The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Santiago and the Marlin

Today I’d like to “talk” about a wonderful book I read some time ago: The Old Man and the Sea. This novella, written by Ernest Hemingway and first published in 1952, impressed me and I seriously recommend it! It’s a short and yet a touching and strong story, because it tells us the adventure of Santiago, an old fisherman from Cuba, who engages in a “battle” with a giant fish (a marlin) in the Gulf Stream.

Santiago’s story reveals human perseverance and courage in the face of danger, because he stays several days at sea to catch the big fish. Although it is devoured by sharks, it renewed his hope in the future and his “persona” in the eyes of the village people… Is there a moral to this story? Perhaps… perhaps it’s best defined by the song by Peter Gabriel: Don’t Give Up… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiCRZLr9oRw&feature=fvst