On Ernest Hemingway’s Fiction

Ernest Hemingway’s fiction style is renowned for its economy of language, understated emotion, and deep thematic resonance. His prose is marked by short, declarative sentences and a deliberate avoidance of elaborate description or introspection. This minimalist approach, often referred to as the “Iceberg Theory” or theory of omission, suggests that the bulk of a story’s meaning lies beneath the surface—implied rather than explicitly stated.

Hemingway’s dialogue is equally spare and realistic, often capturing the rhythms of everyday speech. He favored subtext over exposition, allowing characters’ motivations and conflicts to emerge through action and implication. His writing reflects a journalistic precision, honed during his early career as a reporter, and a belief that truth in fiction arises from what is left unsaid.

Themes of war, loss, masculinity, courage, and existential struggle recur throughout his novels. His protagonists are frequently stoic individuals facing immense physical or emotional trials, often in settings shaped by violence or upheaval. Despite the simplicity of his language, Hemingway’s works are rich in symbolism and emotional depth, inviting readers to engage actively with the text.

Some of Hemingway’s most notable novels include:

·       The Sun Also Rises (1926) – A portrait of the post–World War I “Lost Generation” in Europe.

·       A Farewell to Arms (1929) – A tragic love story set against the backdrop of World War I.

·       To Have and Have Not (1937) – A tale of economic desperation and smuggling in Depression-era Florida.

·       For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) – A novel of war and sacrifice during the Spanish Civil War.

·       Across the River and into the Trees (1950) – A meditation on aging, memory, and mortality.

·       The Old Man and the Sea (1952) – A powerful tale of endurance, struggle, and triumph over the forces of nature.

·       Islands in the Stream (1970, posthumous) – A three-part narrative exploring loss and resilience.

·       The Garden of Eden (1986, posthumous) – A psychological exploration of gender, creativity, and obsession.

The Old Man and The Sea: Setting and Plot

Setting: The Sea and the Village

The story unfolds in Cuba, primarily in a small fishing village near Havana, during the mid-20th century. The setting is divided into two contrasting spaces:

• The Village: This is where the protagonist, Santiago, lives in a humble shack. The village is modest and quiet, reflecting Santiago’s solitary and impoverished life. It’s also where his relationship with the young boy, Manolin, is established—offering a glimpse into Santiago’s past and the community’s perception of his fading luck.
• The Sea (Gulf Stream): The vast, open ocean becomes the primary stage for the narrative. It is both beautiful and brutal, a place of isolation and confrontation. Hemingway uses the sea to symbolize nature’s indifference and majesty. Santiago’s small skiff, dwarfed by the endless water, emphasizes his vulnerability and determination. The sea is not just a backdrop—it is a living, breathing force that tests Santiago’s strength, skill, and resolve.

Plot Summary: A Battle of Wills

The plot centers on Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. He is considered “salao,” the worst kind of unlucky. Despite his misfortune, Santiago remains dignified and determined. On the 85th day, he sets out alone into the Gulf Stream, determined to break his unlucky streak.

After a long wait, Santiago hooks a massive marlin, larger than any he has ever seen. Unable to reel it in, he is pulled far out to sea in a grueling, multi-day struggle. Santiago admires the marlin’s strength and beauty, seeing it as a worthy opponent. He endures physical pain, hunger, and exhaustion, holding the line with bleeding hands and aching muscles.

Eventually, Santiago manages to harpoon the marlin, killing it after a heroic effort. He lashes the fish to the side of his skiff and begins the journey home. However, the victory is short-lived. Sharks, drawn by the marlin’s blood, attack the boat. Santiago fights them off with makeshift weapons, but by the time he returns to shore, the marlin has been reduced to a skeleton.

Though he returns empty-handed, Santiago’s struggle earns the respect of the villagers, and Manolin reaffirms his loyalty to the old man. The novella ends with Santiago sleeping in his shack, dreaming once again of lions on the beaches of Africa—a symbol of his youth and enduring spirit.

The Old Man and The Sea: Characterization

Santiago – The Old Man

Santiago is the novella’s protagonist, an aging Cuban fisherman who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. Despite his physical decline and streak of bad luck, he remains resilient, dignified, and deeply skilled. Santiago is a man of quiet pride and humility, embodying the Hemingway code hero: someone who maintains grace under pressure and finds meaning in struggle itself.

• Symbolism: Santiago represents the universal human condition—facing adversity with courage and perseverance. His battle with the marlin is both literal and metaphorical, reflecting the eternal fight between man and nature, and between aspiration and limitation.
• Character traits: Stoic, introspective, respectful of nature, and spiritually strong. He often reflects on his past, dreams of lions (a symbol of youth and strength), and draws inspiration from baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

Manolin – The Boy

Manolin is a young boy who once fished with Santiago and remains devoted to him, despite being forced by his parents to work on a more successful boat. He brings Santiago food, helps him prepare his gear, and listens to his stories with admiration.

• Symbolism: Manolin represents hope, continuity, and loyalty. He is the bridge between generations, suggesting that Santiago’s values and legacy will live on.
• Character traits: Compassionate, respectful, and idealistic. His unwavering faith in Santiago contrasts with the villagers’ dismissal of the old man as unlucky.

The Marlin – The Noble Opponent

The marlin is the massive fish Santiago hooks and battles for three days. Though it is a fish, Hemingway imbues it with dignity, strength, and nobility, making it a worthy adversary.

• Symbolism: The marlin stands for nature’s grandeur and the ideal of a worthy challenge. Santiago sees the fish not as an enemy but as a brother, and their struggle becomes a test of mutual respect and endurance.
• Character function: The marlin is both Santiago’s greatest triumph and his greatest loss. Its eventual destruction by sharks underscores the theme of the impermanence of victory.

The Sharks – Forces of Destruction

After Santiago kills the marlin, sharks are drawn to the blood and attack the carcass. Despite Santiago’s efforts to fend them off, they devour the fish, leaving only its skeleton.

• Symbolism: The sharks represent inevitable loss, decay, and the destructive forces of nature or society. They are mindless and greedy, in contrast to the majestic marlin.
• Narrative role: Their attack transforms Santiago’s victory into a tragedy, reinforcing the idea that even the noblest efforts can be undone by forces beyond one’s control.

Joe DiMaggio – The Distant Hero

Though he never appears in person, the American baseball player Joe DiMaggio is a constant presence in Santiago’s thoughts. Santiago admires DiMaggio’s strength and perseverance, especially his ability to play through pain.

• Symbolism: DiMaggio serves as a symbol of endurance, excellence, and inspiration. He is a mental anchor for Santiago, reminding him that greatness often comes through suffering.

Minor Characters – Martin, Pedrico, and Perico

• Martin: A café owner who provides Santiago with food during his unlucky streak. He represents quiet generosity.
• Pedrico: A fellow fisherman to whom Santiago gives the marlin’s head. He symbolizes community and respect.
• Perico: A bodega owner who gives Santiago newspapers. Though unseen, he contributes to Santiago’s connection with the outside world.

 

The Old Man and The Sea: Themes and Motifs

Major Themes

1. Perseverance and the Heroic Struggle

At the heart of the novella is the theme of resistance to defeat. Santiago, the old fisherman, endures physical pain, isolation, and exhaustion in his battle with the marlin. His refusal to give up—even when the odds are stacked against him—embodies Hemingway’s ideal of the code hero, someone who maintains honor and dignity through relentless struggle. As Santiago says, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” This theme elevates his fishing expedition into a universal symbol of human perseverance.

2. Pride and Personal Redemption

Santiago’s journey is also driven by pride, not in a boastful sense, but as a source of inner strength. His decision to sail farther than usual and engage the marlin in a multi-day battle stems from a desire to prove his worth—to himself and to others. Hemingway presents pride as a double-edged force: it fuels Santiago’s endurance but also leads to suffering. The novella suggests that true pride lies in the nobility of effort, not in the outcome.

3. Man’s Relationship with Nature

Rather than portraying nature as an adversary, Hemingway presents it as a complex, almost sacred force. Santiago respects the marlin as a worthy opponent and refers to the sea as “la mar,” a feminine, nurturing presence. He sees himself as part of the natural world, not above it. This theme underscores a deep ecological awareness, where man is both a hunter and a humble participant in the rhythms of nature.

4. Isolation and Companionship

Santiago’s physical isolation at sea mirrors his emotional solitude. Yet, his bond with Manolin, the young boy, provides emotional warmth and continuity. Their relationship represents intergenerational love and mentorship, suggesting that even in solitude, human connection remains vital. Santiago also finds companionship in the sea creatures, especially the marlin, which he calls his “brother”.

5. Youth and Age

The contrast between Santiago and Manolin highlights the theme of youth and aging. Santiago’s aging body belies his youthful spirit, while Manolin’s youthful energy is tempered by deep respect for the old man’s wisdom. This dynamic reflects Hemingway’s exploration of legacy, memory, and the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Recurring Motifs

1. Crucifixion Imagery

Hemingway draws subtle parallels between Santiago and Christ-like suffering. Santiago’s bleeding hands, his carrying of the mast like a cross, and his final posture—collapsed face-down with arms outstretched—evoke the crucifixion. This motif elevates Santiago’s ordeal into a spiritual sacrifice, suggesting that suffering can lead to transcendence.

2. Lions on the Beach

Santiago dreams repeatedly of lions playing on African beaches, a memory from his youth. These dreams symbolize strength, freedom, and lost vitality. They serve as a comforting vision of Santiago’s past and a metaphor for his enduring spirit, even as his body weakens.

3. The Sea as a Living Entity

The sea is not just a setting but a dynamic character in the story. Santiago speaks to it, reads its moods, and treats it with reverence. This motif reinforces the theme of man’s intimate, respectful relationship with nature, and the sea becomes a mirror for Santiago’s internal state.

4. Baseball and Joe DiMaggio

Santiago frequently references Joe DiMaggio, the American baseball hero, as a symbol of grace under pressure. DiMaggio’s perseverance through pain inspires Santiago, linking the motif of sportsmanship to the broader theme of heroic endurance.

The Old Man and The Sea: Literary Concepts and Approaches

1. Symbolism and Allegory

Hemingway’s novella is often read as an allegory—a story in which characters and events represent broader ideas. Santiago, the old fisherman, can be seen as a symbol of human endurance and dignity. The marlin represents the ultimate challenge or ideal, while the sharks symbolize destructive forces that threaten human achievement.

• The sea becomes a vast, indifferent universe—both nurturing and cruel.
• Santiago’s skiff is a microcosm of human isolation and struggle.
• The lions in Santiago’s dreams symbolize youth, strength, and a lost golden age.

This symbolic reading allows the novella to transcend its literal plot and speak to universal human experiences.

2. The Iceberg Theory (Theory of Omission)

Hemingway’s own literary philosophy, known as the Iceberg Theory, is essential to understanding the novella. He believed that the deeper meaning of a story should lie beneath the surface, like the bulk of an iceberg hidden underwater.

In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway omits overt emotional commentary or philosophical exposition. Instead, he lets actions, dialogue, and sparse description carry the emotional and thematic weight. Readers are invited to infer Santiago’s inner life and the story’s broader implications through subtle cues.

3. Psychological and Existential Approaches

From a psychological perspective, Santiago’s internal monologue and solitary struggle can be seen as a meditation on aging, identity, and self-worth. His battle with the marlin is not just physical—it’s a confrontation with his own limitations and mortality.

An existential reading highlights themes of meaning-making in an indifferent universe. Santiago’s perseverance in the face of inevitable defeat echoes existentialist ideas: life may be absurd, but dignity lies in how one responds to suffering.

4. Christian and Mythological Allusions

Many critics have noted Christian symbolism in the novella. Santiago’s suffering, his wounded hands, and his carrying of the mast (like a cross) evoke Christ-like imagery. His endurance and sacrifice suggest a spiritual dimension to his struggle.

Additionally, the story draws on mythic archetypes: Santiago as the heroic figure on a quest, the marlin as the elusive prize, and the sea as the realm of trials. These mythological echoes give the novella a timeless, almost epic quality.

5. Modernist Literary Techniques

Hemingway was a key figure in Modernist literature, and The Old Man and the Sea reflects several Modernist traits:

• Stream-of-consciousness narration in Santiago’s thoughts
• Minimalist prose that emphasizes form and structure
• Focus on individual experience rather than grand narratives

The novella’s introspective tone and stylistic restraint align it with other Modernist works that explore alienation, resilience, and the search for meaning.

6. Structuralism and Archetypal Criticism

From a structuralist or archetypal lens, the novella follows a classic narrative pattern: the hero’s journey. Santiago departs from the ordinary world, faces trials at sea, achieves a form of victory, and returns transformed. This structure resonates with Joseph Campbell’s monomyth or “hero’s journey,” reinforcing Santiago’s role as a universal figure of struggle and redemption.

 

Works Cited

Baker, Carlos, editor. Ernest Hemingway: Critiques of Four Major Novels. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1962.

Bloom, Harold, editor. Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. Chelsea House, 1999.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. Arrow Books, 1993.

Jobes, Katharine T., editor. Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Old Man and the Sea. Prentice Hall, 1968.

“Learn How to Cite ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ by Ernest Hemingway.” EasyBib, 4 Sept. 2022, https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/books/the-old-man-and-the-sea.

“MLA Citation for The Old Man and the Sea.” BibGuru, 2025, https://www.bibguru.com/b/how-to-cite-the-old-man-and-the-sea.

Young, Philip. Ernest Hemingway: A Reconsideration. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1966.