Symbolism: The old man is the embodiment of mankind and the bringer of justice. The sea is all that mankind has conquered, and the shark is the very embodiment of all destructive forces in the universe.

The old man went out to sea to challenge the sea, is a symbol of mankind's pride, courage and desire to conquer the vastness of the sea, the old man and the sea's challenge to carry out the indomitable conquest.

The work centers on an elderly Cuban fisherman, who wrestles with a huge marlin in the Gulf Stream, far offshore, as the story is told. Although Hemingway's old man is tragic,

he has the qualities of Nietzsche's "Superman," accepting defeat with equanimity and facing death with composure and bravery, and these "tough guys" embody Hemingway's philosophy of life and morality. These "tough guys" reflect Hemingway's philosophy of life and moral ideals, that is, human beings do not bow to fate, never give in to the spirit of a fighter and optimistic attitude towards life.

Expanded Information

Background

The novel "The Old Man and the Sea" is based on a true story. After World War I, Ernest Hemingway moved to Cuba and met Gregorio Fuentes, an old fisherman who rescued Hemingway when his boat sank in a storm in 1930. From then on, Hemingway and Fuentes formed a deep friendship and often went fishing together.

In 1936, Fuentes went out to sea a long way to catch a big fish, but because the fish was too big, dragged in the sea for a long time, the result in the return journey was attacked by sharks, when he came back only a skeleton.

In April 1936, Ernest Hemingway published an essay titled "Above the Blue Water: Letters from the Gulf" in The Squire magazine, which recounted the story of an old man who went out fishing alone in a small boat and caught a huge marlin, but most of the fish was eaten by sharks. At that time, this incident gave Hemingway a very deep touch, and realized that it is very good fictional material, but has not had the opportunity to write it!

Shortly after Christmas in 1950, Hemingway developed a strong desire to write, and at his villa in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, he began to write The Old Man and the Sea (initially titled The Existing Sea). By February 23, 1951 on the completion of the first draft, before and after only eight weeks. in April Hemingway gave the manuscript to his friends who visited him in Cuba to circulate, and won unanimous praise.

Baidu Encyclopedia - The Old Man and the Sea