1 The background
The Old Man and the Sea is American novelist Hemingway’s short novel. The novel mainly tells us the story that an over sixty years old fisherman ,Santiago ,when he went to sea alone for fishing, he discovered a big marlin fish which surpassed the fishing boat several fold, although he knew perfectly that it was difficult to win, but he did not give up. Unfortunately, the wound of the big marlin fish send out fishy smell, which brought in several crowds of sharks to snatch the food. But the old man still did not give up. He highlighted encircles tightly. Finally, he succeeded in returning to the fishing port with the fish belted. The novel indicates the heroism which the leading character embodies to us, as well as the cruel and absurd so cial nature. It explains that people can’t exist without indomitable spirit and courage. They should embody the survival value of themselves. It reveals a truth: A person is not going to be defeated as soon as he is born and a person could be die out but could not be defeated.
2 The language
The language in The Old Man and the Sea is simple and natural on the surface, but actually its language is deliberate and artificial. Santiago is the heroic image that Hemingway molded. No matter whether he is luck or is out of luck, the old man always carries out hard struggling and he is never discouraged. He also embodies one kind of elegant bearing.
The sea symbolizes the actual life, and it is eternal, mysterious. On the one hand, it is intermittently benevolent, which will bring thick gains to you sometimes. On the other hand, it is intermittently ruthless, which will billow billows and makes you a hairbreadth escape. The marlin fish symbolizes the target which people are eager to reach for; however, people’s idea l is always too fine to reach for. The shark symbolizes the tragedy factor which people will never be able to get rid of. It often appears in your most enjoyable complacent moment. The old man just symbolizes the abstract spirit of human beings. The book’s crucifixion imagery emphasizes the cyclical connection between life and death, just as the same as Santiago’s battle with the marlin. His successfully bringing back the marlin brings him the awed respect of the fishermen who once mocked him, and secures him the companionship of Marlin ,and the fishing skills which the apprentices will carry on Santiago’s teachings long after the old man has died.
3 The spirit
Throughout the novel, no matter how bad the circumstances become, the old man exhibits an unflagging determination to catch the marlin and bring it to the shore. The old man meets every challenge with the same unwavering determination: he is willing to die in order to bring back the marlin, and he is willing to die in order to struggle with the feeding sharks. It is the conscious decision to act, to fight, to never give up that
