Published in 1952, “The Old Man and the Sea” won the Pulitzer Prize for Ernest Hemingway in 1953 and the following year the Nobel Prize for Literature. The author's last story published in his lifetime, the work divides opinions about its exclusivity and above all speculations about his inspirations. Despite this, the greatest consensus is on literary perfection full of messages about humanity and compassion.
Set in Cuba, the narrative is centered on the story of an old local fisherman, Santiago. After more than 80 days without fishing, man is already considered as an unlucky one of the worst kind. The judgments about his life are not unanimous, thanks to a boy who admires him and encourages new victories.
The overcoming path or journey is obviously built on the high seas. After so many failures, Santiago is about to live and witness the unusual in his life, with the fishing of a huge fish. It is on this common thread that the author unravels details of the thoughts and dreams of a man who struggles for survival without losing confidence in life.
Rich in details, the work has been interpreted as a metaphor for Hemingway's artistic process or even as an instance of the human condition. On the one hand, triumph, another perspective may be the futility of a victory. Regardless, the truth is that defeats can also be loyal and honest, after all it all depends on one point of view.