Hemingway

Symbols & Style In the past, hardly anyone ever suspected Hemingway novels of symbolism. Then, in The Old Man and the Sea, people saw symbols--the old man stood for man's dignity, the big fish embodied nature, the sharks symbolized evil (or maybe just the critics). "No good book has ever been written that has in it symbols arrived at beforehand and stuck in," says Hemingway. "That kind of symbol sticks out like raisins in raisin bread. …

…The abandonment of Santiago could be compared with the scene where Jesus Christ carries the cross. Some critics suppose that this is a parabolic self-portrayal of the author, of the ageing literary matador who resumes the struggle. The real hero is morally invincible. The symbolism is immense and covers many aspects of life from the battle of man versus nature to personal triumph gained from loss--the story may even be symbolic of Hemingwayís career.