Previous
Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
The Old Man and the Sea is written from a third-person omniscient point of view, although the story is centered around Santiago’s perspective. The reader is painstakingly placed in Santiago’s shoes, limited to his knowledge and viewpoint just as Santiago himself is limited to the world of his skiff.
Hemingway’s classic straightforward diction, sparse language, and short sentences constitutes the style of the story. There is a focus on immediate details, feelings, and thoughts. Hemingway’s famous “iceberg theory” of writing—where the writer only reveals a small portion of the full meaning, emotion, and depth of that which they describe—is on full display. The simple diction helps make the story a parable, specifically one accessible to all readers. Hemingway was particularly concerned about The Old Man and the Sea's accessibility, hence publishing the novella in an edition of Life magazine. That being said, there is much literary complexity beneath the story's simple surface.
The novella is full of particularly powerful descriptions of nature—both before, during, and after the battle between Santiago and the marlin—with Hemingway making use of figurative language to describe the wildlife Santiago encounters throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Indeed, Hemingway's focus on immediate details ensures the story is chock-full of descriptions of the natural world.
Related Themes:
