How to Interpret The Old Man And The Sea

Posted by Anonymous , 9/4/2007 Tags:InterpretOldManSea
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How to Interpret The Old Man And The Sea

Introduction

In the Ernest Hemingway novel, The Old Man and The Sea, an old fisherman goes far into the ocean. He hopes to catch a big fish that will end a more than 80-day period of not catching anything. Knowing the themes that occur in this Hemingway novel will help you interpret it. Here are some of the themes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need

  • Copy of "The Old Man and the Sea"

Steps

1

Step One

Look for images of life and death. The life and death theme is everywhere in the novel. The old man needs to catch a fish to survive, yet the fish needs to avoid getting caught to survive.
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Step Two

Look for images of rebirth. When the old man finishes his expedition, he carries a mast off his ship. This reflects how Jesus carried a cross so that humanity could be born again. Also, the old man's dream of lions playing on a beach gives a sense of rebirth. The old man dreams it before his fishing trip when he is worried, during it when he is struggling and afterward as he is certain he has another chance to catch a fish.
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Step Three

Look for Hemingway to show honor and pride. In this novel, honor is a theme that comes from the old man's struggles in life. He does not give in easily, and he wants to succeed. Honor makes his struggle worth while, but pride forces the old man to not give up.
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