Hemingway's Philosophy On Life And The Old Man And The Sea

The Old Man and the Sea is Hemingway's last important work, which can be regarded as the summary of his philosophy on life. This paper, adopting both a socio-historical perspective and a feminist approach covering Hemingway's main life experiences and his treatment of women in his life and works, expounds that Hemingway does not really want to create a hero in the traditional sense of the word but wants to interpret life as it is, that is, life is an everlasting pursuit rather than some kind of achievement or failure. With this the author hopes that some new light may shed on the interpretation of the themes in The Old Man and the Sea.The thesis consists of four parts with a conclusion. Part I is the introduction to the thesis arrangement and a summary commentary on Hemingway. Part II centers on a literature review of feminism and its relation with Hemingway and his concepts of women revealed in his main works with the key critics' comments briefly discussed. Part III gives a critical account of Hemingway's life and literary career. It points out that among all the members of the "Lost Generation", Hemingway stands out conspicuously. However, Hemingway's outlook on life is not on a fixed trajectory but changes with the changing tides. The two world wars have made him think differently about life and existence, and his puzzlement and uncertainty about women are revealed in his works written at different periods of time. Part IV is a critical study of The Old Man and the Sea and a discussion of its possible themes, in which the author of this thesis argues that the creation of a hero or a "code" is not or not the only theme in The Old Man and the Sea. Men without women and wars in The Old Man and theSea, a conspicuous but often ignored phenomenon, reveals that in his later life, Hemingway has a deeper understanding of human existence which cannot be explored only in war and love.Based on the above analysis a conclusion is drawn that the value of The Old Man and the Sea lies in its implications of Hemingway's everlasting exploration into life, every success or failure constitutes a part of human existence, love and war is no longer Hemingway's only concern, and it is the pursuit in life and the confrontation with death that underlie in The Old Man and The Sea.