The American Literature

Name: Kunvarani Nidhi K

Paper: The American  Literature’

Unit: ‘The old Man and The Sea’ : Earnest Hemingway(1952)

Topic: Similarities and dissimilarities between  an autobiographical elements of the life of ‘Earnest Hemingway’ and ‘The old Man’ of a ‘novella’ ‘the old man And The Sea.’

S. t. d: M.A-(sem-3)

Year: October-2013

Date: 25/10/2013

Submitted to: 

                      The Department of English

                        M. K. B.U

                        Bhavnagar.

§  Similarities and dissimilarities between  an autobiographical elements of the life of ‘Earnest Hemingway’ and ‘The old Man’ of a ‘novella’ ‘The old man And The Sea.’

v Introduction:

‘The old Man and  the sea’  a novella is written by American writer ‘Earnest Hemingway’ a major novelist of America. ’The old Man and the Sea(1952)’ is the last and best work of Hemingway.

v What is the meaning of ‘novella’:

“The term for the novel in most European languages is ‘’roman”, which is a derivative from the medieval “romance”. The English name for the form, however, is derived from the Italian ‘novella’, which was short tale in prose. In fourteenth-century Italy there was a great vogue for collections of ‘novelle’, some serious and some scandalous ;the best known of these collections is Boccaccio’s ‘Decameron’, which is still available in English translation at any well-stocked book store”.

                        -‘A Glossary of Literary Terms’ by M.H.ABRAMS

                          Third  Edition.

                          Page.115

                       It’s simple meaning is ‘novel’ means ‘new’ and ‘novella’ the portion or short part or short piece then ‘novel’ but in new form ‘The old Man and the sea’ is also a ‘parable novella’. ’parable’ means short narrative presented with stress through the narrator trying to tell what they want to tell the readers.

v ‘The old man and the sea’ as a novella:

‘The old man and the sea’ is the great and very much inscriptional ‘novella’ by ‘Earnest Hemingway’.

The  title of ‘The old man and the sea’ itself suggestive,

The  main thing is arronded  and surrounded by  ‘The old Man’.

‘The old Man and the Sea’ a novella begins with the narration of an ‘Old Man’,and his name was ‘santiago’. Who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf stream and he had gone eighty four days now  without taking a single fish.

In the first forty days a boy  had been gone with him.But, after forty days ‘MANOLIN’s parents deny them and told that ‘The Old Man’ is definitely ‘Salao’ means very ‘unlucky person’. And, he had to obey the orders of his parents.And,the boy had gone, with another fisherman who caught three good big fish in the first  week.’’ MANOLIN became  happy, but when he seen ‘The old Man’ with only the scurl of the fish in that time further he became sad for ‘The Old Man’ replies to a boy,

“No, I am not Lucky. I am not lucky anymore.”

                         -‘The old Man and the sea’(p.91)

Still ,MANOLIN tried to gave  him consolation.And, says,

“The hell with luck…I’ll bring the luck with me.”

                     -‘The Old Man and The Sea’ by Hemingway

                       Page.91

   And, In last scene ‘The old Man’ became tired and ‘MANOLIN’ suggest him for to take rest .And,this novella endind with the narrator’s narration that-

  One thing made sad to boy that ‘The oldM<an’ come up with empty hands.But,Then even a boy only  one friend. Care-taker , supporter and everything for ‘The old Man’.

After failure of many times neither  ‘The old Man’ nor the boy become ‘hopeless’.It shows the strong determination and struggle for the survival of the 20^th century their  common man.They both of always be positive towards their ‘dream’.In both of’s mind one dream always played that one day they have also one ‘big Fish’.

And,After eighty five days,when SANTIAGO come back in that

time we can see this picture which is the voice of narrator –

“Up the road,in his shack,the old man was sleeping again .He was sleeping again .He was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. ‘The old Man’ was dreaming about the lions.”

That’s the end of a novella.In this novella ‘The old Man and the sea’ some main themes are ‘strong determination’,’endurance’,’passion to achieve goal,’ and ‘old is Gold’etc.

v An autobiographical elements of the life of ‘Earnest Hemingway’:

‘Spokes Man’ of the America,Earnest Hemingway was born in oak park, Illinois, in 1899. He was the second son of Clarence Hemingway.and Grace Hall. His father was encouraged his son’s athletic skills while mother was known her son’s artistic talents.During his school days,he wrote some poems,articles for the school newspaper,and also wrote short stories .After gradfuation he became a reporter on  the ‘kansas city star’.Then he was as  applied his career on the field of writing. And,some of them ‘The old man and the sea’ is his most popular work by Hemingway.

In the end of the 1920s he was married then suddenly divorce from Hadley in 1927 and by the within a couple of time he married with Pauline Pfeiffer and in the same year divorced with her just because of Marthga Gellhorn.Then he became  a  war correspondent with the  U.S fourth Infantry Division where he met one another lady Martha and get married and within  a one year divorced with her. Then married with Welsh Mary. so, We can say that Hemingway’s life was not straight forward.  But, many twist and turns comes in his life.No one supporter for his life whole  time.

v Similarities between  the life of ‘Earnest Hemingway’ and ‘The old Man’. :

‘The old Man and the sea’  is  an interesting personal allegory. SANTIAGO ,the old fisherman ,who sets about his business with care and precision and extraordinary courage and strong will-power represent Hemingway. Then, the life of ‘old Man’ and ‘Hemingway’ both ’s empty like that his ‘empty hands  everyday’  no wife or any care taker for neither Hemingway nor SANTIAGO.In his all life time during Hemingway thirst for the ‘wife’ .While ‘SANTIAGO’ all his life time during thirst for the ‘fish’.And,both of suffers a lot to get their determination.Gulf,stream, and the journey of America it’s true elements of his life .And,the marlin hidden in the sea’s depth represent the ‘sea’ as a depth and ‘marlin’ as a truth  And’gulf’ represent the ‘truth is behind the depth’ of the story.

Hemingway’s some elements of Christianity and the knowledge of roman catholic represent some autobiographical elements of the life of Hemingway writer also felt the same except boy with him but not when he really need  him. While,In the life of Hemingway his wife was died. And,in the life of ‘SANTIAGO’ no wife she was died. And, the same struggling nature.The stronger word of Hemingway, he puts out in the mouth of ‘The old Man.’-

“A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”

 This sense of ‘isolation’ and strong voice, he spoken in the time of he accept the Nobel prize on his novella-

“If he is a good enough writer must face eternity or the lack of it each day.”

                 -Hemingway

 The same thing ‘The old Man’ felt  everyday . While, the old age is itself represent the age of Hemingway.

There  are some similarities between both of ’s life.

v Dissimilarities between the life of ‘Earnest Hemingway’ and ‘The old Man’:

There are also some dissimilarities between both of’s life.Hemingway was learned  man while ‘SANTIAGO’ very poor and common people.Hemingway after the death of his wife married many times but ‘The old man’ not.In his workHemingway was very positive.But,in his real life he himself committed suicide he cannot able to fight with the problems of life.While,’the old Man’ faught till theend .’The old Man’ was more good loving husband than the Hemingway.,That’s why he can’t bear the memories in his house’s wall.Because it makes him coward.

Till the end he didn’t got the ‘truly fish’ proved that he really keep it with him’big fish’.so, He became ’winner’. While, Hemingway don’t achieve that type of sympathy or ‘big fish’ or determination or peaceful life till the end of the life . While, ’SANTIAGO’ didn’t got the ‘big fish’ but Skelton of the fish made him immortal and ‘winner’ in the end.

v Conclusion:

Above given all some similarities and the dissimilarities between the life of Earnest Hemingway writer and the protagonist of the work ‘The old Man  and the sea’s character. ’The old Man’.