Read through page 62 of The Old Man and the Sea. Either post here, handwrite, or type up a one page response to the following question:
What do you think is the most important or "golden" line/passage in this first part of the novella? Why? Consider carefully our discussion of Hemingway's iceberg theory as you are choosing and analyzing your line/passage.
Dimitrije Miskovic
ReplyDeleteEnglish B HL
Ms. Gelso
12. November.2010
‘’Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated’’
In my opinion this is the most important phrase in the first 62pages that I read. In this book we can see the intersection of happy events and sad events. Happy events would be when the guy called Manolin, catches the fish three times during a week. But the sad events have more effects on this book and on the book’s general view. An old man called Santiago went fishing for 84 days and he didn’t catch anything. After 40 days Manolin was forced to change a boat because his parents told him that the old man became salao. Even though that was true, and everyone could see that, Manolin always preferred to go fishing with him rather then with any other fisherman. Manolin really loved the old man and he respected him. An old man was unlucky, everyone used to make fun of him but he had something that none of the other fishermen’s had. He had cheerful and undefeated eyes that were the same color as the sea. He was happy even though he seemed to be the worst one. He knew that the biggest fortune for him was that Manolin really loved him and that although he is old he can still go fishing and sees the amazing color of the sea. We can see how strong his character is when he after 84 days with no fish doesn’t give up and he keeps on going again and again. The other fishermen were making fun of him, but nothing could destroy that amazing color in his eyes the no one other had.
According to Hemingway’s iceberg theory, in this book there is another intersection between youth and old. We can see that the presence of meditation is really strong although Manolin and Santiago never talk about those terms. The relationship between two of them was that, both of them knew how much they worth individually. That was something that was gathering two of them. Santiago could catch anything for 84 days and Manolin could go fishing with him. They both wanted to be together but they couldn’t. They shared the same wish.
Despite Santiago’s unluckiness, there were only two things that never changed in that time period. Those two things were: Manolin, who never left him and the color of his eyes. His eyes were full of love and cheerful. Despite the entire problem that they had together they never stopped loving each other. Maybe the real strength of their relationship lies in Santiago’s eyes. Manolin was able to see in his eyes that Santiago didn’t change the opinion about him after he changed the boat. Maybe his eyes are the main reason for their love. When you are able to see that somebody really love you, then you try to give him back the same love. That’s what Manolin is doing all the time. Thanks to Santiago’s eyes they are still friends and they never left each other.
Word Count: 525
Dimitrije--
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts about Santiago's eyes. I wonder also about the contrast between his eyes and the rest of his body. I remember in class we had also discussed the connection between the eyes and the soul. Is there something here about Santiago's soul living on even though his body is dying? What do you all think?
The book “The Old Man And The Sea” is Hemingway’s major work; it became very famous because of it’s symbolic meaning. Many think that “The Old Man And The Sea” symbolizes universal life through its metaphors regarding a fisherman “life”. At the beginning of the book there’s a major part in which we can see that the fisherman (the old man) represents Hemingway’s life at the end of his career:
ReplyDeleteHe no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy.
This “famous” dream of the lions playing on the African beach is a symbol that for many years has remained a mystery for the readers. This picture that he is dreaming of is certainly a matter of comfort and of renewal for the protagonist, Santiago. In this passage is recognisable Hemingway’s vision of the universe. Santiago is the most unique character Hemingway has ever written about; in fact in his novels he always refers about “great occurrences”, “great fish”, and “contests of strength”. This underlines Santiago’s uniqueness as an Hemingway’s character. In the passage can also be found the metaphor of the “lions”, which are throughout the novel. Of course these animals are recognized as a symbol of youth, which Santiago is no longer. Therefore is shown how at the, almost, end of everyone’s life there are these dreams of youth, when everything was easier and without any kind of responsibility, where you had the duty just to play and “run on an African beach like a lion”.
“He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy.”
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this is the “golden” line or passage. This passage explains the change of Santiago. He is old, he lived his life and although it is many days that he doesn’t fish a fish, he doesn’t dream of great fish or any other things. He lived his life and the only thing he dreams of are his memories, his memories of when he was young, young like Manolin, the boy. He loves Manolin, and although he never dreams about the boy, the lions are a metaphor of the boy, they represent him. This passage is very brief but it clearly shows the iceberg theory Hemingway uses in his novels, because although this words are very little, they tell almost everything about the personality of Santiago. A man dreams things he is interested in, Santiago therefore doesn’t care about women, fights, fishes ecc. He likes remembering when he was young and strong as a lion.
“I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.” Imagine if each day a man must try to kill the moon, he thought. The moon runs away. . . . Then he was sorry for the great fish that had nothing to eat and his determination to kill him never relaxed in his sorrow for him. . . . There is no one worthy of eating him from the manner of his behavior and his great dignity. I do not understand these things, he thought. But it is good that we do not have to try to kill the sun or the moon or the stars. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is one of the most important passages of the first part of the novella. It is very important because the reader understands the feeling of a fisherman. We have a clear prospective of Santiago's thought. He both feels sorry for the fish, which has nothing to eat, but still he has a great determination to kill it. The marlin's death will help to reinvigorate the fisherman's life and will give him strength to continue fishing.
With this description we have the picture that will follow throughout the novel, man against fish.
This theme is the main theme of "The old man and the sea" and in this passage it is clearly stated. This theme will lead the reader through all the novel and will lead him to understand much better the humans and nature.
Guido
Guido,
ReplyDeleteNotice that you were to write 400 words! The passage you chose is so full, is there not more we can say about it? Consider the symbolism we have been studying.
"Prospective" should be "perspective," indicating point of view.