《老人與?！分械南笳髦髁x分析

-10-ChapterOneIntroductionErnestHemingwaywasoneofthemostimportantandinfluentialliterarygiantsofthe20thcentury.Heisoftenknownforhisuniquestorytellingstyle.Duringhisdecadesofwritingcareer,Hemingwaygraduallyformedhisownuniquewritingstyle.Thisstyleofwritingisvividlyreflectedinhislastandmostimportantwork,TheOldManandtheSea.TheOldManandtheSearepresentsthepinnacleofHemingway’screation.Theshortstorysold5.3millioncopiesinjusttwodays,settingamiracleinthehistoryofhumanpublishing,andremainedthetopselleratthetimeforsixmonths.Faulkner,afamouswriter,spokehighlyofTheOldManandtheSea.Hesaid:TheOldManandtheSeaisHemingway’sbestwork.Timewillprovethatthequalityofhislittlebookisbetterthanthatofanyofus,andImeanhisandmypresentworks.Asexpected,thenovelwonthePulitzerPrizein1953,andHemingwaybecamethewinnerofthe1954NobelPrizeforLiterature.Today,TheOldManandtheSeaisstilloneofthemostpopularliteraryworksintheworld,andithashadasignificantandfar-reachingimpactonthereaders’valuesandoutlookonlife.TheOldmanandtheSeadescribesaheroicstrugglebetweentheoldCubanfishermanSantiagointhemostconciseandvividlanguage.Atthebeginningofthenovel,inthe84daysoffishingnothing,Santiagoisnotdiscouraged,inthe85daysagainonthe85thalone,caughttheunprecedentedhugemarlin,afterthreedaysoffightingfinallycapturedthemarlin,however,onthewayback,thefishingboatwasattackedbysharkgroup,Santiagotriedhisbesttoresist,butthemarlinfinallyonlyaskeleton.Inthisnovel,Hemingwaycreatedanoldherowhomaintainedhisgraceandhadanunconquerablespirit.ThepublicationofTheOldManandtheSeahasattractedwideattentionfromtheliterarycircleandreceivedhighreviews.Inthe15yearssincethenovel’spublication,literarycriticswerelargelypositive.Butafterthemid-1960s,somepeoplebegantocriticizethenovel,believingthattheworkwasdivorcedfromrealityandunrealcontent.Inthe1980s,theliterarystudyofHemingway’sworkshadanewdevelopment.ManyarticlessimultaneouslydiscussHemingway’sworksfromanovelperspective.Forexample,somepeopleassociateHemingway’slifeandvalueswithhisworks,whileothersdeeplyanalyzethesignificanceofhisworksbythevariousimagesappearingintheworks.AttheModernLanguageSociety’sAnnualHemingwaySymposiuminNewYorkinDecember1992,Inhispaper,LacanInterpretationoftheOldManandtheSea,BenStotversusesSaussure’senergyandconceptstoanalyzesomemetaphorsofthebook,suchaslions,sharks,andlargemarlins.ThispaperwillfocusonanalyzingthesymbolismofseveralimportantgroupsofimagesinTheOldManandtheSea,andthendiscussthepracticalsignificanceofthenoveltothecontemporaryandpresentsociety.

ChapterTwoAnOverviewofSymbolismThischaptermainlyprovidesanoverviewoftherelevanttheoriesofsymbolism,includingtheconceptofsymbolism,thebasiccharacteristicsofsymbolism,andthecharacteristicsofHemingway’ssymbolism,whichlaysthetheoreticalfoundationforthefollowinganalysisofsymbolismintheOldManandtheSea.2.1TheConceptofSymbolismSymbolism,thenounoriginatesfromthesymbolicmeaningoftheGreektext,itsoriginalmeaninginGreekis“apieceofwood(orceramic)dividedintotwo,andeachhostandguestholdone,andmeetsagaintogethertoshowfriendship”token.Aftermanyevolution,itsmeaningbecomes“arepresentationofhabitastheformofaconcept”,i.e.Aconceptorarepresentationofthings,anySymbolismorobjectthatcanexpressathoughtorthingiscalleda“Symbolism.”Itisdifferentfromthecommonmetaphor,whichreferstotheessenceofthingsandismuchmoreprofoundthanthemetaphor.Symbolismistheearliestliteraryfaction,thelongestdurationandithasthegreatestinfluenceonEuropeanandAmericanmodernistliterature,andisconsideredtobethedividinglinebetweenclassicalliteratureandmodernistliterature.TheschooloriginatedinFranceinthemiddleandlate19thcentury,andlaterexpandedtoEuropeanandAmericancountries.Symbolismistousethingsorfigurestoimplyprofoundmeaningintheprocessofartisticcreation.Thesymbolismisrepresentedasthethoughtofthework,especiallytheinnerthoughtoftheauthor.Hemingway,intheprocessofwriting,thedesiretoexpressone’sthoughtssymbolically.Because,thesymbolictechniqueinstimulatingthereader’semotion,enrichthereader’simaginationspaceisbetterthanthestraightforwardexpressionway.2.2BasicCharacteristicsofSymbolismSymbolismliteratureisoneoftheliterarytypesrisinginthemid-19thcentury.ShewasborninFranceintheearly20thcentury.Acenturylater,itexpandedtoEuropeanandAmericancountries.Itistheembodimentofsymbolism,thecorebranchofmodernistliterature.Itmainlyinvolvespoetryandopera,andstillhasitsinfluencetoday.Westerntraditionalscholarsregardthebirthofsymbolismliteratureasaturningpointbetweenclassicalliteratureandmodernliterature.Itexpressestheelusiveinnersecret,or,asMalamehsays,the“onlytruth”hiddenbehindordinarythings.Tothisend,symbolismhasgreatlytransformedthelanguageofpoetry.Makespecialandunexpectedarrangementsandcombinationsofdailywordsandwordstohavenewmeanings.Symbolismisnotsatisfiedwithdepictingtheclearlinesandfixedoutlineofthings,itsartisticeffectisnottomakethereaderunderstandwhatthepoetwantstosay,buttomakethereaderunderstand,trance;tomakethereaderrealizethemeaningofthis.Symbolismdoesnotpursuesimpleclarity,nordeliberatelypursueobscurity;itpursueshalf-dark,lightanddark.Hemingwayroseintheerawhensymbolismwaspermeatedandexpandedfromthepoetryworldtothewholeliteraryfield.Someresearchersregardedhimasasymbolismwriter,believingthatheshouldbeclassifiedasHawthorneandMalwell,Alto,awriterwhodescribestheimageoftheinnerworld.Butmanyresearchersdisagreewiththis,astheAmericancriticHallidysaid,Inthenewliteraryhistory,hedidnotwanttoseeHemingwayappearasasymbolism.AndthinkHewasagreat‘realist’writeroftwentieth-centuryAmericanfiction,Alwaysfirmlyupholdrealisminexcellentworks.ThesetwoopinionsconstitutethatisintheHemingwaystudyfundamentaldifferencesonthequestionofsymbolism.TheOldManandtheSeaisanimportantmodernnovelofHemingway,itsthemeandconnotationmainlyhighlightthepraiseofthetoughguyimageandtheyearningforthetoughguycareer,reflectsthetoughguy’sunremittingpursuitoflifeandhardworkforlife,canbesaidtobetheauthorHemingway’sattitudeandexpectationforlife.Throughoutthenovel,theauthorusesmanysymbolicimages,almostallthecharactersandanimalshavetheirspecificsymbols,includingthevastsea,theold,sharks,marlinsanddreamAfricanlionsandsoonallimplytheSymbolismofdifferentthingsandpracticalproblemsencounteredinlife,theauthorreflectsthereality,reflectsthereality,praisesthetoughguyspiritandfightingdesire,coupledwiththeupsanddownsofthefishingprocess,vividlydescribesthecharacterandactionexpression,ThenoveltheOldManandtheSeagraspsthedetailsinplace,whichaddsalotofcharmtothenovel.Atthesametime,throughtheuseofsymbolictechniques,mostreaders’self-speculationofthenovelandself-imaginationofthenovel,Combinedwiththeirownexperienceandlifeideal,producedifferentdegreesofresonance.TheOldManandtheSeanotonlysuccessfullyshapestheimageoftoughguyandfightinglife,butalsosublimatedthethemeofthewholenovelthroughsymbolictechniques.

ChapterThreeAnalysisofSymbolisminTheOldManandtheSeaTheso-calledsymbolismreferstotheuseofaformastherepresentativeofaconceptorthing,Symbolsandobjectsthatcanexpressthoughtsandthingsaresometimescalled“symbols”.Itinvolvestheessenceofthings,hasprofoundconnotation,andarousespeople’sthinking.Throughimagestoguidereaders’experienceandemotionalexpression,literaryworksareendowedwithstrongvitalityandlastingartisticcharm.Symbolismistheexpressionoftheexperienceandemotionoftheviewerthroughimages,whichisthestrongvitalityandpermanentartisticcharmofliteraryworks.Asarealistwriter,Hemingwayusedsymbolismtoturnabstractthoughtsintoconcretethings,andthenaskedreaderstostimulateempiricalimaginationandemotionalexpressionfromconcreteimages.HemingwayusedalotofsymbolictechniquesinTheOldManandtheSea,whichwillbeanalyzedonebyonebelow.3.1SymbolismofNaturalismHemingwaybelievesthatmanandnatureareinarelativelyharmoniousstate.Thestrugglebetweentheelderlyandthebigfishcanalsoreflectman’sdependenceonnature.However,asakindofcreaturelivingintheecologicalenvironment,peopleneedtofightagainsttheharshenvironmentinordertowintheirownlivingspaceandreflectthenaturallawof“survivalofthefittest”.Thestrugglewithnatureisactuallyacrucialpartofhumanlife.Perhapsthemostimportantthingeveryoneshoulddoistohaveastrongwillliketheoldmaninthearticle,fightbravelywiththeenemy,fightwithnature,andmaintaindignitywithbehavior.Humanunyieldingspiritisvaluable,humandignityisnotlost,butintheemphasisandcertainhumanabilityatthesametime,weshouldalsopayattentiontothehumanitselfiscloselyrelatedwithnature,mustnotignorethelawsofnatureandblindlyfortheirowninterests,thisisHemingwaytheprophetgreatwriterinthenoveltoourenlightenment.3.1.1TheSeaTheseaisvastandchangeable,sometimescalm,sometimeshowling.Forthesymbolicsignificanceoftheseainthework,academiccirclesbasicallyagreewiththefollowingviews:First,theoceansymbolizestheelusivefateofhumanbeingsandtheunpredictablesocialreality;secondly,theseasymbolizestheeternityandthesupremecreator;thethird,theseasymbolizesnature,andtheoldman’sdependenceontheseaisliketherelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.Theauthorbelievesthatthestudyofthisproblemshouldstartfromthefamous“Hemingwaymagicspell”.Asweallknow,almostnoneofthefourgenerationsofHemingwayfamilymembersdiedwell,andthisstrangephenomenoniscalledthe“Hemingwaycurse”.HemingwaywassenttoafamouspsychiatricclinicinMinnesotaforsecretpsychologicaltreatment.DoctorsbelievethatHemingwayhasamentalillness--manicdepression,whichhasproventobeageneticdisorder,afactthatisalsoevidentinHemingway’sfamilyhistoryofsuicide.Manmanicdepressionofpeopleyearnforperfection,andtotheworldwithastronginsecurity.Hemingwaywasborninafamilywithmanicdepression,sohissymptomsinthisareamaybemoreintense,duetolackofsecurity.Theeyesofordinaryadventureinhisopinionandordinarylife,reputation,status,wealthcan’tbringhimhappiness,ifcan,hewillneverchoosetoendhislife.Heoftenchangeresidence,inhisview,theseplacesliketurbulentsea,therearedangeratanytime.Evenmarriagecouldhardlybringhimtruehappiness(hehaddivorcedthreetimeswhenhewrotetheOldManandtheSea),inwhichtheseaistheembodimentofagoddessofrespect,loveandfearintheheartoftheoldfisherman.TheseaembodiesSantiago’syearningforwomen,andthelovingmotherandthedelicatewifeexistatthesametime.Theseaalsoservesasamissingfemalepositioninthetext,asthesubjectofthetalktoacceptthepraiseandloveoftheelderly.Itcanbeseenthat,tosomeextent,theoldfisherman’semotiontowardstheseaisthereproductionofHemingway’semotiontowardsmarriageandtheoppositesex.Hemingwayyearnedforperfection,The“newsnovel”hecreatedisawonderfulflowerintheworld,WecanalsofindthisintheextremelysimpletextofKilimanjaroSnow,andtheseacanindeedrepresentanperfectionofpower,intheheartofaChristianErnestHemingway,itisalsoentirelypossibletogivetheseathesymbolicmeaningofthesupremeCreator.Tosumup,thesymbolismoftheseamainlyhasthreeaspects.First,itsymbolizesthechallenginganddangerousrealworld;second,itsymbolizestheauthor’sloveandfearofmarriageandtheoppositesex;andthird,itsymbolizesthesupremecreator.Asforthesayingthattheseasymbolizesnatureinthepreviousarticle,theauthorbelievesthattheseaisapartofnature,soitisnotnecessarytobegiventhesymbolicmeaningofnature.3.1.2SharksSharksrepresentsalldestructivepower,istopreventpeopletorealizetheidealandgoalofvariousevilSymbolism.Inonlyeightweeks,Hemingwaytookonlyeightweeks,Ifinishedthisnovelwithhighaestheticvalueandsignificance,andthenoveliswritteninthe1950s,atthattime,TheCubanpeoplestrivefornationalindependence,nationalliberationmovementhasenteredaclimax.InHemingway’spen,masterSantiagoisnolongerasimplefisherman,butalifeinthesufferingofCuba,oneofthebottompeople,andthesharkistheSymbolismofreallife,inordertochangethestatusquo,peoplehavetodotenaciousstrugglewithevilforces,andallthisfullyshowstheworkingpeople’sindomitablewillpowerandindomitablespiritualstrength,alsovividlyshowsthegreatspiritofhumanstrugglewiththeevilforces.Theoldman’sstruggleagainstthesharkalsoshowsthathumanhappinessisbasedonthestruggleagainsttheevilforcesandthevictory.HemingwaywroteinTheOldManandtheSea:“Hethought,Fightwiththem,Iwillfightwiththemtothedeath.”Thisvividlyshowsthestrongdeterminationoftheworkingpeopletofightagainsttheevilforcesintheupperclass,andalsoreflectsthegreatnessoftheworkingpeople.3.2SymbolismofCapitalismIntheMiddleAges,theykilledanyone.DuringtheRenaissance,theBlackDeathandtheplaguetookawaycountlesslives.Fromtheearlydaysofcapitalismtotoday,thetwoworldwarsseverelydestroyedhumannature.Theremaybemoredisasters,andtherewillbemorehope.Inthefaceofthissituation,eitherescapeoract.Butescapeisnottheway,and“theoldman”choseaction.Themarlinsseemtobe“moresublimeandmorepowerful”thanhumans.Alsosawtheshark“fearless”,infact,writingaboutfishisalsotowriteaboutpeople.Becauseheknewthat“whatisapersoncando”,“thisonealwayswanttokillthatone”,infact,isalsoaSymbolismofthe“thelawofthejungle”capitalistsociety.Theremaining“whitefishbones”isnotanothermicrocosmofthewar.Hemingwayhadhada“l(fā)ost”and“medicalhistory”sincehisyouth,andthewarhadcausedgreattraumatohisspiritandbody.Hemingwaysaid,HehasabadimpressionoftheFirstWorldWar.Itishardtohealthewoundsofwarinawriter’smind.Hemingway’santi-warsentimentisoutinhisworksonwar.Atthebottomofthelittleiceberg,thewhitefishbone,seven-eighthsmaybeaSymbolismofabrutalwar.3.2.1LargeMarlinNovelHemingwaysetuptheimageofthebigmarlin,theroleisnotordinaryfish,butbigfleshy,theauthorintendstoarrangethisscene,itisthebigmarlinaSymbolismofthehumangoodlifeideal,theherointhenovelfishermanandbigmarlinfightfortwodaysandtwonights,aSymbolismofthehumanbeautifulidealrareandcannoteasilyachieve.Theappearanceofthebigmarlinechoesthesymbolicintentionofthesea,followstheinclusivenessofthesea,theappearanceoftheshark,theidealoflifeoftenappearswiththecruelrealityofthesocietyandtheevilforcesorunevendifficulties,itpreventsustofindandpursuethebeautifulidealinourheart,evenifwillbegetandrealized,andoftenbytherealityimpact,perhapsonlythethintrunklikethemarlinwreckage.TheauthorHemingwayhereisactuallyingeniousandthoughtful,usingabigmarlintodoaSymbolismofabeautifulideal,whichisbothtoreflecttherealitycoincideswiththeplotofthenovel.Duringthattime,theoldfishermanworkedhardatseaformorethan80days,buthedidn’tcatchabigfish,whichalsoshowsthatthemarlinisverydifficulttocatch.Thentheemergenceoftheshark,isactuallydoandlifepursuegoodidealmutuallyexclusivecannotcoexist,withthesharkwouldnothavebigmarlin,finallythedevelopmentofthenovelplotalsotendtothesharkbitethebigmarlin,makestheoldfishermanwishesevenafterthehardworkandfightorirrevocably.3.2.2AfricanLionsTheimageofalionrunsthroughthenovel.Itsymbolizescourage,confidenceandstrength,thevibrantlifeandyouthofSantiago,andthefightingspirit,strengthandcourageofancienttimes.Santiagooftendreamedoflions;thiscontainstheauthor’sneedtostruggleforlife.Attheendofthenovel,theoldmandreamedoflionsagainandannouncedthathewouldcontinuetochallengethelimitwithhisownstrengthandcourageandpursuehisideals.TheinterpretationofthelioninthenovelTheOldManandtheSeaisthatitisregardedasthemainbody,usingtheliontosymbolizetheheroandtheimageof“toughguy”.Fablesoftencallthelion“thekingofbeasts”.TheconnectionbetweenLeoandthesunmayoriginatefromthepowerofthelion.Asthe“kingofbeasts”,LeobecameapopularanimalcoatofarmsintheMiddleAgesasaSymbolismofstrengthandcourage.InTheOldManandtheSea,thelioncanbeunderstoodastheSymbolismoftheoldman,justliketheliononthesea.Isaidittwicebeforegoingouttoseaanddreamedofalion,whichshowedthatalthoughtheoldmandidnotfishfor84days,hedidnotflinch,compromiseorcomplainaboutthecrueltyoflifeandtheinjusticeoffate.Andthelion’sambition,strengthandcourage.Althoughhelooksoldeverywhere,hiseyeshavethecolorofseawaterandbrightandtransparentspiritatthebeginningofhiswork.Fromtheperspectiveofdreaminterpretation.Thepeopleandobjectsindreamsaretheprojectionofourselves,istheprojectionofourwayoflife.AdreamisaspecialSymbolism,whichisoftenprophetic.Theoldmanisalion,hisheartcontainsextraordinarystrengthandoutstandingconfidenceandtenaciouswillpower.Itisnaturalforsuchanoldmantofishagaininthedeepsea,Laidthefoundationforpraisingtheelder’s“toughguy”spirit,thelionisactuallytheheightoftheoldman“toughguy”imageofthegeneralization,theappearanceoflionroarshowsthathewasnotdepressedafterlosing.Butstillaggressiveandeagertowin.Itnotonlyshowshiseagerdesireforvictoryandthefuture,extraordinarytemperamentandcourage,butalsoshowstheeternalstruggleofmankind.3.3SymbolismofSelf-denialSantiagoisthelasttragicherocreatedbyHemingwayandthefinalsummaryofHemingway’stenaciouspersonalityinhislife.Santiago,apoorandunfortunateoldfisherman,hadamiserablefate,butheisafailedhero,“theunbeatenloser”.3.3.1SantiagoTheoldfishermanSantiagoistheheroofTheOldManandtheSea,andthecorrectinterpretationofthisroleisthemostimportantthinginunderstandingthiswork.LiuYipointedout:“Santiagoisnotlimitedtoaspecificperson,butsymbolizesthehumangroup.Daretodeclarewaronthehardshipsoflife,daretochallengethelimitsofpeople,forhisdignityandreputation,evenregardlessofhisownlife,thisistheembodimentofhumanlifevalue.”ScholarQiWenhuiputtheoldfishermanouttoseafor87daysandlayonthebedafterreturningtotheshackwithJesusreceptivetemptationcrucifiedandthenresurrectfor87daysassociatedwithhispostureonthecross,thattheoldfishermanalsohasobviousreligioussymbols,namelyHemingwaythroughtheoldmanshowthesufferingandresurrectionofJesus.Ofcourse,moreviewisthattheoldfishermansymbolizesatoughbutfulloftender“toughguy”spirit,aSymbolismofHemingwayhimself.Theprotagonistofthestory,Santiago,wasgiventhesymbolicmeaningoftheherooflife.Hedaredtochallengeallkindsofhardshipsinlife,andtriedhisbesttoexchangehislifeforhonoranddignity,showingthevalueofhislife.Inthearticle,Santiagofoughtwiththesea,sharksandothernature,andwrotea“seaconcerto”withaconfident,braveandstrongimage.WhenSantiagocouldnotcatchfish,hedidnotloseconfidence,butdecidedtomovefurtherforward,istheperformanceofhumanconqueringtheirowncowardice,tenaciouspursuitofideals.Forexample,againstthemarlinsandsharks,Santiagoknewitwaslackofstrength,butitstillfoughtbravely.Inthisprocess,wecanseethespiritandindestructiblewilloftheoldhero.Theauthorwritestheseintothearticleandconveysthemtothereaderthroughsymbolictechniques.Inthebattlewiththesea,thebigmarlinandthesharks,heplayedadeepandlowcelloconcertoasaconfident,brave,andstronghero.Thefishermenmadealivingbyfishing.Inthevastsea,thelonelyoldmanrowedhisboatfor84daysanddidnotcatchafish,whichreallypouredbloodmold.However,theoldmandidnotloseconfidence.Eyesarethewindowofthesoul,theblueeyesliketheseawaterwiththebrokensailSymbolismofbadluck,revealingtheoldmanSantiagoneveryieldtothefateofcharacter,showingtheoldmanoptimisticandcheerful,asalways,nevergiveupuntilthegoal.Hewasdeterminedto“sailtothedistance”tocatchabigfish,whichistheoldman’ssincerepursuitoftheideal,istheperformanceofhumanbeingstoconquertheirowncowardice.Inthecontestwiththebigmarlin,knowingthattheothersideisstrongerthantheirown,butshowedthespiritofunyielding.Throughthestrugglebetweentheoldmanandtheshark,weonceagainunderstandthattheherooflifeisindestructibleinspirit,andistheguaranteeofabetterfutureforhumanbeings.Tosumup,thesymbolicsignificanceofSantiagoinTheOldManandtheSeamainlyhasthreemainaspects,respectivelyrepresentingHemingwayhimself,theAmericanpeopleandallmankind.AsfortheideathattheoldfishermanrepresentedthesufferingandtheresurrectionofJesusinthisarticle,becausethehiddenpartofthe“iceberg”iscomplicated,andthisisalsoitscharm.3.3.2ManolinHemingway’sTheOldManandtheSeahasadarksocialbackground.Forthoseoldpeoplewhohaven’tfishedformorethan80days,theyoungmanlaughedbehindhim.Butonlychildrentrytokeepup,becauseoftheparents’obstruction,thelittleboywasnotallowedtogoaftertheshipwasdeliveredtoSantiago.Butthechildcametoseehimeveryday,pretendingtoaskquestions,andtheoldmanwouldnaturallyanswerthem.Manolinpicksupthehooksfortheoldmaneveryday,likehewasborntoSantiago.Theoldmanisthelittleboy’sfaith,theboynotonlymasteredthefishingskillsoftheoldman,butalsomasteredthecharacterof“toughguy”.Althoughlistentohisfather,buthisheartisstillintheoldman.TheimageofHemingway’sisrare,and“l(fā)ostgeneration”inthelittleboyherefoundthekindnessofhumannature,givepeopletohope,withthecouragetolive.Throughthisbook,thevillagerssymbolizethedarknessofthewholecapitalistsociety,andthelittleboyclingstohiskindness.Theoldmanalwayslikestocomparehimselfwiththelittleboywhenhewasyoung,sayingthathehadbeenoutoftheseaandhowmanytimeshecaughtfishwhenhewashisbig.ThelittleboyisacopyofSandiagowhenhewasyoung.Inthewholestory,littleboysarelove,untilSanDiegojustsaid,Ifthereisalittleboy,littleboysarelikewarmcolorsonachessboard,thewholebookgivesapersonatimeisstruggling,verydepressedfeeling,onlywhentheboywilltakeabreath,likethebirdsinthesea,increasedthespiritualityofthewholebook.IntheOldManandtheSea,theimageofSantiagoisverylonelyandsad.Boththevastdescriptionoftheseaandthevastdescriptionoftheskyundoubtedlyaddagraytothelonelinessoftheoldman.Theoldman’stoughguyimagehighlightsthislonelinessandsadness.Fromthefoodandclothingoflife,tothetoolsheusedtomakealiving,toactingaloneafterthesea,Longwaytoyourself,bitbybitalldepictalonelyandtragicimageoftheoldman,ManolinistheSymbolismofhumannaturethathasnotyetbeenlost.ItisManolinthatmakesusstillseethehopeofhumanbeings.

ChapterFourThePracticalSignificanceofSymbolisminTheOldManandtheSeaThischaptermainlyinterpretsthepracticalsignificanceofsymbolisminTheOldManandtheSea.ThefishingprocessoftheheroinTheOldManandtheSeaandthereflectionoftheauthorrevealtheirresistiblepowerofhumanbeingsandinterprettheindomitablespiritofhumanbeings.4.1TheRevelationofHumanPowerAsarepresentativeofrealistwriters,Hemingwayusedtowritingstoriesintonovels,toexpresstheirdissatisfactionwiththereallife.AnoldmanwhogoestoseafishingforalivingbecomestheprotagonistinTheOldManandtheSea.TheoldmandescribedbyHemingwayhasgreatimpact.Theoldmanlivedbyfishingandhedidnotgiveuphislifeinthemostdifficulttimes.Instead,itwenttotheroughsea.Inaperson’slife,therewillavoidmanydifficultiesandsetbacks,but,aslongasyounevergiveup,youcanovercomethesuffering,eveninthestormscarred.Atanytime,nooneshouldindulgeinthejoyofvictory.Life,likethesea,canexperiencewavesatanytime.Whenpeopleareonceagaintroubledorhitbytheiropponents,theyareold,lostanyhopeandanychanceofvictory,thebrilliantachievementsofthepasthavealsobecomefleetingclouds.WhentheauthorHemingwayportraysthecharactersinthenovel,heseemstodescribeavirtualself,hemirroredtheinnerworldofthecharacterswithhisfeelingsinreallife,thusexpressingthathewouldnotbowtolife.Healwayssmilesatlife,alwaysstridesforward,andalwaysfightsagainsthisownfate.Thelivesofsuchpeoplewillbewindingandwindingforward.Facingtheembarrassmentoflife,Santiago,theprotagonistofTheOldManandtheSea,doesnotgiveuphope.Hishaleandheartystatemakesreadersrealizethatheispreparingfora“battle”,andtheobjectofthebattleisthe“l(fā)ife”hefaces.Inthiscontext,inthefaceofSantiago’sfailure,maybe,inreallife,