By Earnest Hemingway

“But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” 

This novel is the story of the poor old fisherman Santiago and his epic struggle against a huge marlin. He has been down on his luck for more than eighty days, but still he doesn’t give up. His former deck hand, a young boy by the name of Manolo, has left him for another boat with more luck. Not by his own choice but his parents decided that was best. Santiago is dirt poor and lives in a small cuban village and every day he goes out to try to catch marlins. The boy Manolo steals supplies, food, and even a news paper and gives it all to Santiago. Early in the morning the old fisherman goes out further than all the others. He ventures so far out he cannot see the other fishermen any more, let alone the coast.

After a while something huge takes the bait. Right away he understands that this is a beast of epic proportions and the struggle begins. He doesn’t see the fish for quite some time but when he does he realizes that this marlin is larges than his little boat. They struggle and fight each other for several days and both man and beast are hurting bad. Santiago gets cramps, he gets dehydrated, cut by the fishing line but he never gives up. Finally the fish admits defeat and gets pulled in next to the boat. Where Santiago promptly throws his harpoon and kills it.

Then the real struggle begins. And he knows it. Santiago ties the massive carcass to the side of his little boat and starts to sail home again. Blood has obviously been released into the water which attracts the sharks. Before he knows it Santiago is thrown into another fight. This time with endless amounts of sharks. He kills the first one easily enough with his harpoon, but it breaks off and disappears with the sinking shark. He then attached his knife to the broken end but loses that too. Night comes and he has to fight the sharks in the dark. He ends up fighting with a tiny little club at the end.

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

Finally early in the morning he reaches shore again and collapses half way up towards his house. Manolo finds him and helps him to bed. There is nothing except bones left of the massive fish. It would have been worth a huge amount of money, but now he won’t get anything for it.

The story ends as Manolo and Santiago plans for the next day of fishing. Manolo promises that he will be able to get hold of more supplies.

As I see it this book is centered around two themes. The main theme is Santiagos never ending struggle. first against bad luck, then against the main protagonist the giant marlin, and finally against the sharks. No matter how bad things seem to get the old fisherman never gives up. He accepts his own possible death and keeps fighting no matter what. He is not in it for the food or the money, but the fight itself. And the reputation he would get from it. He wants to prove that he still got it.

“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?” 

The second theme in this book is friendship symbolized by the relationship between Santiago and Manolo, the young boy. They are affectionate towards each other and the young boy takes good care of the old man. Manolo doesn’t abandon Santiago, even after eighty four days of no catch. Towards the end of the book they plan on going out again together.

My first memory of this story was watching the film starring Anthony Quinn. I was truly fascinated by the old mans life and death struggle with this massive fish. When I saw the little book sitting on the shelf of my local bookstore I knew I had to have it. Even though I knew the story, I hadn’t read it. Its a short and quick read, and a very good one at that.
This book won Earnest Hemingway his Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.

I will definitely recommend this book.

Rating: 6/6

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