The Old Man in The Sea by Ernest Hemingway

[Originally published on my Medium page: link here]

If you’re looking for a book that its title can summarize, then you’re in luck. The Old Man and The Sea is basically what you get when reading this. The old man is actually an old fisherman, who has spent most of his life with the sea and has gone a while without catching a fish. From the moment he saw the giant marlin (type of fish), the reader goes along on an adventure that can be interpreted in millions of ways. The entire story works as an allegory and can connect towards various classical works, with similar one-man journeys. What I’d like to wrap the review on is that it is a very pleasant story to read. The beauty is in its simplicity, and when put under the microscope, it can hold its ground.

Read this book if you’ve always wanted to read Hemingway or you’ve heard his name a little over 5 times in your lifetime — this would be a great starter novel, plus it’s not that long.

• Rate: 3.5/5
• Time: less than 5 hours
• Book-shelf Worthy: Great addition to a library

Quoteworthy

It is good that we do not have to try to kill the sun or the moon or the stars. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers.

I must never let him learn his strength nor what he could do if he made his run. If I were him I would put in everything now and go until something broke. But, thank God, they are not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and more able.

You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after. If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?

Fish, you are going to have to die anyway. Do you have to kill me too?

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Have you ever read “The old man and the sea”? Have you ever dream to go fishing in high seas? Have you ever met a Cuban fisherman?

Whatever your answer, I’m sure you will appreciate to travel far away from your country to make a 10-minutes break in the Caribbean Sea, at 5 miles from Havana.

It was 6am and I arrived at the Tarara Marina, a 20-minutes drive from Havana. I was tired so I let a friend who worked at the Marina introduced me to the Captain and the co-Captain of the beautiful Marlin X, their boat.

The two fishermen named Ronco and Borro made the last checks. Gasoil: ok, fishing rod: ok, everybody: ok, let’s go!

We left the marina in a perfect silence. I let the burning sun and the strong coffee waking me up, while looking at the Captain installing the fishing material:

Splendid reel

Impressive lures

We navigated one hour more without feeling any bite. I contemplated the amazing view I see. It was like if the time was stopped.

I went up to see Ronco and Borro.

What a beautiful job you have! I told them.

It’s not a job, it’s a passion! Ronco answered. We go fishing every day. Even when I’m “off”. The sea is my life. I started fishing when I was very young. Indeed, I’ve been fishing since I have memories! My father was a fisherman too and he gave me all his love and knowledge about the sea.

Ronco and Borro on the boat 

And they told me all their stories, the best and the worst, the funniest and the saddest. Fishing is a real team sport. Ronco and Borro need to understand each other, to share their feelings, their experiences and their intuitions. They know each other like two brothers. They have been working together for 30 years! They are totally inseparable. One day they fished the biggest Merlin of the Marina: 714 pounds!

Fishes are like fantasía, concluded Ronco. You don’t know when it appears but you know that it can appear! He laughed.

We spent three hours talking. It was time to come back to the Marina. Today we didn’t fish but I learnt a lot about the sea, the fish, the Marlin and the fishermen’s spirit.

I left them with a lot of beautiful memories in my mind and with a big smile on my face.

Thank you for this amazing day Ronco and Borro. The Marlin will be next time!

Clémence.

Tbt in high school lit when we read the old man and the sea and I asked when the white whale showed up but no one would answer me so I just went home and read the whole book to find out, only to realize that the white whale was, in fact, not a feature of the old man and the sea

bodyglitter:

whats the worst book you’ve had to read for school

“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is.”

Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

https://bookshop.org/a/12010/9780684801223

queerpyracy:

what books were you assigned to read in a class that you still hold a violent and bitter grudge against

for me it’s into the wild and the scarlet letter