2. Nevertheless, the narrative voice is reliable and can be treated as reverend in attitude to the old man.

3. On the face of it, the tone of the book seems somewhat pessimistic, but I would rather call it placid and unhurried (like a sea). Culmination is not accompanied with great burst of energy. Importance of the moment is perceived inwardly. The tone is introvert, thus, all is endured at heart. Moreover, in the melancholy of the tone the hope is easily peeped out.

3. Reason for asceticism of the narrative voice Hemingway himself explained as his disinclination to write about what was already satisfactory described by other writers. His conception of literature is to encourage readers to create the novel in their own minds. Hemingway tried to leave out all

Unlike most novels, The Old Man and the Sea has no chapter division. This can be because of its relative shortness. But more likely is that from beginning to end, we are given a continuous account of Santiago's three-day ordeal. Chapter divisions or headings would be an unnatural intrusion into this exceptionally intimate slice of life.

On another level, Santiago is a symbol of grace under pressure. Other fishermen seem to believe that the old man himself is a walking symbol of permanent defeat, as he does not catch a fish for 84 days. Santiago proves himself when the time comes, giving a lasting impression of endurance.

There are many references to the old man as the biblical figure. To begin with, Santiago, Spanish for Saint James, a martyred apostle of Jesus, appears to be crucified by dark forces (sharks) that torture anyone who demands too much of life or who dares to "go out too far". Equally, Santiago can be treated as Christ himself. Evidence for this is amply:

1) Dread of life and death and overcoming that dread. It follows systematic, persistence actions/behavior and vision true meaning in common things. This victory counts more than luck.

- Santiago's hands "had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert"

- philosopher: quiet reflection on the nature of sin, fortune, deep meaning of his duty (to kill) and fish's, almost mystical interpretation of the nature of relationship between him and Marlin: he is a friend, brother and then almost alter ego ("I think I felt his heart").

2) Heroism (triumph over crushing adversity)

Some common words found in the essay are:
Santiago Martin, Lions Santiago, , Fish Fall, Sea Boat, Primary Tensions, Writes Literary, Social Groups, Hunt Everlastingly, Symbolism Hemingway, narrative voice, permanent defeat, dark forces, wistful wishes, own experience, ultimate symbol, baseball players, nature relationship, catch fish, issues 1,
Approximate Word count = 2603
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)