Old Man and the Sea #7

What techniques does the author use to engage the audience and make the story effective? Give examples to support your analysis (mystery, humor, symbolism, suspense, etc.).

I do not think that Ernest Hemmingway uses a lot of techniques in writing this book. I found the book to be slow and detailed. There was not very much action, mystery, or humor that kept readers interested. I think Hemmingway did this on purpose. He was focused on the content not necessarily the techniques. Hemmingway wanted to teach a lesson and show reader’s age doesn’t always matter.

One technique I saw Hemmingway use in this book was suspense. The suspense builds up during the story. Santiago gets stuck in the middle of the sea trying to catch a Marlin for days. The Marlin fish is so strong that Santiago cannot reel it in. It is suspenseful because the reader does not know if the fish will pull Santiago forever. Another point of suspense is when the sharks attack the old man’s boat.  The author includes this to make the story more interesting for the reader.  He also includes this suspense to show the conflict and climax of the plot.

Hemmingway uses the symbolism of luck. The people of the Cuban village think Santiago is very unlucky. He has not caught a fish in months and fails to do anything but fish. When he catches the Marlin the people of the town think it is luck. The pay him and praise him when he returns. Luck is a reoccurring technique in this book.

I did not like how Ernest Hemmingway did not use humor or mystery in this story. I think if there had been mystery the plot could have been much different. However I do think this a story a reader can learn from. I do not let peoples age determine their limits.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.