The Old Man and The Sea

This book was my 7th for the Back to the Classics Challenge I'm doing this year. The Old Man and The Sea is for the 20th Century Classic category. (I am going to tell an overview of the story so if you don't what to know how the story turns out don't read the middle paragraph.)

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. It was an easy read and I was able to read it in one day, but it was very odd. There are so many angles I could look at for evaluating this book. The writing was clear.

The story was an interesting look at the fishing culture in Cuba as it followed a man who had had a long run of "bad luck" and unable to catch any fish. He was determined that today would be his day to break his bad run and he would catch a fish. He ends up catching a huge marlin but cannot get the fish into is small boat. It takes him on a long 2 day ride out to sea until he is finally able to catch it and latch it to his boat. On the way home the fish ends up eaten by sharks and so he has nothing but a skeleton to show for his effort.

On the one hand it was a good look at determination and hard work. On the other it seems ridiculous for the man to hold on for so long to this fish instead of attempting to catch another, especially since he caught something small to eat during this adventure. I just don't know what to think about it.

I can't say I'd recommend it but can't say I wouldn't either. I'd like someone else to read it just to talk it through with me because it was so weird.

I don't even know how to rate it. I'll say 2 stars, but really I just don't know.