The Old Man and the Sea: Question 6

Why do we still read this book?  What is so timeless about its message and characters?  What can we learn from reading this novel? We still read The Old Man and the Sea because it tells a very simple story that has a message anyone can benefit from. One reason we still read the novel is because the way Ernest Hemingway writes is very straight forward and easy to understand. This makes the message of the story very easy to comprehend and point out. The message of never giving up and have great determination and desire is extremely timeless. Everyone can see through Santiago’s five day struggle just for one simple fish, how truly important it is to him (Hemingway). This is something my generation should learn from. Not all of us, but a large portion are very lazy and expect things just to turn out okay without any effort. We can learn that with a little effort, determination, and desire we can go and do anywhere. Santiago never gave up until the entire fish was gone (Hemingway). Also from the novel is the timeless message of the honor from the struggles. The novel teaches us that if you have everything given to you, you have to do something to earn respect. If you work hard for something you are bound to earn respect from others. These messages are why re still read this book. We can learn so much from such simple message which is why it is so timeless. People of all ages and all times can learn from these messages and I believe that many generations to come will continue to learn and prosper from reading this novel.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.