The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway An Introduction to the Novella Spring 2015
The Old Man and the Sea written by Ernest Hemingway published in 1952
The Old Man and the Sea ■ ■ Won Pulitzer Prize in Literature – 1954 Hemingway’s last work Novella – brief work of fiction “His novella shows how death can invigorate life. . . [In the novel] we see how killing and death brings man to an understanding of his own mortality--his own power over it” (Topham, np).
Ernest Hemingway & Modernism – literary movement after World War II that sought to gain a clear understanding of the world ■ Features of Modernism: ■ Rejection of traditional themes and subject matters. ■ A focus on alienated individuals rather than “heroes” who stood for the values of society. ■ Frequent themes of impermanence (or change). ■
Ernest Hemingway & Modernism Features of Modernism (cont. ): ■ Use of symbols and images that suggest meanings rather than statements that explain meanings. ■ Use of stream-of-consciousness technique to show what’s going on both inside and outside the characters. ■
Style and Diction Style – Hemingway’s style is straightforward and simple with clipped (or short) dialogue Diction – Hemingway chooses simple words that have BIG effects
Universal Themes in The Old Man and the Sea -The Power of Nature -The Limits of Man -An Unconquerable Spirit
The Old Man and the Sea The protagonist of the novella is a fisherman named Santiago Critics have recognized Santiago as a Christlike figure.
The Old Man and the Sea Comparisons to Christ: 1. Scars on Santiago’s hands 2. Followed by disciple 3. Carrying of the “cross”/mast
The Code Hero Hemingway was the first to coin the term Code Hero. ■ The Code Hero was “a man’s man, ” with set standards of living, expectations, and rules of conduct. ■ Often in Hemingway's stories, the hero's world is violent and disorderly; and the violence and disorder seem to win. ■
The Code Hero Must: 1. Be Self-disciplined AND HAVE ENDURANCE IN a LIFE of STRESS, MISFORTUNE, and PAIN.
The Code Hero Must: 2. Have a clear concept of death Try to avoid death, but not in a cowardly manner.
The Code Hero Must: 3. Always display grace under pressure A CODE HERO ACTS HONORABLY IN THE FACE OF A LOSING BATTLE.
- Slides: 13