Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

1221 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay about the old man and the sea

The Old Man and the Sea’s Christian Symbolism
Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea was published in 1952, the last of his fiction stories to be published before his death in 1961 (Lombardi). The novella is still celebrated to this day as a riveting tale of man versus nature under the most dire of circumstances. The story’s protagonist, Santiago, is a man with supreme determination and hope. His battle with the great marlin is an illustration of human strength, physically and mentally, at its finest. These qualities about him, along with the decisions he makes throughout the novel, give him similarities to Christ, while other elements of Hemingway’s prose can arguably serve as Christian symbolism as well.
The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, a very old fisherman, and his quest to catch a fish after eighty four days of failing to catch any fish at all. When his young apprentice, Manolin, is forced to abandon him by his parents, Santiago sets out farther than he has ever traveled at sea in hopes that larger fish will be available for catching. Not only does he spend several days fighting with a great marlin that he manages to hook before finally killing him, he also battles with hungry sharks, as well as his own body, which, at times, seems to be failing him.
One can make a Biblical connection to the prose on the very first page of the novella, which states that Santiago went forty days without catching a fish before Manolin was forced to abandon him, and then another forty days alone (Hemingway, 9). The number forty has a significance within the Bible, particularly when describing the struggle to survive. For instance, Noah in the book of Genesis sailed through a flood that wiped out most of the earth’s popu...

... middle of paper ...

...that the old man survived those long days at sea, and even caught the marlin successfully. Santiago’s credibility as a fisherman and survivor are restored. In this way, he is resurrected as a new, respectable man.
One could speculate that Hemingway alluded to the Bible in The Old Man and the Sea by design, possibly to show that the same virtues exemplified by Christ can be applied by anyone to help guide themselves through a dire situation. In any case, The Old Man and the Sea is filled with Christian symbolism from Santiago’s character, suffering, and the elements of nature that he battles during the ultimate adventure.

Work Cited
The New International Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978. Print.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.
Lombardi, Esther. “Ernest Hemingway Works.” About. n.p. n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014

Show More
Related

  • The Old Man and the Sea - A Fish Story

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    The book, The Old Man and the Sea, is about an old man named Santiago who struggles with a gigantic marlin fish. This is a story of his courage, heroism, and strength. In the book, Ernest Hemingway uses Santiago to explore the theme of man and his relations to animals. In this case it is Santiago's relationship to the different fish he catches, especially the giant Marlin fish. Santiago respected, cared, and thought of the fish as equals. The relationship with the fish is shown through many examples and explanations in the following paragraphs.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Santiago And The Marlin

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the literary fiction book The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago is very alike to the marlin. They are both strong, determined, and great fighters. Even though they share these similarities, they are different, as they have different motivations to win the battle they are fighting.

    Read More

  • Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea

    653 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many times, stories by Ernest Hemingway have much religious influence and symbolism.  In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, numerous occurrences in the life of Santiago the fisherman are similar to the incidents recorded in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.  The names of the characters translated from Spanish to English are just one of those many similarities.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man And The Sea

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, author’s life background greatly influenced the way he wrote the novel. Hemingway’s experience as a journalist led him to write simple and short sentences. In addition, his struggle as a writer before writing this novel, and his failed relationships with women greatly influenced him to continue to make connections with Santiago and himself throughout the story. Therefore, it can be safely concluded that this great novel clearly reflects the life of Ernest Hemingway. (756 words)

    Read More

  • Who Is Santiago A Code Hero

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    He won the Nobel Prize in 1954 and many of his works are considered classics of American literature. One of his most famous novellas The Old Man and the Sea was published in 1952 and tells the story of an aged Cuban fisherman named Santiago, who struggles to fight against a giant marlin in the Gulf Stream of the coast of Florida. One of the major themes throughout the novella is the idea of manhood and heroism. The hero that Hemingway presents, also known as a code hero, often adheres to a set of principles for conduct.

    Read More

  • Santiago's Pride

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Old Man and the Sea, By Earnest Hemingway enlightens the reader with the knowledge of endurance and perseverance, as it is displayed throughout the novel. The protagonist of the novel, Santiago perseveres and comes through with what turns out to be the biggest catch of his life. The old man’s determination and pride are of paramount importance in the story as it is displayed within his fishing. Santiago’s perseverance is reflected by Ernest Hemingway’s logic, as he believes that there are only two options: either be defeated or endure until destruction.

    Read More

  • Marlin And Santiago Relationship

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    I read The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of an old Cuban fisherman, Santiago. Set in the ocean off the coast of Cuba, the old man had struggled for what seemed like forever until one day he finds himself battling a giant marlin in the middle of the ocean. While alone, Santiago finds strength in the face of adversity and never gives up.

    Read More

  • Inner Happiness in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

    2777 Words  | 6 Pages

    Poignant circumstances surrounded the composition of this novel, which bring out many of the above points. It is widely recognized that Hemingway was possessed of a turbulent personality and suffered from emotional depression.  This was despite the fact that he enjoyed much critical acclaim.  The Old Man and the Sea was written after a ten-year hiatus of public and critical approval. This period saw much of his work receive negative criticism in literary and journalistic circles.  This affected Hemingway adversely and very deeply (Carey 9).  Therefore, Hemingway's personal battle with seeming failure in his life's work and society's attendant criticism parallel Santiago's stoic resolve in the face of his neighbors' disdain.  The author's struggles symbolically match those of Santiago and set the stage for the writing of this novel.

    Read More

  • Themes in The Old Man and the Sea

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Old Man and the Sea is a heroic tale of man’s strength pitted against forces he cannot control. It is a tale about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the “Old Man and the Sea” strives to teach important life lessons to the reader.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Ernest Hemingway

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hemingway knew the potential in the novel, he also knew it was prepared with everything he had. Nearly five hours in to the fight, Santiago says, “I wish I could see him only once to know what I have against me” (Hemmingway 46). Hemmingway, seen by many as the unlikely winner in a contest of struggle, held fast to the line of his novel. “The old man and the sea would be known to many as the defining work of Hemingway’s career” (Ernest). Through his experience, Santiago knows he has a valuable fish even though he hasn’t placed his eyes on it.

    Read More

  • The Old Man And The Sea: Man Defeated

    2041 Words  | 5 Pages

    Reading through the novel The Old Man and the Sea one, as a reader, can perceive several themes in the book. Hemingway suggests certain subjects for discussion which built up the whole plot, therefore giving us options to choose the one we believe is the main one. In the past weeks we have been discussing, in a debate, which is that main theme. My group’s theme was “Man Defeated” and although it is hard to affirm that this theme was the prevailing one of the book, we firmly defend it. Various arguments were established. Some argued that the novel’s theme was Santiago’s struggle, the friendship with the fish and other characters; Santiago’s perseverance and that he really ended up as a triumphant man. But to argue that those were also the main themes of the book is also a difficult thing to do. Even though Santiago fought and kept on with his struggle to catch the fish, he was defeated because he lost it at the end.

    Read More

  • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

    1637 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway develops the concept of

    Read More

  • The Old Man And The Sea and Moby Dick

    1367 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, pits his strength against forces he cannot control.  We learn from Santiago's struggles how to face insurmountable odds with bravery and courage.  Though we find an indifferent and hostile universe as Santiago's stage, his unwillingness to give in to these forces demonstrate a reverence for life's struggles.  Santiago's struggle is for dignity and meaning in the face of insurmountable odds.  His warrior-like spirit fights off the sharks full-well knowing the fate of his marlin.  Santiago loses his marlin in the end, but his struggle to keep it represent a victory because of the dignity and heroism with which he carries out his mission.  However, as Santiago acknowledges, he is almost sorry he caught the marlin because he knows the animal and he have a great deal in common as fellow beings in nature.  However, he only caught the marlin "through trickery" (Hemingway  99).  Santi...

    Read More

  • The Old Man and the Sea: The Parallel Between Santiago and Jesus Christ

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is never a simple key to any writer worth much attention, but in the case of Hemingway there is something that looks so like a key… that it cannot escape any informed and thoughtful reader’s notice" (O’Conner 153). Ernest Hemingway was one such author. Very rarely did he summarize statements, therefore the only way to solve his puzzle was to take it apart and examine each components. One of the hidden elements that the reader must analyzie closely is the parallel between Santiago and Jesus Christ. In the novel, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway creates connections between Santiago and Jesus Christ that adds religious coloration to the story.

    Read More

  • The Character Santiago in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hemingway has a way of making his readers believe that the feats and strengths that his characters obtain in his novels are actually possible. Although this statement may be too critical, and maybe there is a man out there, somewhere on the coast of Cuba who at this very moment is setting out to the open sea to catch a marlin of his own. The struggle many readers have is believing the story of Santiago’s physical powers and his strength against temptation bring forward the question of whether or not The Old Man and the Sea is worthy to be called a classic. Hemingway’s Santiago brought Faulkner and millions of other readers on their knees, while to some, believed Hemingway had swung his third strike. As we look further into Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, we can analyze the criticism and complications of the character Santiago. He is portrayed as a faulty Jesus, an unrealistic and inhuman man, and again still a hero to those who cannot find happiness in their life.

    Read More

More about Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

Open Document