“In the end, we’ll all become stories.” - Margaret Atwood

Early Twentieth Century and American Literary Scenario: A brief overview

Literature is a mirror of human life, thoughts, and passions. It's like a beautiful tapestry woven with words as threads, reflecting humanity and the human condition, at its worst and best. Every era produces a different literary spectrum, something which is the signature of the times. Just as we humans do, literature evolves too, dynamically expressing everything around it, and everything within the mind of the one leaving it as a record.

The late nineteenth and early twentieth century saw the rise of all types of intriguing ideas, all over the world, and these ideas paved their way into the literature of the age. The age produced some of the most beautiful works in the history of literature, and the American literary scenario greatly benefitted from the developments of the century. This was the time when American literature started gaining a proper identity of its own, away from the previous Euro-centric literary traditions. Some works reflected the dire state of things at the beginning of the century, and others echoed the different aspects of American society and culture. Several schools of thought and several ideological traditions paved their way into the literary trends and helped forge a mainstream American literary identity, which in turn ended up influencing the whole world. The era produced some of the greatest visionary American writers, in whose footsteps, American Literature was to follow.

This period marked the initiation of the influx of all kinds of ideas that now define the plethora of American literary heritage. William Faulkner, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Bukowski, Ernest Hemingway, etc. are some of the few names that left their indelible imprint on the history of American Literature. All of them had their stylistic and thematic differences, but most of their works had a primary focus on individualism and aligned well with their exploration of the human condition and modernism. Themes of alienation and isolation were explored while the American dream was criticized. Poe drew out the dark aspects of human life through the use of gothic elements and psychological terror, while Faulkner and Stein explored regional themes portraying the dark realities using techniques like the Stream of Consciousness (literary technique portraying the uninterrupted flow of thoughts and sensations), and the use of experimental language and stylistic repetition (repeating words, phrases, or structures for rhythmic effect, emphasis, or to create a sense of musicality in the prose). Fitzgerald wrote about class divisions and the decaying American dream, with his vivid poetic style, and Hemingway wrote about existence and finding meaning in disillusionment in his "understated" prose style.

Even with the differences in their styles, expressions, themes, and ideas, these writers and their works laid the foundations for the development of American literature. The honest portrayal of the emerging American identity shaped the literary world affairs of that age and the preceding eras. The impact was significant and it still resonates in literature, profoundly connecting humanity to a world painted with verbal strokes.

Ernest Hemingway: Brief Biography and Notable Works

Ernest Miller Hemingway is remembered as one of the most important authors in the history of American literature. He grew up in a suburb in Chicago, spent years in Michigan, and learned to hunt, and fish, and developed a sportsman spirit and love for natural surroundings. He later started working as a journalist, and developed his own “stripped-down prose style”. He served as a volunteer in the ambulance unit for the Italian Army in the World War, and after being wounded during it, he was acknowledged and awarded by the Italian government. He did return to America and pursued journalism for a while, but eventually, he moved to Paris with his first wife. He also served in the Second World War as a correspondent.

Hemingway wrote about two of his important works in the time between the two wars. In Paris, he became an integral part of a group of American authors and writers who had come of age in the time of these wars and were heavily disillusioned by them, This group famously came to be called the “Lost Generation”, as Stein called it. Hemingway’s first notable work, “The Sun Also Rises” (1926) is based on his experiences as a part of this group and it captures the disillusionment faced by people of his age in post-war times. “A Farewell to Arms” (1929) was almost equally successful. It too covered the disillusionment that people of his age felt with the war, and the struggle to find meaning in life after it. As a journalist, he witnessed several world events including the Greek Revolution and the Spanish Civil War. What he witnessed in the Spanish Civil War, he tried to describe in his most zealous work “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1940). It sought to bring forth an exploration of love, war, and the complexities of human relationships in a background of a brutal war. In 1951, he published “The Old Man And the Sea”, which is his most celebrated work, a text which won him the Pulitzer Prize, in 1953 for his depiction of the unyielding spirit of an old man faced with adversity.

Hemingway had a simple style of writing, something that resonated with the simple people who made up the central characters of his works. They were ordinary men, soldiers, bullfighters, fishermen, hunters, etc. He penned down their ordinary experiences, capturing them with an extraordinary effect, glorifying what people often take no note of, but doing so with an edge of striking realism. His brevity, however, never tampered with how well he knew and expressed human emotion and sentiment, the toil of living, and the struggle and hope to survive. He was able to describe complex details with simple words but vivid images, without unnecessary lengthy inner monologues or overt explanations. His descriptions were concise but managed to highlight the moments of tension, beauty, etc. moments of physical and mental turmoil, with evocative ease. This alone put him up there with the most prolific writers of his time, and beyond. All his famous works contain the essence of his own experiences blended with artful thoughts and presented in a simple yet impactful way.

The Old Man and the Sea: Overview and Plot Summary

"The Old Man and the Sea" is one of the most successful works of Hemingway. It fully expresses Hemingway's prowess as a writer of simple, yet effective and powerful prose, using raw language which impacts the mind of a reader deeply. "The Old Man and the Sea" is a novella that narrates a tale of determination and tenacity, the story of the unvanquished spirit of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, as he struggles with the greatest catch of his life.

The narrative begins with describing how Santiago has gone without being able to catch any sort of fish for eighty-four days. The days have all been luckless, and every day he has waited to catch something, sitting for hours at a stretch on his small, and now dilapidated fishing boat. The boat, like Santiago himself, is old and weathered, symbolic of how long Santiago has been connected to the sea and his profession as a fisherman. The skiff, his fishing boat, is, however, a thing of pride for Santiago, a loyal companion during his time at the sea, an essential part of his life and livelihood.

Santiago mentors a young boy named Manolin, training him for the same profession. Referred to as "the boy" for the most part in the novella, Manolin is the only one who constantly supports him, against the wishes of his parents. Manolin's parents pull him away from the pitiful old man and instead make him fish in a “prosperous” boat. He, despite his parents' objections, never relents in affectionately taking care of the old man and helps him with his food and his preparations for fishing. He is deeply devoted to Santiago and looks beyond his recent streak of bad luck. He recognizes Santiago’s abilities as a fisherman and sees him for his unwavering will and determination. Additionally, he knows Santiago is an old man and affectionately lends him his help and genuinely looks out for him.

On the eighty-fifth day, Santiago sets out on his own, after having his coffee in the company of Manolin, and sails up into the Gulf Stream, and carefully, like the seasoned fisherman he is, he drops his measured fishing lines into the sea-water. By noon, he is able to hook a fish he believes to be a marlin, an unusually big catch. He is cautious with it. He does not want to lose the fish or injure it badly. He realizes that it is possibly the biggest catch of his life, and he struggles with it for almost three days, at a stretch. The three days serve as a testament to his unbending will and indomitable character, as he despite the physical and mental challenges, puts up a fight against all odds and battles against the relentless pull of the gigantic fish.

Unveiling the Unbending Hope of The Resolute Old Man

Santiago is a simple man, with honest and sincere ideas expressed with guileless clarity. He is an experienced fisherman who, in his youth, had been acknowledged for his strength as El Campeon (The Champion). His hands have scars from handling heavy fish in the sea, and his face is like any other man of his age, with the exception of his eyes. His eyes are “the same colour of the sea”, gleaming with a vigour that enlivens his entire being. His eyes are “cheerful, and undefeated”, in contrast to his elderly and hoary appearance. He is extraordinarily hopeful, and his faith never falters, and he is willing to go all in, to catch a good fish, despite his eighty-four days of ill-starred venturing. He is courageous, and prideful, and knows his work better than any other fisherman.

When he hooks the marlin on the eighty-fifth day, he is careful with it. He uses his entire strength and employs his back, shoulders, and hands to hold onto it for three whole days. The fish drags him far, along with itself, as it tries to break free and swim away. He remains strong and expertly deals with the fish, sustaining himself on some raw tuna and dolphinfish which he happens to catch. He cautiously lets the marlin take him in whichever direction it swims. His back, and shoulders grow sore, and he gets a bad cramp in his hand, leaving it in need of attention for a while. The cord line that he had set up for fishing, ends up cutting his hands, but even while going through that pain, Santiago persists, without complaining.

He does not express vexation or impatience and instead acknowledges how great a fish the marlin is. He constantly praises its endurance and calls it his brother, who perseveres with him and even apologizes for having put such a worthy being through an ordeal like this. He believes that the fish is great enough to not be deserved by the selfish beings who will eventually end up eating it, without knowing how brilliant a creature it was.

On the third day, the tired marlin finally circles the skiff. Santiago slowly brings the fish towards the boat, and with great effort, despite his exhaustion and slight delirium caused by sleeplessness, he finally stabs his harpoon into it and lashes it onto his boat. He starts rowing back, but the journey back home is not an easy one either. Like Santiago, the huge fish he’s just caught was wounded in the prolonged three-day fight. It leaves a trail of blood, which other predatory fishes, come chasing. Santiago kills one mako shark with his harpoon but ends up losing the harpoon in the process. Having lost his only weapon, he straps a knife to an oar and uses it to get rid of the other sharks that come, but most of them are able to bite the great marlin, increasing the blood released into the water. Even at night, Santiago tries his best to ward off the shoal of sharks which attacks him, but the fish is significantly consumed by the sea-beasts.

He finally makes his way back to his shack, leaving the remainder of the fish with his boat, which in the morning is discovered by the other fishermen. They are surprised to see such a huge catch, measuring about eighteen feet, nose to tail. They marvel at the sight and tourists wonder if it was a shark. It probably had been 1500 pounds when Santiago caught it. Manolin, who had been worried for his mentor for the past few days, cries when he finally reunites with him. He takes care of Santiago and the two promise to fish together again. Santiago goes off to sleep and dreams of lions on an African shore, like he always does.

The story is an endearing narrative of the experience of an old fisherman whose greatest quality is his perseverance. The most famous quote from the book, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated”, is perhaps the best way to describe the tale of the old man. His occupation as a fisherman renders him obligated to fish if he has to feed himself and earn a living. But the profession is not something that he looks down upon. His honour lies in the profession itself, but his old age has left him weaker than he used to be, and he is often laughed and scorned at by others for his unfortunate days, and loss of strength. His brethren of fishermen are strong and closely knit, but he is now far from his previous reputation, which he in some ways, wishes to restore by attempting to catch a good fish without losing hope, despite his unlucky days. His vigour, pride, and courage, along with his knowledge of what he is supposed to do; his unflinching humanity, humility, and his unbreakable bond with nature, set him apart from the rest of humankind.

He knows himself as a part of nature and proudly associates himself with natural elements, recognizing that he, like all other creatures, is part of a divine natural system.

His motive in catching a big fish is more about proving his skill once again, not only to others but to himself as well. It isn’t rooted in the monetary or the physical outcomes of the catch, but more in the emotional, and psychological ones. He tells the boy, Manolin, that he is a strange old man, and he believes he must prove it.

"But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."

Dismantling Destruction and Defeat

Hemingway, through this work, and more importantly through the famous line from this work, presents a number of ideas as he draws a line between destruction and defeat. When one examines it from the surface, the two words seem to lead to each other. Destruction essentially seems to spell out defeat, doesn’t it? But when considered in depth, they fall into different planes, even when they might overlap. Destruction seems to have a more physical connotation; something on the surface of being. It tampers with the corporeal and the tangible aspect of existence and doesn’t pierce into the mental aspect. On the other hand, defeat here can be perceived as something neurological and psychological, something beyond the physical, present in an abstract state in the mind.

Hence, one seems to get the sense, that one may be physically affected, worn out, and lost, but still cannot be defeated as long as he endures, and carries within him, the will to move forward relentlessly. Failure only comes with mental destruction and dejection. One who holds on to hope and determination, is not one to lose for his will shall drive him forth in the face of any adversity, regardless of how hard it is for the body to keep moving forward.

This is beautifully epitomized in Santiago. He never once loses; not to his bad luck, nor the mockery of the other fishermen; not to the great marlin he catches, nor to the sharks that attack him. Even when he has hardly any of the marlin left, owing to the sharks’ attack, he is not defeated. Even though the fish is destroyed, and his own body is tired and wounded, he does not stop and fights relentlessly, for himself and his brother, the marlin. The greatest catch of his life never really makes it to the shore, but even that does not spell out Santiago’s defeat. Instead, it restores much more than what had been destroyed. It is a testament to his skill, his perseverance, and patient hope. He goes to rest after the ordeal, but probably would still have the power to fish again when he rises from dreaming about lions, truly undefeated though roughly shattered in the battle.

Santiago is a hero, a Christ-like figure, as critics have described. He is a fisherman, worthy of his opponent, the great marlin. He redeems himself, and his spirit, along with his reputation through his struggle with the great fish. This very struggle, helps him emerge with a far greater conquest; a victory not of the corporeal kind, but one that transcends the physical parameters of triumph and reaches a spiritual satisfaction, and a reassurance in his skills and ability, and hence a reconciliation with his identity from his past, which now primarily lives in his memory. He faces adversity with dignity and maintains his pride as the reason for killing the fish. His pride and his will help him endure, and he is successful in establishing himself and proving himself worthy of his occupation, and his former reputation, ending the novella with an unbending, undefeated spirit, like a true hero.

"The Old Man and The Sea": Hemingway's Legacy

In conclusion, "The Old Man and The Sea" stands as a testament to the unrelenting spirit of humanity. Santiago is an old man, but his physicality never cages him. His spirit is unvanquished no matter what he faces, and he never yields. Through his arduous journey and unwavering pursuit of his goal, Santiago embodies the timeless themes that continue to resonate with readers.

Hemingway's writing style adds to the portrayal of his character. His masterful prose describes Santiago, his thoughts, his preoccupations, his actions, and his goals with great simplicity, but at the same time lends a glory that is unaccounted for. Hemingway's use of vivid images, and great symbols, add to the overall impact and help the readers develop an emotional synchronization with Santiago.

Santiago represents the human condition at large. He is symbolic of our own hopes, dreams, and passions, and our ability to be resolute with a fixity of purpose. His story serves as a reminder of the immense strength that lies within each one of us, the strength to fight our battles with perseverance and determination.Reflecting on Santiago's journey, we are reminded of the profound lessons embedded within his character. His resilience in the face of adversity, his unwavering hope, and his unwavering faith in his abilities resonate deeply, encouraging us to confront our challenges with courage.

Hence, "The Old Man and The Sea" stands as one of the best works in the American literary canon. It has had a lasting impact on not just literature but pop culture in general, serving as a constant inspiration to us to explore our might and power to achieve what we desire with passion and dexterity.

.    .    .