Significance of the 'Nature' in the novel In 'TheOld Man and The Sea'.

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Name : Pipavat Gopi Y

Sem : 3 ( M.A. English)

Batch Year : 2015- 2017

Paper Name : 10, The American Literature

Assignment Topic:

Significance of the 'Nature' in the novel In 'TheOld Man and The Sea'.

Submitted  to :

Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad,

Head of the Department,

Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

                                     

 Introduction :   

                                     

" Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another." - Ernest Hemingway

        American writer -Ernest Hemingway was born in oak park  Illinois , on July,21 1899. We could probably say that an unhappy love  affair and his unhappy experiences in war were motivating factor which made him a great writer.The brutality of the Hemingway world of fiction has given rise, to the view that he is a sort of 'caveman' of literature. He gives us the impression of being a hyper , sensitive man who has been terribly hurt by life.

Hemingway wrote  many books. In 1952,after years of works, he brought out 'the old man and the sea 'a tale of  struggle of a single, old fisherman against the power of fate and ocean. It was the story he had been trying to write all his life and brought him to the Pulitze prize in 1953.

About novella:

'The old man and The Sea' is a story of epic struggle between an old experienced fisherman - Santiago and a huge existence but nature is not providing him enough. Nature plays very vital role throughout the novel.

Hemingway's attitude towards 'nature' is not easy to define, when nature is being used for sports-killing fishing, big -game hunting, bull-fighting. -it is beneficent. The joy it can give is so mystical that is beyond the words. 'The old man and The Sea' will show the wide range of his  'naturalism'.if we want to define 'Nature' of the novel - 'The Old Man and The Sea'. We have to see with broadest view. However, the novel is a representation  of  life as a struggle against unconquerable natural forces in which a kind of victory  is possible. It is an epic metaphor for life, a contest in which even the problem of right and wrong seems partly before the great thing that is struggle.

"One can't escape from Nature."

Let's discuss the significant of the 'nature'

Significant of the 'nature'

in novel

The Old Man and The Sea.

        The Old Man is unique in his relationship to and understanding of the natural world. During reading the novel , readers find that nature has two aspects in the novel. Nature plays a very huge part in the novel since the setting is the sea and the fish is Santiago's counterpart.

Two aspects of reading 'Nature' is that.....................

1.   Nature : as it is. (itself)

2.   Nature : as a symbol.

when we just  look at how nature it is described in novel  and how the old man- Santiago's relation to this nature. some how both are  different from each-other.

Santiago talks about the 'sea' as though it is a character, the bird as friend and the sharks as the personal enemies. Santiago physically alone on the sea but he also understands that......

"No man was ever alone on the sea."

Each thing is the part of nature. And surprisingly Santiago's fight is - with nothing else but with nature. Old man has to do struggle with nature though he is a part of 'Nature'.As a part of nature, Sometimes human  being becomes totally inferior to it.      

"Man can't fight against the nature because nature has supreme power."

one can't rely only on one's skill when s/he is in nature. Because the cruelty goes alone with  nature from time to time, is shown when the old man's  outer appearance is  described.

"Nature takes away what it gives."

 Natural  elements  -sea, birds, sun, moon, trees, sharks ,turtles  and jellyfish-all  those  are  part of  nature  including  Santiago. The  old  man and the sea also incites discussion about  the  natural order of things.means...in the world every elements are somehow united in harmony or love  almost.

''Nature has its own unity.''

A Harmony  in Nature:
As we all know that novel  has no many characters. There is only three main characters like.....

1. The old man  - Santiago

2. The boy         -  Manolin

3. The fish         -  Marlin

But...it seems like that nature has its own role throughout the novel. And  'sea' is the most important part of the novel and writer Hemingway describes it as a 'character'.

The atmosphere seems to be at first sight something completely order and in perfect harmony. Nature 'sea' with it creatures in it, birds, the sun, the moon,, the stars are also in their harmony. Relationship between Santiago and with natural elements just like friends. But....relation with shark of Santiago is different than others............

Examples:

                "Old man asked the bird 'how old are you?' 'is this your first trip?' the bird looked at him when he spoke. It looks like the old man feels pity for the little bird. He talks to bird like...if he really could understand."

 The old man; struggle's with fish Marlin three days, we already find that he is sorry for birds and turtles, but his feelings for the Marlin are different. It seems to be bigger extremely big and powerful.

 Old man and fish have to wait that  one of  the two loses strength. Both probably have same strength as both are the part of same nature. Though both are not direct enemies both are equally important. Both have harmony of  the nature. Nature of universe.

        It is a world in which everyone is killing or being killed. Because of bonding and intimacy between them nature establish the unity and emotion which transcends the destructive pattern in which they are caught each - other.
 Santiago's nature towards the Marlin :

"I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends."

Nature has not only positive image but it has also destructive and hostile as well. The nature which seems to be so peaceful at first time sight is also sometime like an enemy. Nature has constructive and destructive both power at the same time.

Each living thing - men or animals act according to the compulsion of its nature in the process of becoming a part of the profound harmony of the natural universe. No one is totally good or bad both aspects are there into one and the same way, Santiago's temperament goes on changing. Even the sharks have their own place. The sharks are largely scavengers,  but the strongest and most powerful among them.

As we already mention that the old man- Santiago is unique. But in the 'Nature' Santiago really is nothing more or less than one of the creature in the 'sea'.

Representation of  Nature:

        Nature can't be predicated. As we discuss that Santiago's nature and other element's of nature depends on situations (universe  of nature.) But...universally , nature is not decided. Nature describe only as it is but somehow in this novel, we find that........

"Nature is static in the whole novel. It is not beautiful as we think in our imagination. Really it is so cruel and brutal."

Examples:

From the starting of novel there is something stress on mind of  reader   because of  the description of nature like...........

"Fished alone  in a skiff in the gulf stream and he had gone eighty-four days without talking fish."                        

        It seems like the misfortune because of nature. In novel is static and because of its quality, Santiago can understand nature with his own tricks or skill. Stars, birds and other natural elements helps him in wild ocean. So, some of natural elements are favour in to the old man and he has to fight nature also. As a part of nature, Santiago the old man solves the query of symbolism  which is provided by nature.

Novella  - 'The Old Man and the Sea' is based on conflict between Man  v/s Nature. Though man is part of  nature, sometime, he has to accept nature as battlefield as Santiago accepts the 'sea' a s his battlefield. He has to stand there.

 However, the sea is not providing him enough catch to survive. He is able to catch the large marlin but sea will not allow him to have it and he returns to share with nothing but 'skeleton.'

"Nature defeated him with his bad luck."

Symbolism in Nature:

Symbolically , however the conflict is representative of man's conflict with overpowering forces in society . Man's resilience against those forces. Nature has its own symbol and it uses in different way. No doubt each symbol has its own interpretation but in the novella - "the old man and the sea".

Sea :  as a character :                                           

 The novel - is not only struggle about the old man's suffering. It also seems like that .....'sea voyage'. In the novel 'sea' itself a strong character. 'Sea' itself becomes symbol and it also becomes character also in the novel.

        'sea' is marvelously described in the novel. It is mighty object. And I think sea is directly compared with old man's strength, depth of thoughts and spirit. In that sense, sea is the symbol of the (mightiness ) Old man's mightiness.

Blue water of sea is also compared with the old man's  eye. Old man can't escape from that he has to stand in the battlefield with his spirit though he knows that he might be lose. Sea only doesn't represents the great pain and suffering  which is already existed in human life. For us , the old man - Santiago and sea is united.

Sea is the reflection of that pain and suffering of human life.

".Kaik to chhe ke jethi Uncho- Nicho thay chhe Dariyo;

Mane To Apani jem j Dukhi dekhay Dariyo."

Symbolically, the meaning of the 'sea' is constantly changed because it is based  on context. In this novel. 'Sea' might be seen as misfortune.  But in other literature it compares with other elements or emotions.

In  Gujarati literature  we find 'Samudrantike ' by Dhruv Bhatt and 'Dariyalal' by Gunvant  Acharya  give  too much space to nature  'sea' in their novel.

Though  nature is not favour  and it is in its destructive image or mode,  People adore the sea a 'GOD'.         
 In  'samundrantike' kharva people said that.....

''Dariyo dev chhe! ''

        

I think, in nature we find wholeness and the 'sea' is one of  the most bewilder  example of it. Because each time sea-ocean is not beautiful but sea is also able to create horrible image in mind.

Poem written by Dhruv  Bhatt- also reflects that one can't understand 'Sea'. Because it goes on changing and so many thing are there at the same time and all those things  are true at a time for 'Sea' .

Above poem also describes 'sea' as a character. Other natural elements like..............Bird; as general bird may be suggests the freedom. But here, bird may be symbolized as ordinary man who can't understand the symbolic meaning of nature. Night and Stares become the symbol of follow suffer which shown him right path during his journey.

 For The Old man,  all those elements are the symbol of hope and light in the darkness. Though they all are in harmony, they are individual. Each is doing struggle in the nature and the same way, the old man - Santiago fights with his own strength. One has to fight with own fat without talking help of other. As whole, each aspects of nature has its own nature in the universe.

"Man can't fight with nature. Because man is the part of nature and it has supreme power over us."

                But as human being, man can't accept himself as inferior or defeated so; Old man continues his struggle till the end. And it is one of the best line of the novel which describes reality also that......

"A man can be destroyed but not defeated."

Example of stars............                               

"The stars were bright now and he saw the dolphin clearly and he pushed the blade of his knife into his head and drew him out from the stern."

 Means..... In darkness stars help to the old man, Santiago and stars becomes the symbol of guide also.
Perspectives:

We all know that novel -'The Old Man and The Sea' based on the struggle. Struggle between the old man and nature. Does man not part of nature?. But  The old man says that.............

"But man is not made for defeat."

Human being can't accept themselves as defeated. They want to satisfy their 'Ego' though they all are part of nature. but .............. What make differences in between man and other natural elements ?

Yes, language, language makes differences between the old man and other natural elements like..'Sea' , 'Sharks' and 'Marlin'.

Just think , is it the same story if it is written by Sharks, Sea and Marlin's perspectives?

what they want to speak if they have language.

Let's imagine their perspectives.
Sea:

Though sea is a battlefield for old man, sea saves so many lives in it. Sea says........"The Old man-you are representative of the mankind and always referred me as cruel. You destroy my shelters lives. I give you so many place in my area. Toy get so many things from me. I just give you never demand anything and then I am cruel?"

        "Man kind you never understand me , my pain, my suffering and then I never stop my work for you. After so much suffering from you, when I start giving  reaction you all say that ' I am destroyer'. But....so called 'intellectual man' - first look at yourself.

The sharks:

 Sea is 'home' for sharks. The sharks are not an accident in sea but it is natural  in 'sea'.

"He had come up from deep down in the water as the dark cloud of blood had  settled  and dispersed in the mile deep sea."

        'This was a fish built to feed on all the fishes in the sea, that were so fast and strong and well armed that they had no other enemy.'

Fish marlin:

 Though marlin is small part of Nature. He played a vital role in the novella - 'The Old Man and The Sea'. It is fish Marlin who makes the Old Man 'Hero' of the novella.

Marlin says, ......

        "you the old man - why you hunt me? You cross your limits to prove yourself only. To satisfy your ego through me. I am object for you nothing else.  You - human beings have no co - existence with other creatures. Are suffered from your race. We are not enemy to you all and then even you are ready to kill us only because of your pride".

"yes, old man the difference between you and me only is language. You, tell the story to others only from your perspective  and be the hero of your story. But what about me ? My pain ? What about my suffering ? Who tells the story about me to your people. Your race ? "you killed me for pride  and because you are fisher-man you did not kill   the fish only to keep alive and sell for food."  Marlin says..."Old man killing me you get admiration and money but killing you, I get nothing. I fight with you and only to save my  own life. 'I kill you in self-defense. 'I  am alone weapon less to fight against you but you have so many things and then I am innocent than you. "you are more wilder than me". I listen your words when you say that ..

"I may not be as strong as I think but I know many tricks and I have resolution"

"Old man, I  am also wild creature as you are. But I kill them as natural forces for my live hood not prove myself as you want. I feel proud that I am not part of your world - who don't keep respect, love  and empathy to others."

        Means..... Observing through the novella, the role of the victor and the victim is constantly changed.
Example:

First Santiago is the victor over the marlin; then he suffers vicariously the marlin's defeat as the sharks strip a way  its flesh Santiago  reflects, as the attack by the first shark threatens to turn his victory into a defeat.

 So, in Nature - all things are moving. One can't stay at only on one place. One's role is constantly changed. As , we have Guajarati phrase......................"Je Poshitu Te Martu E Karm Dise chee Kudarati !".

Epilogue :

Discussing Nature with various aspects, we may say that each thing has its own nature and sufficient space  into Nature. Universe provides total free place to its own things and man. We have to adjust ourselves with others as we and they both are the part of nature. One can't describe nature in words because it is vast phenomena  and unique experience to feel.
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