“There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you [Santiago].”

Established American novelist, Ernest Hemingway masterfully arranges The Old Man and the Sea – perhaps the work truest to his illusively simple writing style and also his last written novel.

Elderly Cuban fisherman, Santiago has not caught a fish for eighty-four days and it is not looking hopeful. For the first forty of the eighty-four days, he has a young boy with him. “The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.” Santiago is at the height of poverty and lives in a house made of bird faeces and often has imaginary meals because he has no food. The next day, Santiago goes far out to try his luck at impressive marlins.

Hemingway’s deceptively simplistic writing style had an immeasurable impact on American (and global) literature. His writing seems simple to the naked eye but further analysis reveals the deep themes – treasures – and the complexities behind his authorial choices. Hemingway’s works are based on his real-life experiences and what he leaves out of his stories is what makes them – the catalyst.