Wednesday, August 1, 2012

What universal theme does The Old Man and the Sea address? What does the author understand about human nature?

The universal theme of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is the survival of the fittest. This theme can be seen many times throughout the novel, but is most represented by Santiago's struggle with the marlin that he has caught. This struggle represents the survival of the fittest because for the marlin to live he needs Santiago to give up. Santiago however is not the kind of person to give and would die before he gave up (Hemingway 87). So, the marlin needs Santiago to die, but on the other hand Santiago needs the marlin to die. This would enable Santiago to win the struggle between the two and for him to sell the fish at the market. When Santiago set out to catch the fish he had gone eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). Since Santiago makes a living as a fisherman, he hadn't made any money for almost three months. While the marlin has size and strength in his favor, Santiago is able to use his cunning and weapon to win the match (Hemingway 94). This fight for survival is represented as something natural and noble, as opposed to the scavenger sharks that do not have the dignity to respect the balance. This can be seen through Santiago's love for the marlin's dignity, and hatred for the sharks (Hemingway 93).
After reading The Old Man and the Sea, the reader can tell that Hemingway has a deep understanding of human nature. He understands that unyielding determination to survive in humanity. Santiago is a good example of this because of his persistence in fishing. Most people might throw in the towel after eighty-four days without catching a fish, but this is how Santiago makes his living (Hemingway 9). Fishing is the thing that keeps him going, and he cannot quit on that. Despite his age, he sets off to fish and ends up catching a huge fish (Hemingway 44). It takes him days before he can kill the marlin (Hemingway 94). His body is wearing down, but he preservers because he has to catch the fish to keep surviving.

Bibliography: Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

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