Burnea Ionica-Adriana Istorie-Limba Englez Anul IV, zi

The Old Man and the Sea By Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway was borne on July

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Illinois, a suburb o' ()icago* He was t)e 'irst son and t)e second c)ild born to (larence Edmonds +,oc Ed+ Hemingway, a country doctor, and -race Hall Hemingway* Hemingway was an American no.elist, s)ort-story writer, and /ournalist* He was 0art o' t)e !# 1s e20atriate community in &aris, as well as t)e .eterans o' 3orld 3ar $ne later %nown as +t)e Lost -eneration+, as described in )is 0ost)umous memoir A Mo.eable 4east* He recei.ed t)e &ulitzer &rize in !#56 'or 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea:, and t)e ;obel &rize in Literature in !#5<* Hemingway=s distincti.e writing style is c)aracterized by economy and understatement, in contrast to t)e style o' )is literary ri.al 3illiam 4aul%ner* It )ad a signi'icant in'luence on t)e de.elo0ment o' twentiet)-century 'iction writing* His 0rotagonists are ty0ically stoic men w)o e2)ibit an ideal described as +grace under 0ressure*+ Many o' )is wor%s are now considered canonical in American literature* 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea was written in (uba in !#5! and 0ublis)ed in !#5 * It is a no.ella wit) /ust o.er !11 0ages in lengt)* It was t)e last ma/or wor% o' 'iction to be 0roduced by Hemingway and 0ublis)ed in )is li'etime* $ne o' )is
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most 'amous wor%s, it centers u0on 9antiago, an aging (uban 'is)erman w)o struggles wit) a giant marlin 'ar out in t)e -ul' 9tream* It is notewort)y in twentiet) century 'iction, rea''irming Hemingway=s worldwide literary 0rominence as well as being a signi'icant 'actor in )is selection 'or t)e ;obel &rize in Literature in !#5<* Hemingway )ad initially 0lanned to use 9antiago=s story, w)ic) became 8)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea, as 0art o' a random intimacy between mot)er and son and also t)e 'act o' relations)i0s t)at co.er most o' t)e boo% relate to t)e Bible, w)ic) )e re'erred to as +8)e 9ea Boo%*+ 9ome as0ects o' it did a00ear in t)e 0ost)umously 0ublis)ed Islands in t)e 9tream* &ositi.e 'eedbac% )e recei.ed 'or $n t)e Blue 3ater >Es?uire, A0ril !#6@A led )im to rewrite it as an inde0endent wor%* 8)e boo% is a no.ella because it )as no c)a0ters or 0arts and is slig)tly longer t)an a s)ort story* He also re'erred to t)e Bible as t)e +9ea o' Bnowledge+ and ot)er suc) t)ings* 8)e no.el 'irst a00eared, in its @,511-word entirety, as 0art o' t)e 9e0tember !, !#5 edition o' Li'e magazine* 5*6 million co0ies o' t)at issue were sold wit)in two days* 8)e ma/ority o' concurrent criticism was 0ositi.e, alt)oug) some dissenting criticism )as since emerged* 8)e title was mis0rinted on t)e co.er o' an early edition as 78)e $ld Men and t)e 9ea:* 3)ile Hemingway was li.ing in (uba beginning in !#<1 wit) )is t)ird wi'e Mart)a -ell)orn, one o' )is 'a.orite 0astimes was to sail and 'is) in )is boat, named t)e &ilar* -eneral biogra0)ical consensus )olds t)at t)e model 'or 9antiago in 8)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea was, at least in 0art, t)e (uban 'is)erman -regorio 4uentes* 4uentes, also %nown as -oyo to )is 'riends, was born in !"#C on Lanzarote in t)e (anary Islands, migrated to (uba w)en )e was si2 years old and met Hemingway t)ere in !# "* In t)e !#61s, Hemingway )ired )im to loo% a'ter )is

boat* ,uring Hemingway=s (uban years a strong 'riends)i0 'ormed between Hemingway and 4uentes* 4or almost t)irty years, 4uentes ser.ed as t)e ca0tain o' t)e &ilarD t)is included time during w)ic) Hemingway did not li.e in (uba* 4uentes at times would admit t)at t)e story was not e2actly about )im* He related t)at t)e true ins0iration o' t)e old man and t)e boy did e2ist but t)ey ne.er %new w)o t)ey were* 8)e story goes t)at in t)e late !#<1s, u0on return 'rom an early morning 'is)ing tri0, 4uentes and Hemingway saw a small rowboat !1 miles out to sea* Hemingway as%ed 4uentes to a00roac) t)e .essel to see i' t)ey needed )el0* Inside t)e boat was an old man and a boy* As t)e .essels closed in t)e old man began yelling at t)em wit) insults including telling t)em to go to )ell, indicating t)at t)ey )ad scared away t)e 'is)* According to 4uentes, )e and Hemingway loo%ed at eac) ot)er in sur0rise* Just t)e same, Hemingway as%ed 4uentes to lower t)em some 'ood and drin%s w)ile t)e old man and boy glared at t)em* 3it)out anot)er word e2c)anged, t)e two boats 0arted ways* According to 4uentes, Hemingway began immediately to write in )is noteboo% and later as%ed )im to 'ind t)e old man but )e was ne.er able to 'ind t)e 'is)erman t)at )ad made suc) an im0ression on Hemingway* 4uentes recounts t)at t)is was t)e real origin o' t)e lore* 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea: recounts an e0ic battle between an old, e20erienced 'is)erman and a giant marlin said to be t)e largest catc) o' )is li'e* It o0ens by e20laining t)at t)e 'is)erman, w)o is named 9antiago >but only directly re'erred to outside o' dialogue as +t)e old man+A, )as gone "< days wit)out catc)ing any 'is) at all* He is a00arently so unluc%y t)at )is young a00rentice, Manolin, )as been 'orbidden by )is 0arents to sail wit) t)e old man and been ordered to 'is) wit) more success'ul 'is)ermen* 9till dedicated to t)e old man, )owe.er, t)e boy .isits
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9antiago=s s)ac% eac) nig)t, )auling bac% )is 'is)ing gear, 'eeding )im, and discussing American baseballEmost notably 9antiago=s idol, Joe ,iMaggio* 9antiago tells Manolin t)at on t)e ne2t day, )e will .enture 'ar out into t)e -ul' to 'is), con'ident t)at )is unluc%y strea% is near its end* 8)us on t)e eig)ty-'i't) day, 9antiago sets out alone, ta%ing )is s%i'' 'ar into t)e -ul'* He sets )is lines and, by noon o' t)e 'irst day, a big 'is) t)at )e is sure is a marlin ta%es )is bait* Fnable to 0ull in t)e great marlin, 9antiago instead 'inds t)e 'is) 0ulling )is s%i''* 8wo days and two nig)ts 0ass in t)is manner, during w)ic) t)e old man bears t)e tension o' t)e line wit) )is body* 8)oug) )e is wounded by t)e struggle and in 0ain, 9antiago e20resses a com0assionate a00reciation 'or )is ad.ersary, o'ten re'erring to )im as a brot)er* $n t)e t)ird day o' t)e ordeal, t)e 'is) begins to circle t)e s%i'', indicating )is tiredness to t)e old man* 9antiago, now com0letely worn out and almost in delirium, uses all t)e strengt) )e )as le't in )im to 0ull t)e 'is) onto its side and stab t)e marlin wit) a )ar0oon, t)ereby ending t)e long battle between t)e old man and t)e tenacious 'is)* 9antiago stra0s t)e marlin to )is s%i'' and )eads )ome, t)in%ing about t)e )ig) 0rice t)e 'is) will bring )im at t)e mar%et and )ow many 0eo0le )e will 'eed* Howe.er, t)e old man determines t)at because o' t)e 'is)=s great dignity, no one will be wort)y o' eating t)e marlin* 3)ile 9antiago continues )is /ourney bac% to t)e s)ore, s)ar%s are attracted to t)e trail o' blood le't by t)e marlin in t)e water* 8)e 'irst, a great ma%o s)ar%, 9antiago %ills wit) )is )ar0oon, losing t)at wea0on in t)e 0rocess* He ma%es a new )ar0oon by stra00ing )is %ni'e to t)e end o' an oar to )el0 ward o'' t)e ne2t line o' s)ar%sD in total, 'i.e s)ar%s are slain and many ot)ers are dri.en away* But by nig)t, t)e s)ar%s )a.e de.oured t)e marlin=s entire carcass, lea.ing only its tail*
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8)e old man castigates )imsel' 'or sacri'icing t)e marlin* 4inally reac)ing t)e s)ore be'ore dawn on t)e ne2t day, )e struggles on t)e way to )is s)ac%, carrying t)e )ea.y mast on )is s)oulder* $nce )ome, )e slum0s onto )is bed and enters a .ery dee0 slee0* Ignorant o' t)e old man=s /ourney, a grou0 o' 'is)ermen gat)ers t)e ne2t day around t)e boat w)ere t)e 'is)=s s%eleton is still attac)ed* 8ourists at t)e nearby ca'G mista%enly ta%e it 'or a s)ar%* Manolin, worried during t)e old man=s endea.or, cries u0on 'inding )im sa'e aslee0* 8)e boy brings )im news0a0ers and co''ee* 3)en t)e old man wa%es, t)ey 0romise to 'is) toget)er once again* F0on )is return to slee0, 9antiago dreams o' lions on t)e A'rican beac)* 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea: allows .arious inter0retations* 7I tried to ma%e a real old man, a real boy, a real sea and a real 'is) and real s)ar%s* But i' I made t)em good and true enoug) t)ey would mean many t)ings*: 8)e style o' t)e wor%, t)e sim0licity and t)e concreteness o' its descri0tions, 0ro.ides a ric) o00ortunity 'or symbolic inter0retations* 9antiago re0resents ()rist su''ering* Hemingway com0ares )im to Jesus ()rist on se.eral occasions* 9antiago +***0ic%ed t)e mast u0 and 0ut it on )is s)oulder and started u0 t)e road* He***HsatI down 'i.e times be'ore )e reac)ed )is s)ac%+ >! !A muc) li%e Jesus did on t)e /ourney to )is cruci'i2ion, carrying t)e cross* Later 9antiago slee0s +***'ace down *** wit) )is arms out straig)t and t)e 0alms o' )is )ands u0+ >! A, t)e 0osition o' Jesus on t)e cross* All t)roug)out t)e boo% t)e old man wis)es 'or salt, a sta0le seasoning in t)e )uman diet* He is a 'is)erman, similar to ()rist=s disci0les* It is also ?uite ironic t)at )e is longing 'or salt in t)e en.ironment t)at abounds in besides o0en s0ace, salty sea water* Juite li%e t)e 0redicament o' man, )e 'eels )e is surrounded by +it+ yet it is 0recisely +it+ t)at )e longs 'or* He wis)es t)e dissol.ed salt >itA could crystallize and be intelligible to )im*
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8)e marlin re0resents w)at man is searc)ing 'or w)et)er it may be good or bad* 9ome men lo.e t)eir gods, but )e )ates t)e 'is) as men )ate t)eir gods* 8)e 'is) was .ery beauti'ul and )uge and 9antiago 'elt a connection wit) it, )e considered it )is brot)er* Hemingway says t)at 9antiago is not a religious man, but )e seems to )a.e some 'ait) as s)own by )is o''ers to say )is +Hail Marys+ and 0raises i' )e catc)es t)e marlin* 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea: ser.ed to rein.igorate Hemingway=s literary re0utation and 0rom0ted a ree2amination o' )is entire body o' wor%* 8)e no.ella was initially recei.ed wit) muc) 0o0ularityD it restored many readers= con'idence in Hemingway=s ca0ability as an aut)or* Its 0ublis)er, 9cribner=s, on an early dust /ac%et, called t)e no.ella a 7new classic:, and many critics 'a.orably com0ared it wit) suc) wor%s as 3illiam 4aul%ner=s 78)e Bear+ and Herman Mel.ille=s 7Moby-,ic%:* 4ollowing suc) acclaim, )owe.er, a sc)ool o' critics emerged t)at inter0reted t)e no.ella as a disa00ointing minor wor%* 4or e2am0le, critic &)ili0 Koung 0ro.ided an admiring re.iew in !#5 , /ust 'ollowing 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea:=s 0ublication, in w)ic) )e stated t)at it was t)e boo% +in w)ic) Hemingway said t)e 'inest single t)ing )e e.er )ad to say as well as )e could e.er )o0e to say it*+ Howe.er, in !#@@, Koung claimed t)at t)e +'ailed no.el+ too o'ten +went way out*+ 8)ese sel'-contradictory .iews s)ow t)at critical reaction ranged 'rom adoration o' t)e boo%=s myt)ical, 0seudo-religious intonations to 'li00ant dismissal as 0ure 'a%ery* 8)e latter is 'ounded in t)e notion t)at Hemingway, once a de.oted student o' realism, 'ailed in )is de0iction o' 9antiago as a su0ernatural, clair.oyant im0ossibility* Jose0) 3aldmeir=s essay entitled +(on'iteor HominemL Ernest Hemingway=s Meligion o' Man+ is one o' t)e most 'amed 'a.orable critical
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readings o' t)e no.ellaEand one w)ic) )as de'ined analytical considerations since* &er)a0s t)e most memorable claim t)erein is 3aldmeir=s answer to t)e r)etorical ?uestion, $n t)e ot)er )and, one o' t)e most outs0o%en critics o' 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea: is Mobert &* 3ee%s* His !#@ 0iece +4a%ery in 8)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea+ 0resents )is claim t)at t)e no.ella is a wea% and une20ected di.ergence 'rom t)e ty0ical, realistic Hemingway >re'erring to t)e rest o' Hemingway=s body o' wor% as +earlier glories+A* 8)e di''erence, )owe.er, in t)e e''ecti.eness wit) w)ic) Hemingway em0loys t)is c)aracteristic de.ice in )is best wor% and in 8)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea is illuminating* 8)e wor% o' 'iction in w)ic) Hemingway de.oted t)e most attention to natural ob/ects, 8)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea, is 0ieced out wit) an e2traordinary ?uantity o' 'a%ery, e2traordinary because one would e20ect to 'ind no ine2actness, no romanticizing o' natural ob/ects in a writer w)o loat)ed 3*H* Hudson, could not read 8)oreau, de0lored Mel.ille=s r)etoric in Moby ,ic%, and w)o was )imsel' criticized by ot)er writers, notably 4aul%ner, 'or )is de.otion to t)e 'acts and )is unwillingness to +in.ent*+ 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea: led to numerous accolades 'or Hemingway, including t)e !#56 &ulitzer &rize 'or 4iction* He also earned t)e Award o' Merit Medal 'or t)e ;o.el 'rom t)e American Academy o' Letters t)at same year* Most 0restigiously, t)e ;obel &rize in Literature came in !#5<, +'or )is mastery o' t)e art o' narrati.e, most recently demonstrated in 78)e $ld Man and t)e 9ea:, and 'or t)e in'luence t)at )e )as e2erted on contem0orary style*