by Ombeni KAHARAMBA Faustin
About the Author :
Ombeni KAHARAMBA Faustin was born in Kalehe, 10.05.1983, He has two bachelor degrees : one in English language teaching at The the Teacher Training College of Bukavu and another in Art and English Culture from the Official university of Bukavu. He is married to Rosine with whom they have two children Myriam and Michael. He is the Education manager of Anglo Congolese Alliance/DRC. He is an M.A Student in English literature at the Official University of Bukavu in South Kivu. Province where he teaches English as second language of acquisition and technical English applied to development taking into account learners’ professional needs. He is fond of research and has already published two other articles : conflict analysis in « sarafina » amovie by Mbongeni Ngema , and Plot and setting in to the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. E-mail: faustombenika@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This article is entitled Reader response in Ernest Hemmingway’s The Old Man and The Sea, it intends to reveal out practical strategies used in the narrative which hinder the understanding of the narrative message. That is, the interpretative and documentary and cultural approaches to carry out the research. We have tried to analyze possible featured aspects accordingly. It has been discovered that the author teaches individuals, family members and the whole society on how to sweat for life instead of living dependently. Numerous themes have been possibly discovered being applied in the narrative.
Key words: features, approach, narrative, reader response.
CCS Concepts
In the present research, we deal with the review of literature on the reader response theory. It aims at providing readers with some notes on how one can carry out research on such topic. According to reader-response criticism, the reader is a producer rather than a consumer of meanings. In this sense, a reader is a hypothetical construct of norms and expectations that can be derived or projected or extrapolated from the work and may even be said to inhere in the work. Because expectations may be violated or fulfilled, satisfied or frustrated, and because reading is a temporal process involving memory, perception, and anticipation, the charting of reader-response is extremely difficult and perpetually subject to construction and reconstruction, vision and revision. In this theory, the reader plays an integral part in bringing meaning to the text, his thoughts, reactions and ideas analyzing and learning different aspects of literary texts, Connell, J. (2008:58)
Reader Response Theory differs from the other approaches to the teaching of literature (e.g. Story Grammar and Focus Units) in that it does not stress the comprehension of the content of the text, rather the focus is on encouraging learners to respond to the text and express their ideas and feelings freely. Thus, the concern is not only on what you understand? But on how do you feel? Spiegel, D. L, (1998:76). According to Sheridan (1991:53), the reader must “invest themselves in the experience”. The Reader
Response Theory supports communicative language teaching since it is rooted in a task-based methodology in which tasks designed are aimed to elicit the target language discourse production. What really makes the approach communicative is the intention of the tasks assigned by teachers in engaging learners in tasks, which require them to generate personal responses to something in the text, responses which necessitate the production of original discourse. This view allows room for creativity and reflective thinking in the literature classroom.
According to David Bleich, Reader Response Theory believes that the readers’ responses are the text, and that all meaning of a text lies in the readers’ interpretations. Iser sees two kinds of meaning that a text offers: (1) determinate facts of text of certain events in plot or physical descriptions clearly provided by words on page; (2) indeterminate “gaps” in text such as actions that are not clearly explained or have multiple explanations which allow and invite reader to create own interpretations. Rosenblatt (1995:47) Text guides the reader. The Reader, the Text, and the Poem. Reader +Text = Meaning. Such was applied in the old man and the sea, novella of Ernest Hermingway. We analyzed different themes and describe main characters according to reader response theory. However, the interpretation showed fate, courage, triumph and courage as dominated themes of the narrative.
According to Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, fate is the psychological predisposition of a character. It is also a power believed to control all events. That is, all human beings’ events are accomplished or achieved and controlled due to fate. It is a power since it determines the positive or negative future of someone.Moreover, fate is also seen as an avoidable event or that everything in life is determined to face his/her destiny being pre-established. Each human being has his/her own destiny. That is, an individual embeds qualities and weaknesses that make up his/her personality and which lead him or her to his destiny.
The aim of this study will describe characters; interpret the literary text, symbols and themes in connection with reader response theory in the narrative.
1. INTRODUCTION
Reader response approach ponders upon the reality of the written text as the sole source of meaning. Literature is to be scrutinized and even judged as a final product that exists apart from its author or the social, political or ideological context from which it has been extracted. Any consideration of the author’s intentions, motives or background leads to one delusional fallacy. Effective fallacies of reader-text interrelation are completely thwarted, too. Neither may have any influence upon the other; each exists, in itself, as a separate entity of meaning.
This rejection of all senses of interaction between the written text and the outside world aims at the foregrounding of objectivity as the one criteria through which a work of literature is graded and eventually classified as either not worthy or a masterpiece. Being objective, the New Critic examines a work of literature as a structured, coherent and cohesive unity. Good literature is characterized by the existence of a well-structured plot. Not only this but also that all other features of the text have to contribute to the evolvement and eventual resolution of the plot. The old man and the sea is a portrayal of Santiago’s relationship with the sea.
The story focuses on the connections between Santiago and his natural environment: the fish, birds, and stars are all his brothers or friends; he has the heart of a turtle, eats turtle eggs for strength; and drinks shark liver oil for health. This connection with the sea and its creatures helps Santiago in the midst of his great tragedy. For Santiago, success and failure are two equal facets of the same existence. They are transitory forms which capriciously arrive and depart without affecting the underlying unity between him and nature. As long as he focuses on this unity and sees himself as part of nature rather than as an external antagonist competing with it, he cannot be defeated by whatever misfortunes befall him.
In reader response theory, Characters, narrative tone of voice, setting, diction, tropes, figures and symbols all take part in building the plot’s chain of causes and effects, its achievement of suspense, its sense of fatefulness, its conflicts, its climax, and its denouement. Additionally, all these components, along with the choice of genre, must work at shaping one morally significant theme that will make the reading of the narrative worthwhile as well as rewarding.
Such sense of objectivity is also reflected in the New Critical belief that literature, though original, ought to mirror life. Characters and events are supposed to reflect a complex, sophisticated, not superficial, imitation of human conduct and mentality. So as language is the only source of inference in New Critical readings, it is the language of the text that must be examined so closely to enable a complete understanding of the characters, plot and theme and the other parts of the text that interrelate to eventually create the literary work’s universal significance.
However, many researchers have studied the writings of Hemingway’s novella, trying to unveil its originality and attraction. These studies have alternatively dealt with Hemingway’s narrative, his language and themes as a reader response to his writing. The text tells us that the old man was considered “the worst form of unlucky.”The sail of his skiff was patched with flour sacks and looked like “the flag of permanent defeat.” The man is gaunt, and his hands have deep scars. In spite of this, we are told, “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.” Reader response theory describes the old man and the sea as a person who is unlucky but refuses to give up. This person affects the reader in the narrative through his courage.
The reader response gives a detailed explanation of the careful and exact way the old man baits and drops his fishing lines. Then, we are told the old man’s philosophy about keeping his lines. He thinks to himself, “Everyday is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.” Our philosophy about luck depends on luck or fate and careful about details of the life time so that we are ready for every opportunity. The events of life can be explained completely by luck, or think that humans can influence some of life by being ready for luck.
This research is entitled Fate in The Old man and The Sea by Ernest Hemmingway. The result on this research will provide further researchers with data related to fate in the narrative. That is, readers of this research are exposed to enjoy literary aesthetics via the narrative on reader response which the investigation has been conducted.
1. READER RESPONSE SUMMARY OF THE NARRATIVE
Santiago is an old fisherman living alone in a poor cottage. A young boy Manolin brings him food and helps him with fishing. As the old man has not caught any fish for a long time, Manolin´s parents forbade to him to go fishing with the old man because he is “unfortunate”.
The old man believes the destiny will help him and sets out every day to catch his big fish. The eighty-fifth day he manages to catch a marlin. It takes three days till the marlin gets exhausted and the old man kills him. It is the biggest fish he has ever seen, bigger than his boat. He is sad to kill his “fish brother”, but happy to have the fish of his life. During his sail back to the shore, his marlin is attacked by sharks, which eat the whole fish finally. The old man comes back to the shore in the night, with only a skeleton of a marlin attached to his skiff. The next morning Manolin sees his boat and finds the old man sleeping in his bed, so he leaves him again to obtain some food.
2.1. Reader response theory on Characters’ description and interpretation:
The old fisherman, Santiago
Reader´s description of the old man is short and apt and contains notably strong allusions to his age, which is emphasized but never specified: “The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles…”, “…his hands had the deep-creased scars… But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosion in a fishless desert.” “Everything about him was old except his eyes…” (pp. 1; 1); and later eg: …strange shoulders, still powerful although very old… the old man´s head was very old… (pp.1;13). Despite his age, he is pictured as a man of “undefeated and wit eyes” (pp. 1;1,13) and “powerful shoulders” (pp.1; 13).
Almost allegorical phrase “…scars as old as erosions in a fishless desert…” evokes an image of arid waste world before the life appeared. It is a strong image thatrefers to the deep history beyond a life of an individual. This feeling is confirmed byrepetition of adjective “old” in the whole text. The appearance of the old man evokesimpression of both sympathy and respect to the high age.
Santiago is pictured as man of old manners and his job is part of himself. This fact is emphasized by the comparison with the young fishermen, who use “quick motorboats” (pp. 1; 23) and “spoke of her [the sea] as a contestant or a place or even enemy”.
Santiago´s character is revealed in his flows of association rather than told by a narrator. These associations create a picture of ordinary man, who is living in accordance with nature and is contended with his fate. The belief of predestination leads his life, creating a feeling of certainty and regularity. Man feels born as a fisherman, so he accepts it with all it carries together: “That which I was born for“ (pp. 1; 10) or „Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.“ (pp. 1; 13), “The fish is my friend too,” he said aloud. “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.” pp. 1; 20, 24, 27, 29). It is the constant natural order that a predator has to kill his prey to survive. That is how he considers it right according to the nature cycles and therefore it gives sense to him, as was also referred to by Bickford Sylvester (131).
In Santiago´s attitude there is obvious respect to the nature and all living creatures, even though they finally may become his catch. The predestination also includes Manolin´s character: “It is what a man must do.” (pp.1; 6).
Santiago´s human emotions are often projected into animals. He talks to animals as if they could understand him, and the most notable example of antropomorphization can be seen in man´s projection of various human feelings into the marlin during the fight. As noted by Sylvester, Santiago has got a sense to identify with the adversary (eg.“I wonder if he has any plans or if he is just as desperate as I am? pp. 1; 13) “You’re feeling it now, fish,” (pp. 1;15). Yet, not only with the adversary (« He was sorry for the birds » (pp. 1; 22).
In a reader response context, Hemingway´s concern also for the relationship of the individualism. This remark is very fitting if we consider the mutual reciprocity of relationships in contrast to Santiago´s isolation. The idea of interdependence can be seen in the natural order, but also in the interpersonal relationship of Santiago and Manolin. The antropomorphization fortifies the feeling of interdependence too. Despite the mood of interdependence, the character of Santiago is lonely and evokes a feeling of isolation.
Santiago´s character resembles the archetype of the Wise Old Man. This archetype is usually pictured in its personified form – as a character of the old man. It is specified as a character which brings light of the life sense into the chaotic darkness. He usually acts like a teacher, master or a manna person. The archetype of the Wise Old Man creates a background of positive father´s complex with a spiritual accent of a trustworthy authority. The Old Wise Man archetype also suggests a connection to the God Father. In its reader response sense, the God Father or Wise Old Man represents the aspects of wholeness and also of the Self. They both are considered representatives of inner harmony and unity, of calmness and reconciliation.
The features mentioned above can be found in Santiago´s character: he is Manolin´s teacher, experienced craftsmen, wise man of respected age. We may understand him as a last glimpse of light in a time of upcoming modern young generation.
Santiago carries the aspects of harmony and unity mainly in his belief of predestination. He presents the connection between old and modern times. And it is Santiago´s character that is projected into animals and Manolin. All these factors support the interdependence and unity. The unity of soul, reconciliation, harmony and balance are also main features of spiritual wholeness. In terms of analytical psychology we may speak of individuation.The individuation can be also described as a spiritual state of balanced existential matters.
In this reader response understanding, the unconscious thoughts expressed by Hemingway could describe the desire to reach the unity of the soul, the individuation, but it can also refer to harmony of some part of the psyche. It has been also generally noted that the predestination is a frequent feature of Hemingway´s characters. The predestination can be understood as a life conception in which the fate is given and the hero needs to unite his acts with this predestined fate.
By reaching his aim in this way, the individuation can be achieved too. The fisherman is supposed to fish, that is what he has to do, and as explicitly said, what he was born to do. The act of catching the fish represents the aim of the unconscious urge, whatever it may stand for.
However, the initial situation pictures disharmony by images of Santiago´s poor material provision, small boat, dissatisfaction with his fishery failure, weak organism. These indicators imply to poor initial mental condition and an urge for change.
The Wise Old Man archetype carries also a principle that helps to lead an individual to the conscious of his Self. For example, a fairy-tale character pictured as the old man usually helps to the hero to find his way, either by help with his tasks or giving him leading questions. In this way, he leads the hero to the conscious of his self. In the novella, questions appear whether Santiago is prepared and strong enough for catching his big fish. He is asked these questions from young Manolin. This aspect does not correspond fully with the archetype of the Wise Old Man, though Santiago´s character clearly has some of its aspects. In this case, the caring and understanding is the character of the boy. This contradiction demonstrates reader response’s identification into both characters through the narrative.
2.2. The boy, Manolin
He is described as young, kind and caring fisherman. Manolin´s character embodies features opposite to the old man. He is strong and successful and he acts as a fortifying element of the old man. He embodies his antipope, and in the novella he acts as psychical comfort. Manolin expresses all the old man does not have – life powers, youth, future prospect. There exists a close relationship between characters of Santiago and Manolin. The most noticeable are their attitudes of a teacher and his pupil, a craftsman and his follower, a father and a son. More than words are hidden in their dialogues (as it can be seen on pp. 1; 3).
They are aware of real situation of Santiago, yet they pretend quite the opposite to keep Santiago´s dignity. The most important fact is that they are both aware of this game.
Manolin lets Santiago have a feeling of respect, while Santiago is aware of it and accepts the game. This short dialogue shows a psychological phenomenon related to escape from reality. In more images of the novella we can see the old man receiving (food, clothes, baits, and help). What more, it is also explicitly said (“He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride.“pp. 1; 2). In terms of reader response psychology, the reception is considered as an ability to satisfy one´s needs. Manolin as a character offers a solution of reader response psychological matters that touch the social and moral dignity of the old man.
Due to such an attitude, the character of Manolin cannot be viewed at only as a boy or a pupil. His supportive aspect is essential for the old man´s perseverance. In these situations, Manolin acts like a partner standing on the same psychological level.
By reader response, It is probable that Manolin as a character who was created by the author´s inner psychological defense system as a solution of inner conflicts. The character of Manolin was created consciously, but under the urge of the unconscious tendency to express. We can suppose that in Hemingway´s age he personified with the character of Santiago – which would not be unusual for a literary author – and added in him his own beliefs or wishes of the word order. And it is also probable that feelings expressed through Manolin were his own fears he did not want to admit or express, so that he unconsciously used Manolin for this purpose.
The example and its explanation given above demonstrate that the relationship of these characters has to be understood interpersonally. Manolin appears in tense situations as a friend and psychical and physical help. We may say that he represents a part of the old man; it is a picture of his young self. He acts like the strengthening element of the self, called on the scene in situations where emotions inappropriate to the old man have to be expressed.
As a reader response result of the inner conflict, Manolin appears to manage the situation. It can be said that the creation of Manolin is the unconscious act of the ego to deal with a hard life situation. As the act is unconscious, the appearance of Manolin in the novella could be supposed to be a link to the unconscious.
Later in the story, when Santiago is alone on the sea, he desires to have Manolin close. This episode is different, because the setting does not allow to Manolin to come and help, and Santiago has to cope with the fish alone. This image may indicate author´s urge to solve his matter himself.
Although Manolin cannot be taken as a child in the full meaning of this word, he can be understood as the Child archetype according to its features. The Child archetype is defined as essential in analytical psychology. In it, the concrete memory of individual childhood experience unites with the mystic image of exceptional child. Such a child carries usually an aspect of God´s nascence and represents the divine in a human. The child brings a feeling of integration of an individual into the wholeness of nature and space, and also presents a connection to God.
The Child archetype brings power and energizing motif into the story. The unconscious basis of the early childhood overlaps with the pre-picture of a child and individual memory. The Child represents the primordial form of the wholeness (of the current and future wholeness). It is confronted with individual´s history and compensates and adjusts the current conscious state. The Child archetype symbolizes the potential of a future or of a future personal development. It represents new life in all its forms (for example it can symbolize a new approach of an individual to his own life of to some aspect of his life). Manolin could be regarded into the Child archetype. He appears as a physical and psychical help to Santiago. He is also his natural successor, which makes them both a part of the natural order.
Manolin´s company suppresses the loneliness and isolation. His character and behaviour seems to be perfect and has got obvious future prospect. The appearance of Manolin in acute situations (be it either the initial scene of Santiago´s bad luck or the final image after his return back) brings in encouragement and tempers down the negative emotions.
The categorization of the Old Man and Manolin into suggested corresponding archetypes was made on their features namely in the narrative level. It is understandable that these literary characters are personified and, on the original images of archetypes, that they carry an amount of author´s associations, concrete memories and creative outputs.
Concurrently, both characters can be considered representatives of the male principle. In frame of his theory, Jung came out with a contention of human bisexuality – in terms of psyche´s qualities. His male and female principles were defined as “principles that are related to one of the central polar pairs of mankind. These should be understood symbolically, not concretely, biologically or socially. In other words, the differences between male and female principle cannot be explained by social influence and these principles are rather considered as evolutionary conditioned division of roles. Their existence is based on the sense of general polarity that expresses the inner individual relationship of man and woman elements.
The prevailing masculinity in the novella streams from the reader response masculine self-conception. It can be noticed by the reader via the text that the initial and final situation both picture male elements only. The female aspects are represented by a fish and the sea, both these pictures appears far from man´s home element, although he is daily in their presence.
The tension is notable in the whole novella. It is namely the relationship of Santiago and Manolin that brings the strongest image of it. These characters are opposites of each other. The main polar pairs connected to their relationship could definitely be old – young, experienced – inexperienced, free – dependant, weak – strong, possessing wisdom of life – young. With regard to the narrative line, also pairs of unsuccessful – successful, alone – not secluded, receiving – giving, with an adjective belonging to Santiago mentioned first. This polarity pictures unconscious tension of those poles as Hemingway probably felt it.
On the contrary, these characters have a strong resembling feature of masculinity. It can be said that these two characters both picture the male principle, each of them with his specific aspects within the principle.
1. Reader response theory of initial situation and important questions
3.1. The initial situation introduces more symbols
The boat stands clearly for the mean of transport. The idea of the voyage is also expressed literally (pp.1; 2). The boat is a symbol of expedition, and supports the interpretation of voyage for a treasure – for a certain psychological value.
The shore, as a land, is the nature element for a human being. The shed on the shore represents Santiago´s home, no matter how poor it is. It demonstrates his psychical shelter, imaged as old as the man is. On land, the man has the situation in his hands. He is experienced, prepared and relying on good luck sets out to the sea. The sea is not his element and presents a lost touch with safe ground.
To close the analysis of the initial situation I may sum up that it introduces a misbalanced state with prevailing male principle, while the active female principle is suppressed. The narrative line implies to the effort to reach a balance situation. The symbol of the fish stands for a psychological value that needs to be reached in order to be integrated into the personality. As suggested, the value may be of the primary relationship quality or may touch author´s genre self-conception, relationship to his mother or the age-related social integrity issue. In Jungian explication, the absence of such a value can hinder from individuation, because the whole Self cannot be realized without it. The reconciliation of the personality then cannot be reached.
The intrapersonal relationship of the main characters is caused by author´s projection into these characters.
3.2. Describe the important aspects of Santiago’s relationship with Manolin
The relationship between Santiago and Manolin can be summed up in reader response in one sentence: « The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him ». Manolin is Santiago’s apprentice, but their relationship is not restricted to business alone. Manolin idolizes Santiago but the object of this idolization is not only the once great though presently failed fisherman; it is an idolization of ideals. This helps explain Manolin’s unique, almost religious, devotion to the old man, underscored when Manolin begs Santiago’s pardon for his not fishing with the old man anymore. Manolin says, « It was Papa made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him, » to which Santiago replies, « I know… It is quite normal. He hasn’t much faith » ( pp.10).
Despite the clear hierarchy of this teacher/student relationship, Santiago does stress his equality with the boy. When Manolin asks to buy the old man a beer, Santiago replies, « Why not?… Between fisherman » (pp.11). And when Manolin asks to help Santiago with his fishing, Santiago replies, « You are already a man » (pp.12). By demonstrating that Santiago has little more to teach the boy, this equality foreshadows the impending separation of the two friends, and also indicates that this will not be a story about a young boy learning from an old man, but a story of an old man learning the unique lessons of the autumn of life.
3.3. Discussion of the importance of the sense of sight to the characters in the novel
We are told, for instance, that Santiago has uncannily good eyesight for a man of his age and experience, while Manolin’s new employer is nearly blind. When Manolin notices this, Santiago replies simply, « I am a strange old man » (pp.14). Given the analogy between Santiago’s eyes and the sea, one suspects that his strangeness in this regard has something to do with his relationship to the sea. This connection, though, is somewhat problematic as it might suggest that Santiago would have success as a fisherman.
Santiago’s statement that his eyes adjust to the sun during different parts of the day furnishes another example of the importance of sight and visual imagery in the novella. Santiago says, « All my life the early sun has hurt my eyes, he thought. Yet they are still good. In the evening I can look straight into it without getting the blackness. It has more force in the evening too. But in the morning it is just painful » (pp.33). Given the likening of natural time cycles to human age, e.g. September as the autumn of life, it is plausible to read this passage as a statement of the edifying power of age. While it is difficult to find one’s way in the morning of youth, this task becomes easier when done by those who have lived through the day into the evening of life.
3.4. Fate in The old man and the sea
Santiago is accustomed to fish. Though his experience, he happens to have more than eighty days without getting any fish over a sea with his net. Despite the worst period of fishing, Santiago did not feel discouraged by anything nor any person.
The novella was published in 1952, and is one of the important narratives by Hemmingway. It is about, Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman. He struggles during eighty seven days without getting any fish. He is helped by a young boy, Manolin, who also lives in a small fishing village. Since Santiago does not get any fish, the parents of Manolin makes his stop from helping Santiago. They justified it by the fact of saying Santiago is not luckier but he is unlucky. Having not caught any fish for eighty seven days, Santiago fishes solitarily. The narrator asserts: It was papa made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him.” “I know,” the old man said. “It is quite normal.( pp:1)
Just as the sun rises on the second day, Santiago begins to pity the fish. He does so when he sees a fish longer than his boat that slows its speed. A fish was jumping up and down into water. For him, he took it as a day for much Joyce and reconfirmation of good day. As soon as he sees it, The Oldman wishes that Monolin were there to help him so that he catches and kills it. He thinks about the young boy because he is old enough to get it himself.
The Narrator states: “If the boy were here, if the boy were here, if the boy were here”.
In so saying, he recognizes that his health is no longer steady to resist the dangling movements of such a big and strong fish.
Suddenly, Santiago notices that the fish slows its speed; it finally jumps out of the water and sees that it is Marlin, which is even longer than his boat. The fish is 540m long and 340 kg heavy. The old man and the sea wished that the boy were there to help him by killing the fish because his health is deteriorating. He repeats:
“If the boy were here, If the boy were here, If the boy were here”
He feels very lonely and recognized that the fish is much stronger than himself is. “Man is not much besides the great birds and beast down there in the darkness of the sea. The old man sleeps a bit but he is wakened because the fish jumps out of the water for more than 12 times, it is in the evening time.
When the sun rises, the third day has started and the fish begins to circle the boat. The old man’s state mind deteriorates, because he has not eaten anything for a longtime.
Finally, when the fish is close enough the old man takes his harpoon and kills it. Having killed the fish, Santiago attaches the Marlin to the outside of the boat and starts to sail home. The old man arrived to the harbor at the third day of his journey. It is night and the old man goes to bed.
3.5. Reader Response themes in the novel
As the story is very complex, many different ways of interpreting it are possible to be carried out by the reader response theory. Some possible themes which can be found within the story are going to be discussed. The story is about an internal combat. The old man represents the human race and the sea represents the nature.
The story could be regarded as metaphor place between human beings and nature, but the story also proves that nature is always superior and that the human race is not able to win this fight. It is asserted by the statement may by the old man. “It is good that we do not have to try to kill the sun or the moon or the starts. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers.” Santiago knows that mankind is always inferior; he admits that he is happy that he does not have to try and kill the moon or the stars because he knows that they are much stronger and that he would always lose fight against them.
- Courage
It is about the courage necessary to get through the triumphs and tragedies that the sea represents. The sea could be regarded as a metaphor of life. So, the story encourages people to be brave and to go through the ups and downs that life presents to us.
One can conclude that the story is also about endurance heroism and the fact that one should never give up. The old man knows how important it is not good to give up because he repeats:
“I must not give up now”.
- The Triumph
Triumph is another possible theme of the story. But as the fish was totally eaten up by sharks, it also becomes clear that triumph is never final and that one has to fight a lot in order to keep it. It is also shown that we cannot influence how long our personal “triumph is going to last for.
The story is also about “pride” and it is explained where pride comes from and what it can lead to. It is the old man pride that makes him travel to dangerous place, far out in the sea, “beyond all people in the world” Santiago knows exactly how dangerous it is s far out in the sea, but he undertakes all this because he is very proud.
He wants the other fishermen to see that he is not too old and too weak to catch fish, even though for a very long time.
- The success
Success is another possible theme of Heming way’s story; but the author makes a difference between two types of success. First of all there is the “material” success because he lost all the material value of the fish which he could have sold if sharks had not eaten it up. And secondly there is the “inner” success reader response thinks that the old man can be regarded as successful even though he has lost the “material” fish.
He is very successful because he has overcome his physical problems like hunger, thirst, wounds, a broken knife; this makes him undefeatable in a certain way even more successful.
by Ombeni KAHARAMBA Faustin
LIST OF REFERNCES
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