Hemingways the Old Man And The Sea: An Analysis :: essays research papers

Hemingways "The Old Man and the Sea" An Analysis     Everyone has an arch enemy. Bat hu soldiery being had the Joker, Superman had LexLuthor. But without their enemies, they would be unimportant, just like anyoneelse. One could say that they unavoidable their enemies, that their enemies werealmost friends. Similarly, The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, is alove story about the relationship developed over the years between a man and hislifelong friend and foe, the sea. Within the following paragraphs, it will beproven that the man needed the sea, that the two respected each other, and werevery close.     The old man respected the sea, unlike some of the younger, richer seekermen. They referred to the sea as a man. "...spoke of her as el mar whichis masculine." (p.30) This was considered improper to the older fishermen, asit was spoken of like a place or a contestant. The old man always referred tothe sea as a female , like a mother. "He always thought of the sea as la marwhich is what people call her in Spanish when they love her." (p.29) He saw thesea as a cleaning woman, a woman that gave or withheld favors. She was unpredictablebeacuse "The moon affects her as it does a woman." (p.30) The sea was like asecond home for the man, who fished every day. La mar provided the man withfood, a living, an enemy, and a friend.     When he was out on the sea fishing, he was at home. The sea, la mar,was like his mother. The fish in the ocean were like his brothers and sisters.When he hear the dolphins playing in the night he thought, "They aregood...they are our brothers like the flying fish." (p.48) He had almost reeledthe giant marlin in when he realized what he was doing. "You are killing me,fish. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or morebeautiful...thing than you, brother." (p.92) Even as he ate the fish that hewould catch, or as he killed scavengers trying to get the marlin, he wasapologizing or talking to his "family".     The old man saw the sea as a person, as a woman, and the fish werepeople, also. Thinking that way, he kept an open dialogue with his surroundings.Throughout the several days in which he tried to catch the marlin, heconstantly spoke to it. He had just eaten a fish to get his strength back whenhe said, "How do you feel, fish?