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Apr 20, 2016TEENREVIEWCREW rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Lessons are taught and learned in many different aspects of life, from the coming of age to simply settling down with a family. This story shows in a contemporary fashion the importance of a valiant attitude towards what we perceive as defeat. It is told by Ernest Hemingway, who has lived through both world wars, as well as mental illness, and to us is an account; his advice on how we should act when facing loss. Using fairly simple prose, Hemingway creates characters that are meaningful to all readers: they can be sympathized with, and symbolize our humane traits, such as the will to live. Although the plot only concerns an older man fishing by himself out in the unforgiving sea, many elements bring this idea to life -- the sharks who eat away his hard-earned reel, the bruising and abrasions he gets the more he fights. This novel won the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature, and signified a major concept in the philosophical interpretation of life. Rating: 5 of 5 @Mercurial_Series of the Hamilton Public Library Teen Review Board Penned by Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea is a classic that trails the courage of an old man as he struggles to catch a fish in the sea. After eighty-four days without a catch, the old man goes far out into the Gulf Stream. When a marlin is caught on his line, the old man is elated; he does not know that the ordeal is yet to begin. Despite his old age and wearing strength, the old man overcomes natural obstacles with admirable spirit throughout his course. It is the old man’s unwavering determination that allows him to endure constant physical pain while not accepting defeat. Although the story is fairly short, it conveys important messages relating to bravery, pride, dignity, and persistence. The Old Man and the Sea is an inspirational piece of work and undoubtedly worth reading. Rating: 5/5 - @VirtueofReading of the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library The Old Man and the Sea was my first read by Ernest Hemingway and paved way for my love of his writing style which is concise yet so descriptive you could put a picture together in your head easily. This type of writing style allows one to be completely submerged into a novel and especially since this one is only 126 pages long, don't be surprised if you have trouble putting it down. The novel follows a relentless old Cuban fisherman in his journey of becoming triumphant after a long streak of haplessness. If you are looking for a positive and motivational novel which encourages courage in the face of defeat this might be exactly what you're looking for. Overall Hemingway's novel is  adventure packed with suspense and unexpected turns, I promise it will leave you philosophically questioning what you just read. This book is especially recommended for beginner readers, or younger people, or those who are interested in reading other novels by Hemingway. - @magicsoup of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library A short read, this book packs in a lot of detail that is overlooked by its tiny size. It is about (generally) the struggle between an old fisherman and a large fish. There are many large lessons that can be learned from the smallest of acts, shown through the old man. The detail is multitudinous and the plot is fairly easy to follow. It kind of bored me at parts, and I feel that if I liked fishing more, I would relate to the story in a lot more ways. But truthfully, one shouldn't have to like the sport of fishing to like the book, just have a well-developed insight on bigger pictures. 3/5 stars - @Siri of the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library