prized catch. However he does no rage against his fate; he does not let bitterness or disappointment consume him. Instead, the fisherman wishes he did not worry the town by being away too long, the remembers the people back home, and also looks front to enjoying his “friend,” bed.

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5.) Other human being Will Not recognize Our Struggles, and also That"s Okay

After Santiago arrives on shore, tourists spot the white spine of the marlin “that to be now simply garbage wait to go through the tide.” A Spanish-speaking waiter make the efforts to explain the sight, and manages come say “Eshark.” The curious tourists misunderstand, and also instead think that the skeleton belonged to a shark, creatures i beg your pardon are, after all, boneless. This episode, which concludes the novella, suggests that language barrier or not, just Santiago and the sea will ever before know the truth.

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Reader, specializing in twentieth Century and modern-day fiction. Cursed to spreading an transmittable passion for literature, language, and stories.