Blog #33 Tone (The Old Man and the Sea)

There is a certain tone to this book. As I was reading the book, I felt like I was aboard the ship with Santiago watching him as he struggled with the first. The detail in this book is very simple, but it appeals to the sense and helps the reader better understand what is happening along his journey at sea. The words are short and simple, but the tone is very optimistic and happy, for the most part, which made me want to keep reading. Santiago is very positive about all the things that happened to him while he is at sea. He never let one struggle get him down, and he figured he knew enough about the sea to get through anything that came his way. His optimism is what made the book so inspiring. If you compared Santiago to a current fisherman today, Santiago was very patient and calm (Hemingway 10-11). A fisherman today would most likely give up after having a long streak of bad luck. Santiago’s inspiring tone is what really made the book interesting to read and very easy to follow. For the most part, the book was optimistic, but the other part of the book was very relatable and understandable. The reader could easily connect with Santiago when the most difficult part of his journey began. The reader can understand the frustration Santiago had with not knowing what was going to happen. All that Santiago wanted to do was catch the marlin, no matter how many days or nights he was at sea. I respect him for that. I would not be able to stay awake that long for a silly fish, but Santiago had that positive spirit that made me realize his optimistic attitude toward the journey. Do not get confused though, Santiago did have a point where he doubted many things. He doubted if he had enough strength to stick with the fish. He doubted whether or not he would make it to shore with the fish and himself in one piece. Each doubt he had though he brushed right off of his shoulders because he knew he had to think positively if he wanted to make it back to shore, and that is exactly what he did (Hemingway 87). The tone of this book really helped me to move on and keep reading.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. Cuba. Scribner’s Publishing. 1952