Monday, April 28, 2014
Old Man, Half-Way Through . . .
Please write down your reactions to the first half of The Old Man and the Sea
in the comments section below. Pay particular attention to objects or
actions in the text that could have symbolic meaning, given their
contexts. For instance, what can you make of the lions, the beach, the
contests of strength, etc.?
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The first half of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway presents many ideas that have hidden, symbolic meanings behind them. The Old Man has a dream about lions on a beach, which could be interpreted in many different ways. The lion could symbolize power that he sees in himself and could also symbolize an event that is about to happen that he is going to struggle with (both make sense in the context of the story.) The lion is known as the relentless fighter who is working towards a goal and will not give up. This presents itself in the book when the Old Man goes out for 85 days straight in order to catch a fish and prove everyones’ ideas about him wrong. The symbolic meaning of the lion also presents itself when the old man actually catches the great fish that he has no control over, because it can mean that something uncontrollable will or is happening. The symbolic meaning of a beach is that something good is going to happen to the old man or he will soon reach the state of comfort/ success that he has been longing for. This presents itself in the book when he actually catches the fish, and even though the fish does not make it back to the town as a whole, the Old Man still feels proud of himself for catching it. The lion and the beach that were in the Old Man’s dream could be interpreted together as an event that is going to happen that he will struggle with, but will ultimately lead him to his own personal success.
ReplyDeleteThere are three main concepts in The Old Man and the Sea: perseverance, devotion and wisdom. Hemingway expresses these concepts in a variety of scenes and reflections. The old man in the book has a huge library of coping mechanisms. He has to deal with extreme poverty, loneliness, old age and lack of fishing success. His perseverance is great and without fail. His inability to loose the battle with the great fish as well as the wrestling match shows he cannot give up. He has too much to loose by worrying. The devotion between the main characters is also relevant to the mood of Old Man. The boy’s love for the old man is apparent as he cares for the man and stays faithful to him. The old man’s love is equally strong as he depends on the boy’s kindness and company. The man teaches the boy all he knows. This ties into the great wisdom the old man has. His experiences teach us, the readers, about the ways of life and how to cope with its many obstacles. The pain and enlightenment the man undergoes reflects the deep meanings of life. The constant symbols in the book help guide us along with the characters. Letting us feel what they feel. The coffee represents nourishment. The news of baseball represents hope for the future and the need for simplicity. Hemingway’s hidden meanings are hard to find, but are worthwhile and essential to the meaning of his novel.
ReplyDeleteThe first half of The Old Man and the Sea includes many examples of symbolism, which Earnest Hemingway delicately balances with his use of the objective style. One excellent demonstration of this symbolism is the repeating dream that the Old Man has of lions playing on a beach. The Old Man says that he loves the lions in the same way that he loves the boy. This could mean that both the boy and the lions represent a younger part of the old man. This part of the Old Man is represented by lions and the boy because lions represent a sense of raw power, energy, and playfulness, and the boy represents a sense of curiosity and freshness. While battling with the great fish, the Old Man keeps saying that he wishes he had the boy with him. I think that this is because the Old Man sees the boy as an element of himself, and he really wishes that the portion of himself that has the curiosity and freshness to rejuvenate him in his battle with the fish was at hand. Overall I found the first half of The Old Man and the Sea to be pretty downcast, because of the poverty and loneliness of the Old Man. The novel frequently brings up the fact that the Old Man is alone, except for the ocean and the fish. This leaves the whole book up to the Old Man’s thoughts, which are repetitive and heavily depend on the reader having an acute eye for symbolism.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man and The Sea so far comes across as somewhat depressing. The book makes me feel very sorry for the old man, and that the boy wishes he could do everything for the old man even though the old man will not allow it. I noticed that the old man Santiago sees himself in the boy Manolin, but he is sad because he wants to be young again but he knows he can't.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway demonstrates many different symbols. These symbols are hidden in the objects that are in the book. For example throughout the first half the the book the Old Man talks about a lot of different types of fish.There is one fish that stands out. The big fish he has hooked. The Old Man calls the big fish brother many times. This fish could be a symbol of the Old Man when he was young. The fish is big and very strong just like the Old Man once was. I believe that the Old Man admires the big fish and calls him brother because it reminds him of himself. Throughout the first half of the Old Man and the Sea their are many different types of objects that have symbolic meaning to them. Others could be the lions in the Old Mans dream, his shack, or even the Old Mans left hand.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man and the Sea is a simple story that contains several symbols. For example one symbol is baseball, baseball represents more than just the sport in this story. It is a bond between the Old Man and the boy, something the boy and the Old Man can relate with besides just fishing. The Old Man uses the birds as a sign that fish are around so the birds have a symbolic meaning of being a guide for the Old Man. Another symbol in the story is the sea itself. The Old Man treats the sea with respect and care even though he has been unlucky while fishing. In the story the sea is like the battlefield the between the Old Man and the fish. In the first half of The Old Man and the Sea several subjects are represented in different ways like baseball as a bond between the Old Man and the sea, the birds as a guide to fish, and the sea as a battlefield.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man and the Sea's use of objective writing practically forces the reader to interpret significant messages through the symbolism of objects and events in the story. The point in the story where the Old Man arm wrestles the African American can immediately connect to his fight of catching the fish. At first, this can be seen as a contest of strength. But strength alone is not what determines the victor of the fight. Wisdom and skill and described to be in both the man and the fish, and whoever uses their ability the greatest can also determine who wins the fight. The arm wrestling match against the African American resulted in a victory for the old man, and a similar result can be interpreted from this memory.
ReplyDeleteEarlier in the story, the Old Man has a dream of lions on a beach in Africa. Being on a boat watching the them, the lions playing can represent youth and strength, and the boat can represent being out of reach of the youth, and possibly drifting further away from it. The Old Man is losing his physical ability.
The relationship between the old man and the great fish is what holds the essence of the story and the character of the Old Man. Catching that fish symbols more than a fisherman’s pride for his work. The battle between the two displays love and passion as well as determination to kill, and the opposition getting away. “They are not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and more able.” The man understands the fish and the position it’s in. Part of him wished the fish knew what kind of a man he was, but he considers himself at advantage that the fish didn’t. The Old Man completely dissects the situation and considers the factors between both sides of him and the fish. The conflict they have touches on such an intellectual base with the man. His feelings grow for the fish in respect for the opposing force. This battle does not only represent the relationship between a man and a fish, but life and existence in a battle to one’s probable death.
ReplyDeleteErnest Hemingway uses an objective style of writing and many different symbols in the novel "The Old Man and the Sea." One symbol that is brought up multiple times in the first half of the book is the boy. I believe that the boy represents a the old man when he was younger. The old man is very wise and is teaching the boy everything he knows about fishing. The old man mentions the boy many times while he is out at sea fishing alone. The boy is young, strong and energetic, which are traits that the old man is slowly losing. He also enjoys the boy's company. Another symbol that represents the old man are the lions that he dreams about. Like the boy, lions are strong, tough, and full of energy. These are traits the the old man does not have. There are very important symbols in "The Old Man and the Sea" that you have to look out for while reading.
ReplyDeleteThe story of "The Old Man", by Ernest Hemingway has a very symbolic style of writing. So far in our reading through the book my reaction to the old man is sad, but alo curious. We've learned a lt about the old man and the way he looks at life. The old man is a lonely, confuesed and unlcky fisherman whos had no luck lately in his fishinmg journies with the young boy. We find that the boy is sympathetic and feels bad for the old man becuase hes alone and cant cxatch any fish and he wants to help fish with the old man but his father wants him on another boat. To understand this book you must be able to figure out what the author is trying to explain symbolically instead of telling the reader what it means. For example to turtle in the story can symbolize protection and intelligence becuase he is able to hide in his shell and outsmart other preditors this is one of the reasons the old man loves turtles. The sea can symbolize how vast life is and how great things can come from it but also many dangers. The story doesnt tell the reader whats going on becuase Hemingway uses a smooth and bland style of writing. To make a long story short this is what my reacton and thoughts are on the symbolic style and reading we've done on the book "The Old Man"
ReplyDeleteThe lion on the beach could symbolize the strength he has and how close he is to the sea, which would explain why the lion is placed on the beach. I think that this book is hard because while trying to focus on the story and the plot to the book you have to figure out the symbolism.One major symbol in the book is the boy, who plays a big role in the old mans life, although he may not flat out say it,she does little things to prove so. He later in the book does say he wishes the boy was there, and shows the boys importance. I believe the boy is important to the old-man in the way that he sees himself in the boy. I think he realizes he is old and if he dies he wants to leave himself with the boy, not physically but mentally.
ReplyDeleteErnest Hemingway uses many symbolic things in "The Old Man and the Sea". Most of the symbolic things represent the old man in in way or another. The book is very different too from most of the books that we read because of the objective style that Hemingway uses. The book is very interesting when you pay attention and look for all the symbolic things that Hemingway put in the book and there is many different symbolic things that he uses. The one thing that stood out the most to me though is how much the old man says "I wish the boy was here" while he was being dragged by the fish. I think that this is symbolic of the old man wanting to be young again and the obvious thing of wanting the boy there to help. Then most of the things that the old man has like his boat or his shack are like him in the sense of being old and beat up, but still strong enough to do what they are meant to do. Those are some the symbolic things that I have found in the first half of the book.
ReplyDelete"The Old Man and the Sea" is written with an objective style. You need to be able to read between the lines and unravel the hidden metaphors. Hemingway uses symbols to show and convey details and feelings. One symbol that caught my attention was the "ocean" or what the Old Man calls it,"la mar". He refers to it as a women, and I believe that he looks at as his other love of his life (besides his wife). The Old Man has a such a passion for fishing, you can see that he thinks this is what he was born to do. And the ocean is where he feels like home, where he knows what to do, and he can talk to himself without feeling judged or pitied. The ocean provides the Old Man with what he needs, to help him survive in his very difficult world. So, to me. the symbolism of the ocean represents a sanctuary for the Old Man. Though, even though he is in his sanctuary, the Old Man is sad and depressed. He keeps repeating on how much he wishes the boy was there. The boy is another symbol in "The Old Man and the Sea". The boy provides him with food, company, and assistance. The boy represents friendship and it gives the Old Man the help and love he needs to survive. These and other symbols are the driving force behind "The Old Man and the Sea", are the important to know so you can interpret the meaning and lesson of the story.
ReplyDelete"The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway is very easy and simple to read but the lessons and idea it gives off to the reader is very advanced. The relationship between the boy and the old man is relative to many other stories. They have a very close relationship and the old man teaches the boy about everything he knows about fishing and life. The old man is full of wisdom and knowledge that he gives off to the young boy. I believe that the boy resembles the old man when he was younger and i think the old man realizes that and that's why he enjoys being with him all the time. Ive really enjoyed the first half of the book so far because its easy to read and the messages it sends to me as the reader help me understand the story more.I believe that the lion represents strength and courage and the old man thinks he can do anything even at his age. I really enjoyed the first half of "The Old Man and the Sea" and hope the other half of Ernest Hemingway's novel is better.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man And The Sea is a very unique book. Written in the objective style, it has allowed me to interpret it the way I want to. I have found this very enjoyable, and have been able to connect well with many parts of the book. The Old Man is an inspiring character, and what he was able to do took incredible amounts of perseverance, motivation, determination, and knowledge. Ernest Hemingway uses many objects, and causes characters to perform many actions that have symbolism and express many deeper meanings. Some symbolic objects include the Old Man’s reoccurring dream involving the lions and the beach. The lions could represent power and strength, as well as wisdom and knowledge. Lions work together and implement many strategies when hunting. The Old Man must act similarly to the lion while fighting his massive fish, which forms a great connection between the two in context of the story. Another object representing a very similar thing to the lion would be the Great DiMaggio, representing the same qualities of a lion, as well as being at one’s physical peak, and being youthful, which the Old Man most likely subconsciously desires. The beach symbolizes peace, because the beach is where people are able to relax and be at ease, and the Old Man can look forward to peace once he successfully catches the fish. The flashbacks to the Old Man’s contests of strength represent more than just being strong. It required mental and physical toughness, and it symbolizes the power of having a strong will to do something, and the things that can be accomplished when one puts their mind to it. The Old Man was an underdog during the contests of strength, and was an underdog during his battle with the fish, but because of his incredible mindset and ability to get through hardships, he was successful in both. The Old Man in the Sea is a wonderful objective narrative containing much symbolism.
ReplyDeleteIn the book, "The Old Man and the Sea", Hemingway gives many small details that aren't noticeable but are actually drastically important to understanding a character's characteristics. There are many details that reveal something about the old man. One of these would include how he repeatedly dreams about the lions playing on the beach. Since it repeatedly describes the same dream this indicates that it is relevant to the old man and describes him. I that the lions playing on the beach represent his inner self. The lions playing represent his playful and relaxed self, but the lions also represent that he is very strong willed and courageous for his age. This might explain why he chose to keep after the giant fish. The setting is on the beach because it represents his attachment to the ocean and that he is very close to it and means very much to him. It also shows his attitude towards life. Since it is at the beach next to the ocean, he is always looking forward into the vast unknown and ready to take whatever comes in front of him and conquer the challenge. So far this book has intrigued me because there are so many different ways you can interpret it. I hope this book continues to be just like this further on until the end because there are so many possible ways to exploit the book and look at it from so many different angles
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed “The Old Man and the Sea” so far. This book makes me sad because the old man wants to be strong and independent but he can’t, he needs help that he didn’t used to need. The old man seems to think about his youth a lot. I think that the lions represent him when he was young. They are a symbol for strength and power. This is sad because the old man is described as being weak and his body has started to fail him. His mind and spirit want to be young again, but his body is tired and won’t let him do the things he used to be able to. I think that it is important that Hemingway dwelt on the old man’s dreams of Africa and of the lions because he took the time to really show the longing and fondness the old man had of his youth and his strength. It was also important to include the arm wrestling contests because it shows that the old man thinks about his past a lot, and offers a comparison for his body now and how he has to be taken care of. I also understand the old man’s mad struggle with the fish. It is his last battle; a final chance to prove that he is strong and he can do impressive things, even if he has lost his strength, his will and pure determination is stronger than ever. He may be a little crazy for pushing himself to the brink of death, but his internal struggle with accepting his own body is very real and sane.
ReplyDeleteErnest Hemingway is a great old writer. His subjective style is a good style but it's the opposite of Shakespeare. With his style of writig you have to analyze the symbols yourself instead of them being pointed out to you. Through the first half of the book there are many symbols. One of the symbols mentioned is baseball and Joe Dimaggio. I think baseball and Joe Dimaggio points out that the old man wants to say you can make it in life if your a fisherman. Also another thing I think is a symbol is the fish the old man is trying to get. I think the fish symbolizes an accomplishment and the sea is life. Life can be rough alot of times but sometimes it can be great. Hemingway's symbols are hidden if you don't think about it. I like his style but Hemingway's subjective style is not for everyone.
ReplyDeleteHemingway writes in an objective style that does not tell the reader directly how you should feel about the character. When doing this he then uses many details and simple reading to portray his work. In the book he uses many symbols to explain how the old man feels. One symbol that he uses is baseball. This symbolizes hard work and working as a team. This also symbolizes working together for success and listening and paying attention to the rules. Another symbol that comes up is birds. They symbolize freedom. Birds are able to go anywhere they want, they also symbolize peace and relaxation. The sea is a huge symbol in the book. The sea symbolizes a big open space filled with the unknown opportunities and new discoveries. It has a huge variety and all different kinds of things around it. These symbols all relate to the story because baseball shows that fishing can be like the game of baseball meaning you have to follow the rules and sometimes rely on others to get success. Such as when he is fishing the boy catches things and he doesn’t, it all depends on how you play the game. Birds relate to the old man because the old man is lonely and has nothing holding him back and is able to go anywhere he wants. He is also a peaceful old man. The sea symbolizes the unknown of the fishing such as you never know what you're gonna get and you don’t know what's ahead of you. You also have to be cautious and know the danger that's at stake. Overall, Hemingway uses these symbols to express the emotion in the book.
ReplyDeleteIn the first half of The Old Man and the Sea, many symbolic objects are revealed before and during the Old Man's fight of the big fish. One symbolic object that I noticed was the mast that the Old Man carries to and from his boat. I think that this could be symbolic of Jesus carrying the cross, and that it foreshadows that the Old Man's endeavor will not be in vain, just as Jesus' death was not in vain. Another symbolic object that I noticed was the jellyfish. I believe that the jellyfish (due to its random motion and the fact that it stings anything it accidentally touches) could symbolize weather and its spontaneity. I believe that the jellyfish may foreshadow that bad weather is going to disrupt the Old Man's journey home. The flashback to the Old Man's arm-wrestling match symbolizes his competitiveness as well as his will to persevere. It allows the reader to predict that the Old Man will do everything humanly possible to successfully catch the fish and bring it back to port. The dream he has about the lions on the beach in Africa is a very symbolic dream. The lions may symbolize his inner strength, and the beach may symbolize the Old Man's desire to be at peace with his old age. All in all, I have enjoyed the Old Man and the Sea so far, despite the fact that it is written in an objective style. I believe that all of the symbolism Hemingway artfully wove into the story allowed it to become such a famous work of literature. The Old Man and the Sea is a great story that highlights the conflict between youth and old age as well as the human will to survive and persevere.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the first half of the Old Man and the Sea, there were many symbolic objects that came about. To me, all of these objects are critically important to the story itself and open it up for your own interpretation. Without all of these open symbols, the story would be very flat due to Hemmingway’s objective style. One of the notable objects that I came across was the Old Man’s boat. To me, the Old Man’s boat symbolized a barrier of what the Old Man could possibly accomplish. In example, the boat was two feet shorter than the fish and thus showed the Old Man that it was going to be impossible for him to get the fish into land. It also gave warning to the Old Man not to go too far out because the skiff was small and would not deal well with any kind of open ocean storm. Another symbol that I picked up while reading, was the under the surface meaning of the fish. To me, the fish symbolized the man’s pride and dignity. This is why the man could not bear to give up while fighting the fish. He needed to catch the fish for himself, to show himself he was a fisherman. Without the symbols that Hemmingway seeded throughout the novel, the work would not be nearly the same. It is Hemmingway’s great style that essentially makes the book, although the style is not always appealing.
ReplyDeleteSo far, “The Old Man and the Sea” has been somewhat sad. The old man pretends that he is okay and can survive on his own around the boy, and the boy goes along with it, even if he knows it isn’t true. The old man thinks a lot about his youth, which might be represented by the boy and the lions. Lions are strong and independent. They don’t need to rely on someone else to survive. Now that he’s old, the old man needs to depend on others to live, even if he doesn’t want to. The boy is like the lions. He is able to do what he wants to and he doesn’t need help like the old man does. The objective style that Hemmingway writes in forces you to read between the lines. You have to decide how the characters feel yourself, and in order to do that you must look at all the objects in the book that are significant and could be symbolic. The old man is determined to catch the fish. He pushes himself to the brink of death to achieve his goal and capture the fish. The fish could also represent his desire to hold on to his independence and strength to survive on his own. He wants to prove what he is still capable of by catching the fish. I like that “The Old Man and the Sea” forces you to make the connections yourself, rather than just giving them to you. There are so many different ways to interpret the book, and his style really makes you think about all of them.
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