final blog post

For my book I chose to read The Old Man And The Sea, by Ernest Hemingway. I will give a short summary of the book. in the beginning of the book we meet an old fisherman named Santiago. Santiago lives in Cuba and has recently been struck with terrible luck when it comes to his fishing. Because of this his friend named Manolin, who has fished with santiago since he was a kid has to leave to join a "lucky" boat. When the old man leaves to fish he finally hooks a fish. it is the biggest marlin he has seen, measuring at 18 feet. the struggle to catch the fish lasts days and the old man sufferes many injuries along the way. eventually he catches the fish, finally. however, when he tries and pull it to the shore sharks attack the marlin and eat all the meat. Santiago gains nothing and is sorry that he killed the fish, thinking that it would bring him happiness.

 I feel the setting of the book was incredible, Hemingway recreates Cuba in a way that I feel I am really there. however, when I think on what I read I can't help but be confused as to the message of the book was. on one hand I can see and subject in the book of the old man never giving up even though he misses the times when he had a partner to fish with. towards the middle of my reading I thought the book was about never giving up and that you will get what you set your mind to. however, I do not think that is the case anymore, as we learn that the fish is eaten and he gains nothing. because of this I believe that the theme of the book is "when striving for material things you are not guaranteed happiness". my reason for this is that throughout the book the old man is always saying how much he wants the fish and how the young boy Manolin will be able to fish with him again. furthermore, later in the book after he has caught the fish he wishes he had not caught the fish saying that it is not good to kill beatiful things you love.