How accurately does this
novel reflect events in history? What responsibilities does the author
believe exist between various groups in society, such as workers and bosses,
men and women, blacks and whites, etc.? What people, ideas, and events
probably influenced this author? The Old Man and the Sea reflects the little history
it shows very well. It takes place in Cuba in the 1940’s, and as I have
discussed earlier it talks about the great DiMaggio and his baseball career,
alone with the fishing industry during the 40’s (Hemingway).
The main relationship that is discussed and shown in the
novel is the relationship between elderly people and younger people. More
specifically is the relationship between Santiago and Manolin. Manolin respects
the old man so much he is like a father to him and vice versa. The relationship
that Hemingway describes is a relationship of respect from a young man to an
old one. He believes that we should treat our elders with respect because they
have taught us so much and we can learn so much more. Manolin has learned all
he knows about fishing from him the old man. He feels so much respect for him
he makes sure he is healthy by bringing him food and volunteering to work for
him for free just because he feels like he owes so much to him (Hemingway 24). Manolin
admires the old man for teaching him all he knows and feels an obligation to
him.
Hemingway most likely felt that that is how this
relationship should be like because that is how things were at the time the
book was written. People in the forties and fifties, the time the novel was
written, treated each other with more respect than the generation that is
growing up now does. This shows how much relationships have changed over the
years, which is most likely not for the better.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New
York: Scribner, 1952. Print.
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