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“The Cuban Context of Old Man and the Sea” By: Bickford Sylvester. Thesis: (In our own words). Hemingway surrounds his readers with the Cuban culture to help them understand what is literally happening during that plot.
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“The Cuban Context of Old Man and the Sea” By: Bickford Sylvester
Thesis: (In our own words) • Hemingway surrounds his readers with the Cuban culture to help them understand what is literally happening during that plot. • Sylvester suggests that if we don’t research about the Cuban culture, we wouldn’t understand what is happening.
Major Evidence • Santiago uses “tricks of the trade” that proves he is not a “strange old man.” (244) • While Hemingway portrays Santiago as a “strange” old man, it “really is a deception.” (245) • Turtle-ing was an occupation that blinded most fishermen due to the glare of the sun. • Sylvester states that Santiago used the trick of using a remora parasite, which helped him to keep his good sight.
Religious themes that can be found through the book were proven by the traditions and beliefs of Cuban cultures. • An image of the Virgin Mary hangs on Santiago’s wall as it does in most Cuban’s homes. • The Virgin Mary was Cuban’s national figure. • There is a Spanish legend that Saint James, portrayed by Santiago, was found off the coast of Spain with “no rudder or sail.” ( 245) • On Santiago’s way back to shore, he uses almost everything that was on his boat, which symbolizes the finding of Saint James.
Sylvester claims that Hemingway portrays Manolin not as a “boy,” but as a “single, unmarried man.” (256) • “…And he, the father, was playing in the Big Leagues when he was my age.” • George Sisler was 22 when he started playing professionally. • “Rural Cuba” was described as a patriarchal family, which is not seen today when American or European readers would read. • As seen through the “UN demographic statistics,” males ages 15 through 24 were unmarried and were dominant under their father. (256) • Manolin’s comment, “I am only a boy and I must obey him,” received a response of this being “quite normal.” This was seen as the Cuban attitude toward the majority of young men. (256)
We don’t agree • Sylvester does not state why he relates it to Cuban culture