Last night Turner Movie Channel played “The Old Man and the Sea” starring Spencer Tracy as the old man. And, I dreamed of lions on the beach. If, you don’t get what I mean by that second line, invest in a trip to the library, spend an hour or two reading the shortest novel ever to have won a Pulitzer Prize. I think it may be the greatest American novel. Written by Hemmingway, in 1952, ten years before he would kill himself, the story is set in Cuba and has only a very few characters. The main character is an old man, a fisherman by trade, who has not caught a fish in some time. Here is the first paragraph, which, from a writer’s perspective, is probably as good as it gets: He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week. It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him carry either the coiled lines or the gaff and harpoon and the sail that was furled around the mast. The sail was patched with flour sacks and, furled; it looked like the flag of permanent defeat. I want to be able to write like that. Hemmingway, used words sparingly; only to bring forth an understanding—never to over analyze. Some say it is a simple technique—throw out those parentheticals and there you have it. Not as easy as it seems. I’m going to offer a synopses because it’s not so much the story—although, it is probably the most ironic tale ever told—but it is the writing that is so damned good, some damned concise. The old man decides to go way out in the ocean, defying fate and common sense, to break his bad luck and hook a good fish. Well, he does; a great fish, like in the bible. And, after hours and days of fighting the fish, the old man prevails. He ties the fish alongside his dingy and sets sail for home. But the sharks come. The sharks tear into the great fish and consume it; there is nothing the old man can do. After much hardship, the old man gets back home. The people of the village see the skeleton of the great fish and know what has happened. The boy comes back and helps the old man and promises never again to leave him. It is a long soliloquy narrative, with the old man talking with himself or at the fish for most of the book. The old man dreams of lions on the beach, several times. The symbolism of the lions is that of youth. Some folks believe the symbolism can be carried on to include that the old man representing God and the boy Jesus. I doubt that very much. I doubt Hemmingway gave God and Jesus much thought, but that’s what they teach you in college. Instead, I think Hemmingway didn’t have an Internet to write on, so, he invented a story, probably based on some truth, and allowed himself to be placed alone in the ocean with only God to talk to; Hemmingway had a lot to say to the great fish, which represents all of nature, and to God. In the end, as he tries to steer his skiff home, he admits to God that “he ventured too far out” beyond his limits. Hemmingway was soon to go through some very trying times, testing his limits: divorce, money/tax problems and was always paranoid about J. Eager Hoover. He killed himself at 61, my age. Of course, he didn’t have a deadline for 1800 words on safety in the workplace. “The Old Man and the Sea” is a great book to take to the pool, if summer ever returns. Now, I’ve really got to get started on this safety article…time is ‘fast a flying’ and the ‘woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.’ I hate the idea of spending a Saturday researching ‘safety.’ I should be on a beach somewhere…me and all those the lionesses. I could wear my speedos.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:22:19 +0000
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