The Old Man and the Sea - Why do we STILL read it?

I have found that this book is somewhat inspiring. It also seems to contain a few hidden important messages that the readers have to analyse for themselves. While reading the book, I believe that the readers develop a lot of respect for the old man by the end of book, and that has helped it become so timeless.

When reading a story about an old man, all alone, struggling to catch an amazing fish, a person can not help feeling like they could make more out of what they are doing as well. Having gone through a few rough times in life myself, it makes me happy when think about the old man refused to let his pain get the better of him. These blogs are proving to be a rough time as well. If that poor old man could get through catching his fish, and even get past loosing it to the sharks, then I believe I can finish these blogs.

One of the important messages I found was that a love for nature can sometimes make things easier than they would otherwise be. For instance, if the old man saw the fish as an enemy and hated it, he probably would have had a miserable couple days trying to catch the fish. Instead, he loves the fish and forms a deep respect for it (Hemingway 30). Instead of becoming a fight between the two, the experience becomes a contest. Anger and hatred are not very pleasant emotions, so I would say hs love for the sea made fishing far more enjoyable for him, even though he was having a very rough and painful time trying to catch the fish.

When I read a book, I do not often form any respect for the characters -not that I do not like them, but because I just realize that in most cases it is just a book, not the truth-. Most of the time, I have trouble seeing anything realistic about them. In Old Man and the Sea, this is not the case. Hemingway creates a character that is strong and determined despite his old age. I love finding a book in which the characters can actually speak to you and seem so real. Even though this book had its boring moments, I really found it interesting and appealing. Considering that the book has become so classic, I doubt that I am the only one who thinks this way.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.