Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Man Is Not Made for Defeat

"But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed, but not defeated."

A few days ago, I had some free time at the university. I decided to go to the central library and read something until the class starts. The literary part of the library is really a shame. There are very few literature books in comparison to others. Probably about a hundred or so. Anyhow, I was searching among them when I came up with this copy of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. The poor book seems to have endured many painful years. I had not read any of Hemingway's books, so I started right there. It absorbed me.

I can definitely say it is one of the finest books I've read. It entered the list of my favorite books instantly.

The Old Man and the Sea, for those who have not read it, is a story of a man's struggle with the beasts of the sea; a story of a human being's unbelievable power. The old man is a mere old fisherman, yet he shows how much power a human being can have when he wants. Hemingway's strong and vital style absorbs the reader. It's one of those books you cannot easily put away before finishing it.

5 comments:

Brian said...

Yep. Great story and better writing.

Anonymous said...

This book, in a word, is childish. it reads like a picture book, almost. It seems like Stockholm was desperate to give away that Nobel...

Anonymous said...

a fool will mistake concision for simplicity every time.

Anonymous said...

hemmingway played it safe after his previous literary failure before this novela. this simplistic narrative and easily recognizable motifs don't deserve as much credit as it does.

Iqra said...

yesss...this seems to be an ordinary story but actually it has deeper meaning....specially it really defines the courage and power of man even in his old age....people usually percieve about old people that they are useless.people has narrow thinking about the old age...this novel is certainly a hard slap on this particular narrow thinking of people who look down upon the old people....