"The Old Man and the Sea"

Paper Summary:

This paper introduces, discusses and analyzes the novel "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway. Specifically, the paper focuses on the theme of religion and spiritualism in the novel. According to the paper, at first glance Hemingway's novel may simply seem to be the story of an old man's quest for a giant fish off the coast of Cuba. The paper then goes on to explain that the story really tells a tale of brotherhood, courage, and a sense of spirituality and belief that carries the man through his lengthy battle with the marlin.

From the Paper:

"Some critics even equate Santiago with Christ, as another critic notes. He writes, "A great deal of scholarship interprets Hemingway's 1952 novel in terms of Christian symbolism, with Santiago representing at times a Christ-figure, a failed Christ-figure, or a simple apostle wrestling, like Thomas, with doubt" (Waggoner 1998). Santiago does seem larger than life in the novel, and his three-day fight with the fish would certainly kill a lesser man. Perhaps Hemingway did see Santiago as a Christ-like figure. At any rate, reading this novel with an eye for meaning and symbolism gives added depth to an already great work, and makes Santiago even more sympathetic and appealing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bloom, Harold, ed. 1999. Ernest Hemingway's The old man and the sea. Philadelphia: Chelsea House.
• Hemingway, Ernest. 1980. The old man and the sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction.
• Waggoner, Eric. 1998. Inside the current: A Taoist reading of 'The old man and the sea.' The Hemingway Review 17, no. 2: 88+.

More papers on "The Old Man and the Sea":

• Analytical Essay # 126381 : "'The Old Man and the Sea' and Symbolism"
• Book Review # 73864 : "Christ Imagery in "The Old Man and the Sea"
• Analytical Essay # 61276 : "The Old Man and the Sea"

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