Just finished pic related. What's /lit/'s take on it?Overall,

I don't know what the message is. I'm visiting from /tv/ and procrastinating writing a pre-quiz for my students tomorrow. I will say that I've read a lot of Hemingway and that this is my favorite work of his. I cried when I read it the first time.

Here's my honest opinion:

Oh, my good lord in heaven. Cut your line, land your boat and go to McDonald's! Just as in the case of The Great Gatsby, I understand the book. Yes, I know it changed the way American writers write. I also understand that it celebrates the ridiculous American idea that you're only a REAL man if you've done something entirely purposeless, but really dangerous, in pursuit of making yourself look like the bull with the biggest sexual equipment. Get over it, already! Go home and clean out the refrigerator, or wash the curtains, or vacuum under the furniture. Pick your kids up from school or take your daughter bra shopping. THAT would impress me. Being too dumb to cut your fishing line? Not the mate I would pick...

The only bright spot about the book is if you think of it on a metaphorical level: there is a point at which ALL of us must grit our teeth and hold on in the face of despair. That is the definition of life. However, if that's the point, then the plot situation needs to be one of necessity (like the shipwreck in Life of Pi), instead of stubbornness

Solid book, and I think makes a very strong case for Hemingway's economical lexicon. God, I just realized its been just shy of a decade since I read this.

>>9932271
>a repurpose Goodreads review
Pretty appropriate. Plebs miss even the simplest of themes.
>>9932176
I've always taken it as a devotional to a craft. Hemmingway reiterates the respect between the fish and the sailor. Santiago won't give up because it's his life, his being, and his energy. Some readers take the ending as pessimistic but it's really optimistic because he will wake up in the morning and start again. It's a simple on all levels, prose, theme, and imagry, yet beautiful.

>>9932254
>>9932295
When I first finished it, I was just thinking, "He struggled so much and came away with nothing? What a crock of shit." But then I got to thinking after, got to thinking afterwards, and really thought about what the significance of going through all that was, and I came to the conclusion that it's not the fact he got some material thing for his suffering. Rather that he got the job done, and even if he came up short, he still won the battle between himself and the marlin. When he got back, he got the reward of other people recognizing his skill, how much of a man he is because he went through all that, and that in the end, material possessions don't mean shit because he went against all odds, and fought to his last breath. That is worth way more than trophy or money. Like I said, it seems a bit pessimistic when you first finish it, once you start to think about it, it's actually a nice message. Of course, that's just my way of looking at the book lol

>>9932176

A literary parable that's tolerable because it realizes it's a parable- it's short. It's also a cozy character snapshot. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I saw the fish as representing a man's ultimate goals in life. In Hemingway's case, his literary career. I found the Jesus references too weak to consider. The plot point that resonated with me the most was the fact that the old man would have easily caught that fish if manolin came with him.

>>9932402
The Jesus allusion is more about suffering for your life's cause than anything else. He's certainly not messianic in any other regard.

>>9932176
It very much reminded of The Myth of Sissyphus. The old man found beauty and peace in his struggle, and catching the fish would essentially be the accomplishment of his career.

>>9932422
somewhat the same here. for me it was like he was "out of purpose" in life but made catching that fish his purpose for that moment.
like he created his meaning when having nothing else (the situation is much more sad though, when you contrast it with camus' works).
and also for me it's about struggling/suffering for what you want

>>9932295
i take it as pessimistic (or at least sad) in a sense that I think (like I've said above) that the devotion wasn't to the craft, but to the purpose he created while having none. and althought it kept him going while fighting to get the fish, he is out of purpose again when he wakes up the other day (and will have to find another fish to give him that).

>>9932402
>The plot point that resonated with me the most was the fact that the old man would have easily caught that fish if manolin came with him.
never gave too much thought about that, nice comment

>>9932176
I think it was a good read for all of the above. but I don't get what is so good about the writing itself though (this is the only Hemingway book I've read).

I thought that the ending kept the message from being misconstrued as man's triumph over nature.

You can discuss the message till the cows come home but seriously, am I the only one who hated the writing in this? Hemingway is always credited as a master of economical literary style and his short and to the point sentences but there are so many moments where he just drones on in run-on sentences without using commas, it just keeps going with and this and this and this and then this and then he was happy... Thats like third-grader level writing.

>>9932402
>I found the Jesus references too weak to consider.
Same. If I recall, I think there was even a passage that went something along the lines of "I am not a religious man", so I didn't really take into consideration all the religious shit.
>>9932440
>I don't get what is so good about the writing itself though
Eh, the writing is serviceable, but I'm not a fan of it either. I liked the themes and message, that's about it.
>>9932485
See above

>>9932277
God isn't real, sweetheart. Better rip that band aid off now.

>>9932485
While I'm not a fan of Hemingway's prose usually, I think it worked really well here. At one point I even felt the exhaustion that the old man was felling, and the scene I most vividly remember is the one in which he's lying, hungry, on his boat, with, as I faintly recall, an arm in the ocean, eyes looking at the sky.

Sorry for writing like a purplefag, but I'm kinda high

>>9932485
desu Hemmingway's economical style might just be the greatest literary meme. Is it more econimical than most literature was at the time, probably yes, but it's not anywhere near as simple as it is often made out to be. It's in the synthesis of this style and the subdued explorations of his themes where he shines. He always tries to say just enough to make you curious, to consider that there might be something going on underneath the surface of what the characters are thinking or saying. Stylistic minimalism was and had been done way better than Hemmy ever dreamed of doing.

I hated it back when I had to read it in 9th grade, but for the past few years it's come back to me in flashes and random thoughts, and I think I might've appreciated it more than I thought I did (and tried to deny because I was a hipster faggot back in high school).

I think it's fantastic and I plan to read it again soon. It also inspired a pretty great son by Chad Vangaalen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAMGn1cCnEA

The animated movie is amazing. The book should be the first thing to read, but afterwards, the movie is a must. IMO, it gets across Hemmingway's message more-so than the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5ih1IRIRxI

>>9932549
Huh?