Book Review: The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually would rate this book a 3.5 /5 stars, but I am giving it the benefit of the doubt.

My first exposure to Hemingway was in AP English in high school. Yes, back then, our class didn't have a Language or Literature designation. We read The Sun Also Rises and I absolutely hated it. Now, after reading this, I believe that I didn't get it. I wasn't old enough, mature enough to understand what Hemingway was doing. So, eventually, I would like to return to that novel and check it out again.

Now, The Old Man and the Sea is not the greatest classical novel I've ever read, but I really wanted to try Hemingway again and I really wanted to have a good experience. And I would say that I did that. Like I said, it isn't the greatest and I've heard that it isn't even Hemingway's best, but it is very popular for a reason. This book is very accessible and a story that everyone can connect with. Santiago has grit and is a perfect example of perseverance despite setbacks. If only my students had Santiago's level of grit.

The writing is perfect. Now, notice that I didn't say that the writing is beautiful, but often it isn't. These are sparse, utilitarian sentences. Hemingway writes to tell the story without all of the fluffy extras that make me love Faulkner, McCarthy, Morrison, and Fitzgerald. His theory is that the story should be good enough to hold its own without all that extra stuff. Now, there are some beautiful images and metaphors in the book, but they don't pop up very often. Hemingway doesn't write a twenty-word sentence when five would do. And that is what is masterful about his writing. The fact that he can do so much with so little.

I can see why this is the book that gets studied so often in high school. Other Hemingway is more difficult and longer. And this novella is easy enough that high school students could get it. The themes and ideas are simple. I think students would be excited to discuss this novel because it isn't difficult to interpret. But that turns me off. I like the complexity that a well-written novel presents. I like when an author really makes me think.

The biggest success is that this novella opened me up to read more Hemingway. That is the most important thing about reading this one.

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