Biblical Symbolism In Old Man Essay Research

Biblical Symbolism In Old Man Essay, Research Paper

Susan Sublett

Classics of World Literature

Dr.Haavisto

April 24, 2000

Biblical Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea

Ernest Hemingway’s novels were adventurous, colorful, and romantic, as was his personal life. In fact, many critics have concluded that his dramatic life was Ernest Hemingway’s finest work, and it was the experiences he had along his restless and often violent journey that provided the literary world with some of American literature’s most influential novels. Like all great writers, Hemingway used his life as the varied landscape for his novels. Though the protagonists were, indeed, fictional, their emotions and observations were pure Hemingway. As with any other artist, his personal experiences were interwoven in his work, and offer the only true glimpse anyone will ever have of the real

Ernest Hemingway, as opposed to the roguish bon vivant often portrayed by the media.

Hemingway continued to view himself as a youthful adventurer despite his official entry into middle age. However, by the 1950s, he could no longer deny the presence of “father time,” and decided to confront the issue head on in the medium with which he felt most comfortable, fiction. The result was the 1952 novel, The Old Man and the Sea, a brief novel with a subject matter representative of the epic tradition of Greek philosophers and biblical scholars. As Hemingway himself was about to begin the slow journey towards old age, many believed his life was the inspiration for the Cuban fisherman Santiago, who seemed to have been left behind by life. Incredibly, the story of The Old Man and the Sea is contained within a three-day and three nighttime periods. The protagonist is a man on a solo journey, fighting a battle while still maintaining his own moral creed. Hemingway sets the solitary tone of the story with his simple opening lines, “He was an old man who fished alone” (1). That singular line spoke volumes about Santiago, whose pride would not be in any way diminished by the passage of time.

Santiago has been out on his fishing boat for 84 days without a catch. He believes he is destined to live out his life cursed by bad luck. His only companion is a young boy, Manolin. Despite his parents’ entreaties that he work for another fishing boat, Manolin refuses to leave Santiago, confidant that one day, his “fish will come in.” Santiago knows that time is no longer on his side, and each trip out to sea for that ever-elusive catch might represent his final journey.

After the first night, something begins to take the bait. Santiago recognizes that this is no ordinary fish, but a huge marlin. The contest becomes a battle of wills between the tired old man and the vigorous fish. Finally, the marlin is close enough to harpoon, but the mako sharks get to it at the same time, ripping off a quarter of its meat. Santiago has only the immense skeleton to show for his toil, but becomes the talk among his fellow fisherman, who have never seen such a large skeleton. The old man has successfully met the challenges of the elements, and at least temporarily, his ongoing race against time. Although the fish remains an unattainable prize, Santiago’s restored dignity is a victory of deeper moral value.

Although on the surface, it would appear that Santiago is the incarnation of the aging Ernest Hemingway, many critics believe that although the story may have personal significance, there are many spiritual connotations which are evidenced by the biblical symbolism which is ever-present in The Old Man and the

Sea. Hemingway would frequently argue that, “No good book was ever written that had symbols arrived at beforehand and stuck in” (Gagne 1996). However, he did acknowledge that once the words were arranged on the page, they could take on a symbolism which the author never intended, but is nevertheless powerful.

There can be no denying of the similarities between the old fisherman, Santiago, and Jesus Christ. First, Christ was the spiritual teacher of his disciples just as Santiago was teaching the boy, Manolin, life’s lessons in morality. Hemingway is specific in describing Santiago’s streak of bad luck as lasting for 40 days, which is identical to the 40 days when Christ wandered through the wilderness, with his journey ultimately culminating with his Sermon on the Mount. Is this merely coincidence, or is Hemingway conveying a subliminal comparison to his readers.

Next, Hemingway specifically limits the time-frame of The Old Man and the Sea to three days and three nights. It is during this three-day period that Santiago’s physical stamina and mental endurance is tested as it never has been before. He recognizes that his time on this earth is coming to a close, and that he may never again be blessed with an opportunity to reel in “the big one.” Similarly, Jesus was put the ultimate test of perseverance when he was placed on the cross for a period of three days. He endured his suffering with astonishing calm and dignity, realizing that there was much more at issue in this struggle than the life of one man. As Santiago was alone with only his thoughts for company on those nights at sea, he realized that there was much more at stake in this human contest than merely one of a fisherman attempting to make a catch. There was a man’s honor and spiritua