The Old Man and the Sea (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations) [Hardcover]

Ernest Hemingway (Author), Harold Bloom (Editor)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 246 pages
• Publisher: Blooms Literary Criticism; New edition (July 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604131470
• ISBN-13: 978-1604131475
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,704,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The sea giveth...and the sea taketh away, October 21, 2008

By 

R. Nicholson - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Old Man and the Sea (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations) (Hardcover)

"The Old Man and the Sea" was Ernest Hemingway's last important work. Written in Cuba in 1951 and when published, it became one of his most recognize pieces. The work won him the Pulitzer prize in 1953 and the Nobel prize in literature in 1954.

*SPOILER*

This is the story of Santiago, a poor, humble Cuban fisherman who has been down on his luck for some time i.e. no catches lately. However on this day he ventures father out to sea than usual in his tiny skiff, and hooks the biggest Marlin he's ever seen. Thus the real story begins; a battle of epic proportions, drawn out over several days, between man and fish, man and the ocean, and man and himself.

What really impressed me about this short novel was Hemingway's ability to conjure a slowly increasing sense of foreboding and fear as his hero is dragged farther and farther off-shore by his immense 'prize'. With only himself to talk to and an ever dwindling supply of water and food there is something primordial about this situation that creeps into ones subconscious. In a great book the reader will usually identify in some way with the protagonist of a story, transferring some of the fears and anxieties of the hero into the reader, making for a more 'personal' and intense experience; this book is no exception.

Conclusion:
A short, spelling-binding tale that is beautifully written.
5 Stars.

Ray Nicholson

P.S.
I originally read this work some time ago because, of all things, a crossword puzzle...The clue was, 'What book with six words in the title and each word having 3 letters, won a Pulitzer prize.' From there it was a mere formality that I had to read this intriguing work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is about you, not some Old Man., June 26, 2009

By 

Drifty "Drifty" (Southwest and Southeast USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Old Man and the Sea (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations) (Hardcover)

When you visit Key West, Florida, be sure to visit the Hemmingway House. In the yard by the pool in plain view, you will see the old-school tub-style urinal that Hemmingway purchased from the Sloppy Joe Bar. Saying that he `wanted a reminder of how much money he had p*ssed away there.' Only such an earthy genius could write this book. Here in a short read we have life, death, youth, age, victory, defeat, fate, hope, and brotherly love. The wonder of life told as allegory: The Old Man and the Sea. This book is about you, not some Old Man. Or, at least as I read it, I felt is was about me.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Style benefits the story, July 13, 2009

By 

Gregory Kennedy (Fayetteville, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Old Man and the Sea (Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations) (Hardcover)

People love to hate on Hemingway's writing style and look down on it as being too simplistic, or too boring, or repetitive. Maybe for his longer novels that's meaningful criticism. But Hemingway really nailed it with The Old Man and the Sea, which is a perfectly tuned story about a man and his plight against nature. The style is a great benefit to the short novel, continually reinforcing the mood with clipped language about the main character's current and pressing problems. It's so bluntly delivered that readers are simply dragged in without a second thought.

The story is simple. Santiago, a fisherman in Cuba, has gone 87 days without catching a single fish. He's old and broke and well past his prime... even his younger help has deserted him. On the 88th day, he hooks a huge fish that carries him out to sea. The bulk of the story is his attempt to bring the fish home so he can get food and (more importantly) prove his worth. I can't say much more without spoiling things.

It's so short, if you haven't read it, I'd recommend it. Takes some getting used to but the ending was something else. The book is proof enough that strong characterization and message don't need pages and pages of description heaped over everything. Hemingway saw to the core of his characters and showed us only what really mattered.