Abstract

This thesis firstly tells the lifetime and the literary experience of the author of The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Miller Hemingway, and the composition background of the novel. Then it centers on the main characters of the novel, such as the old fisherman Santiago, the little boy Manolin, the giant marlin and the fierce sharks. By analyzing these roles in the novel, we can have a general knowledge about the philosophy of life that reflected in The Old Man and the Sea. We often hear the saying:”art comes from life, but dramatizes life”, Hemingway heard about the real story of a Cuban fisherman and wrote down it. The novel not only reflects the values of Hemingway, but also shows us the philosophy in life,which will do great help to our social life.We can learn a lot from the “tough guy” spirit and the sentence,”A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”

Key words: The Old Man and the Sea,Santiago, spirit, human and nature,philosophy of life

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction  1

2. The main information concerned with the novel 2

2.1 The experience and the literary career of Hemingway 2

2.1.1 The main life experience of Hemingway.2      

2. 1.2 The literary experience of Hemingway.3

     2.1.3 The work style of Hemingway.3

2.2 The composition background of the novel .4

  2.3The general analysis of the novel 5  

3. The analysis of the main roles in the novel.6

3.1 The sea6

3.2 The hero -Santiago 6

3.3 The little boy 6

3.4 The other items 7

4. The philosophy of life reflected in the novel.7

4.1 The philosophy reflected on the old man7

   4.1.1 The spirit of the old man   .7

4.2 The philosophy reflected in the main fightings in the novel .8

   4.2.1 The fight between the old man and the marlin8

   4.2.2 The fight between the old man and the sharks8

   4.2.3 The victory and failure of the old man.9

4.3 The philosophy reflected in the symbols in the novel.9

   4.3.1 The old man and the sea9

   4.3.2 The marlin9

   4.3.3 The sharks9

5. Conclusion .10

References 11