The Old Man & The Sea

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The Sun Also Rises

A Farewell To Arms

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For Whom the Bell Tolls

Across the River and Into the Trees

The Old Man and
the Sea

Islands in The Stream

The Garden Of Eden

True at First Light

The Snows
of Kilimanjaro

A Moveable Feast

Briefly, The Old Man and the Sea is the story of a hapless fisherman, who catches, battles with, and finally subdues a huge marlin, only to be robbed of his catch by the sharks. The thoughts and comments of Santiago reflect a great deal of Christian imagery. This caused some to criticize Hemingway’s short novel, as being out of character, and full of fakery.

According to the real Santiago, Hemingway’s boat captain, the story was inspired by them meeting an old fisherman and a boy, far out to sea, in a small fishing boat. Hemingway wrote the story in 1951, and it was published in 1953. The Old Man and the Sea garnered a Pulitzer prize in 1953 and a Nobel prize in 1954.

One might question what the message of the book is. It is a sort of allegorical commentary that portrays Hemingway’s philosophy of Manhood as his religion. The Old man struggles, is wounded and sacrifices, and as a man prevails.