I finally got to read this classic and finished it in two hours. What a ride.
It seems like there is not much to the story about an old man who gets and loses a fish, but there is a lot to unpack, and to me, they are sad and depressing but hopeful at the same time.
Reading this, it brings me back to my memory of the sea (Damn you, Covid!). I have spent a fair amount of time, not as a fisherman, thankfully.
Like the old man, I also love flying fish on the sides of the boats, that would be the highlight, especially when I was on the low boat and could touch the water by just stretching my hand out, sometimes that silvery creatures would fly so near to the sides, and you wonder when they would get the ability to walk and then they would master the three worlds.
I can feel the breeze of wind, the nauseating movement of the boat, the harshness of the sun and the thin line slicing my hands (good heavens, old man! Use something as gloves! Fabric, anything!) Line-cut is one of the worst, and I don't know what that old man says, but from my personal experience, wounds hardly dry when you continue to expose them to the saltwater. I could have the same wound for a week, and every time it looks better on the land, it would be wet and spread and gets ugly again if you are back to the water in a short period of time.
The old man mentions the silence at sea, and that is very true in many cases, especially when you observe wild lives like a pod of dolphins or when it's downtime between activities, or when you are waiting for the wind to pick up and move you. Those who love the sea for what it truly is would prefer the silence, but indeed after a while, there could be a need for humming, and in the old man's case, he starts to speak to himself.
He is a lonely old man, and barely has anything but his perseverance and optimism to keep him going, despite the odds and unfortunate luck in his life. He doesn't have anybody except the caring and kind boy. He is no longer young and goes for a very long period of no-fish time. Some people laugh at him, and some look at him with pity. But I wish I had this old man's attitude when I am down and face all life's difficulties. He never breaks his cool. He goes through everything with his experience, foresees what would happen, prepares for them, and he is almost always right. But he is also overconfident and maybe, too phlegmatic? For a seasoned fisherman, he only brings limited water for his trip (although it's arguable that maybe he can't afford anything), but again, gloves, hand band, anything.
A sailor friend told me a tale about them going fishing and met with a fisherman holding on to the line. My friend was in a bigger motorized 'proper fishing boat (not commercial kind), and they agreed to buy the 'almost catch' from that fisherman, who had been holding on for ten hours. Just like the old man, it is a delicate fight just between that fisherman and the fish, at the end of the line was a 90 kilograms tuna. It's probably not easy to understand why sometimes we risk everything to get the prize that we might or might not be able to secure, but I believe something would kick in when you have worked so hard for it. It's almost there. Never give up. We need that. We have sacrificed so much. It's a good mantra, but sometimes it's risky and borderline dangerous as well.
The one in the story is a much bigger marlin, and even though I love sharks, it pains me to read how it is snatched bit by bit by them. Eventually, after all the fights, nights and days, the old man gives up, but he still manages to bring home the remains of his journey, pay his gratitude and prove that he is still worthy. It is not only the boy who misses him, but a lot of people have searched for him and are curious about his welfare. I don't know what to make about the ending, but I would just conclude that as a happy one, I refuse any other endings.
Rating: 4 Lions out of 5 Beaches
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