The Old Man And The Sea……….and I
When I was a little boy I was immensely impressed by certain films I saw. I always had a vivid imagination and the make believe world which I saw projected on the screen fell on fertile ground and I kept dreaming about it in my sleep and day dreaming about it
wherever I would be and whenever my fantasy took hold on me. In fact at school my teachers often scolded me because as they were explaining something, I would be staring aimlessly and reliving those episodes from the last film I saw. Also at home and even in church I often was lost in my thoughts and when I woke up from my trace I would be surprised that I was not conscious of anything that was going on around me and I would wonder how long I had been in that state.
Some of the films I saw and which really made an impact on me are Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson and Around the world in 80 days……..to mention just a few. As I grew older things didn’t change much but I enjoyed more those types of films which had a romantic story such as, Romeo and Juliet, Green Mansions, Love Story and also musicals which surely include, South Pacific, April Love, Carousel, Oklahoma and several others which I willingly watch again and again even in my old age because they take me back to those days when I was younger, much younger.
In the last twenty or thirty years, that is in the last half of my life, I rarely go to the cinema to watch a movie. But I do watch films on television. I will gladly watch an old movie and if it is one of my favorites, I will enjoy watching it again. Sometimes I do watch a modern film…..one of these which I really liked is “Avatar’.
But to relate to the title of today’s story, the movie which is my all time favorite is ‘The Old Man And The Sea.’ I also read the book by Ernest Hemingway. This book / movie has many ingredients which attract me. The story itself is very simple, the ambient is very appealing, the sea is my great love and the actor, Spencer Tracy is one of my favorites.
How I enjoyed narrating this story to my pupils every year! On their part, my students would listen to every word I said in perfect silence and with their utmost attention. Obviously I have a copy of the film on a cassette and I showed it to all my children and grand children after telling then the story. My youngest son who was still very young when I was about to retire from my teaching career, was the only one of my children with whom I had the chance to spend long hours teaching and helping him in his studies. We used this story for several titles in compositions in Maltese, English and Italian which are the three languages which we usually learn at school. So if the title of the composition or essay was, ‘A book I read’ or ‘A film I saw” or, ‘A dream I had ‘or ‘My favorite story’ or anything which could relate to this story, he would use it and in several exams he was luck to be able to do it.
Now I am an old man and I often go out at sea alone to enjoy myself fishing which is one of my hobbies. When I am out there between the sky above me and the immense deep blue sea beneath me, I often recall to my mind the film, ‘The Old Man And The Sea’ with the difference that there, I am the old man.
There I think of the story of the film and my life’s story. The film describes the old man with great humanity. He is tired and old and he is now limited. While the younger fishermen of the village dare go further out at sea and catch big fish, he does not have the strength to do so, but the call of the sea makes him spend hours out there even to catch small fish. In spite of the fact that often the old fisherman is laughed at when the others meet him as they return to the shore and discover his poor catch, he smiles, nods his head and remembers the good old days when he was considered as the champion of the village. He remembers the time when one big fellow challenged him in the local bar, to a hand wrestling feat. He remembers that the challenge went on for hours and the people in the bar made bets about who was going to be the winner. They took so long that they were getting sleepy but both held on even though their arms ached. But in a last attempt, our hero succeeded to get it over with. And in that bar there were great celebrations and all congratulated the winner.
And alone in my boat, after picturing the episode I just narrated, I often realize ……………………………. isn’t this, in a way also my story and surely it is the story of so many old men like me. I remember that when I was young I was a small hero in the schools I attended, in the teachers’ training college, when I was at the beginning of my career and of course my own children looked up at me as a model of strength and
wisdom (this, in truth I never was). I was keen on sports and I still get goose bumps and still hear in my ears the clapping and shouting of the spectators when I played soccer as a keeper and saved a difficult shoot, or when I won the high jump and putting the shot competition. At college I was the strongest swimmer of the group and in the annual athletics I collected the highest number of trophies. ………………but now that young guy is no longer and sometimes I too am laughed at even by my own children who jokingly challenge me to keep up with them when running or swimming or playing, but ………………. this is life!
Again while fishing I continue to dream about the story and I remember while I perhaps catch a fish how the old man of the story once hook something which was so strong and big that it pulled the boat behind it. How happy the old man was and although the fish was too strong for him, he wouldn’t let go of it. His hands were all bloody with the line he was holding tight, in fact he was sure that the fish he had caught was enormous and his own life could be at risk. But this was an opportunity of a lifetime and if he succeeded to catch it and take it to the village, he would regain the esteem of all villagers so this thought made him struggle hard all through the night. But as the sun was rising and the fish was getting weaker, he felt the line rising to the surface and in an instant; there it was, a giant Merlin fish jumping out of the water. Oh my! What a fish! What a catch! He did it! The fish fell in the water and was floating helplessly. It was dying. The old man pulled at the line and slowly brought his boat near the fish and with a wooden harpoon he killed the fish while asking her to pardon him because after all he felt sorry for her but he could not help to let this opportunity slip his hands.
Although this story is quite simple, its thoughts are profound because they depict our deepest emotions. Again I realize how the emotions and thoughts of the old fisherman are realistic and similar to mine. Many times in my life especially now that I am old, I come across a good opportunity which I think will solve some of my many problems. I do my utmost and I work hard to make this opportunity work for me…..it may be a health issue, a financial issue, a work issue or whatever………I never say die and keep on try and sometimes I think that 'I made it' and everything will be OK as the old fisherman thought, once he had killed the fish.
But the story goes on. The fish was so big that by no means he could pull it up in his small boat……. besides, the boat was smaller than the fish. So he thought to tie it by the side if his boat. Having done this he set sail to return home. Although he was death tired, exhausted and hungry, he was so happy about his great achievement and he fell asleep and began to dream again of the past but also of the near future when he would show his catch to the other fishermen and all the people of the village. But soon he was awakened because something was happening; his boat was rocking like a cradle. Sharks were attacking his precious fish! He was desperate and he fought them with all his might with all things which he could find in the boat, harpoons, oars and all. For some time he succeeded to chase them away and he could relax a little. But the fish was badly bitten and blood was oozing from its wounds. This attracted more and more sharks. He did his best to defend his fish but it was all in vain, he fell unconscious in his boat. It was quite some time to regain conscious and when he did everything was calm and the boat drifted swiftly towards its destination. He stood up, there were no sharks but when he looked at his fish, he saw that only the spine, the head and the tail were left, all the flash was gone.
It was dark during the night when his boat touched the sandy beach of his village. He didn’t even bother to tie his boat in its place. He just got down of the boat and made his way to his hut. Then he just let his body fall on his bed and cried. He still had those images in his mind about the big beautiful fish, the sharks, the fighting……. and soon he fell asleep dreaming again his usual dreams.
What a disappointment!! And this is very true in your and my life too. How many times did our dreams vanish into thin air for one reason or other? During my life I fought many of life’s battles. Even now at my ripe age I still have strong challenges. How many disappointments I had to face? More often than not the people around us do not even appreciate our effort even if it concerns them too.
But you know what? Some do appreciate. Some do have a sense to see beyond once failure. The old fisherman may have lost his fish. But some of those villagers who saw his boat with the skeleton of the fish still tied to it, with blood all along one side of the boat……they guessed exactly what had happened and saw in that old weary, broken man a hero, a real man, a champion.
I dedicate to-day’s story to those who in my life, despite of my failures, see that I struggled and fought and did my very best to make things better for myself, my family and to all those who I intended to help in one way or another………even if I sometimes did not succeed.
In stead of the usual 'Quote of the day, I decided to give you three links which are taken from the film of today's story, 'The Old Man And The Sea." ( in case links won't open, please copy each in address bar of browser.)
http://youtu.be/lfumvx5uFFk
http://youtu.be/2VHqQ3FyWVU
http://youtu.be/OBQHvMOdyBY
When I was a little boy I was immensely impressed by certain films I saw. I always had a vivid imagination and the make believe world which I saw projected on the screen fell on fertile ground and I kept dreaming about it in my sleep and day dreaming about it
wherever I would be and whenever my fantasy took hold on me. In fact at school my teachers often scolded me because as they were explaining something, I would be staring aimlessly and reliving those episodes from the last film I saw. Also at home and even in church I often was lost in my thoughts and when I woke up from my trace I would be surprised that I was not conscious of anything that was going on around me and I would wonder how long I had been in that state.
Some of the films I saw and which really made an impact on me are Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson and Around the world in 80 days……..to mention just a few. As I grew older things didn’t change much but I enjoyed more those types of films which had a romantic story such as, Romeo and Juliet, Green Mansions, Love Story and also musicals which surely include, South Pacific, April Love, Carousel, Oklahoma and several others which I willingly watch again and again even in my old age because they take me back to those days when I was younger, much younger.
In the last twenty or thirty years, that is in the last half of my life, I rarely go to the cinema to watch a movie. But I do watch films on television. I will gladly watch an old movie and if it is one of my favorites, I will enjoy watching it again. Sometimes I do watch a modern film…..one of these which I really liked is “Avatar’.
But to relate to the title of today’s story, the movie which is my all time favorite is ‘The Old Man And The Sea.’ I also read the book by Ernest Hemingway. This book / movie has many ingredients which attract me. The story itself is very simple, the ambient is very appealing, the sea is my great love and the actor, Spencer Tracy is one of my favorites.
How I enjoyed narrating this story to my pupils every year! On their part, my students would listen to every word I said in perfect silence and with their utmost attention. Obviously I have a copy of the film on a cassette and I showed it to all my children and grand children after telling then the story. My youngest son who was still very young when I was about to retire from my teaching career, was the only one of my children with whom I had the chance to spend long hours teaching and helping him in his studies. We used this story for several titles in compositions in Maltese, English and Italian which are the three languages which we usually learn at school. So if the title of the composition or essay was, ‘A book I read’ or ‘A film I saw” or, ‘A dream I had ‘or ‘My favorite story’ or anything which could relate to this story, he would use it and in several exams he was luck to be able to do it.
Now I am an old man and I often go out at sea alone to enjoy myself fishing which is one of my hobbies. When I am out there between the sky above me and the immense deep blue sea beneath me, I often recall to my mind the film, ‘The Old Man And The Sea’ with the difference that there, I am the old man.
There I think of the story of the film and my life’s story. The film describes the old man with great humanity. He is tired and old and he is now limited. While the younger fishermen of the village dare go further out at sea and catch big fish, he does not have the strength to do so, but the call of the sea makes him spend hours out there even to catch small fish. In spite of the fact that often the old fisherman is laughed at when the others meet him as they return to the shore and discover his poor catch, he smiles, nods his head and remembers the good old days when he was considered as the champion of the village. He remembers the time when one big fellow challenged him in the local bar, to a hand wrestling feat. He remembers that the challenge went on for hours and the people in the bar made bets about who was going to be the winner. They took so long that they were getting sleepy but both held on even though their arms ached. But in a last attempt, our hero succeeded to get it over with. And in that bar there were great celebrations and all congratulated the winner.
And alone in my boat, after picturing the episode I just narrated, I often realize ……………………………. isn’t this, in a way also my story and surely it is the story of so many old men like me. I remember that when I was young I was a small hero in the schools I attended, in the teachers’ training college, when I was at the beginning of my career and of course my own children looked up at me as a model of strength and
wisdom (this, in truth I never was). I was keen on sports and I still get goose bumps and still hear in my ears the clapping and shouting of the spectators when I played soccer as a keeper and saved a difficult shoot, or when I won the high jump and putting the shot competition. At college I was the strongest swimmer of the group and in the annual athletics I collected the highest number of trophies. ………………but now that young guy is no longer and sometimes I too am laughed at even by my own children who jokingly challenge me to keep up with them when running or swimming or playing, but ………………. this is life!
Again while fishing I continue to dream about the story and I remember while I perhaps catch a fish how the old man of the story once hook something which was so strong and big that it pulled the boat behind it. How happy the old man was and although the fish was too strong for him, he wouldn’t let go of it. His hands were all bloody with the line he was holding tight, in fact he was sure that the fish he had caught was enormous and his own life could be at risk. But this was an opportunity of a lifetime and if he succeeded to catch it and take it to the village, he would regain the esteem of all villagers so this thought made him struggle hard all through the night. But as the sun was rising and the fish was getting weaker, he felt the line rising to the surface and in an instant; there it was, a giant Merlin fish jumping out of the water. Oh my! What a fish! What a catch! He did it! The fish fell in the water and was floating helplessly. It was dying. The old man pulled at the line and slowly brought his boat near the fish and with a wooden harpoon he killed the fish while asking her to pardon him because after all he felt sorry for her but he could not help to let this opportunity slip his hands.
Although this story is quite simple, its thoughts are profound because they depict our deepest emotions. Again I realize how the emotions and thoughts of the old fisherman are realistic and similar to mine. Many times in my life especially now that I am old, I come across a good opportunity which I think will solve some of my many problems. I do my utmost and I work hard to make this opportunity work for me…..it may be a health issue, a financial issue, a work issue or whatever………I never say die and keep on try and sometimes I think that 'I made it' and everything will be OK as the old fisherman thought, once he had killed the fish.
But the story goes on. The fish was so big that by no means he could pull it up in his small boat……. besides, the boat was smaller than the fish. So he thought to tie it by the side if his boat. Having done this he set sail to return home. Although he was death tired, exhausted and hungry, he was so happy about his great achievement and he fell asleep and began to dream again of the past but also of the near future when he would show his catch to the other fishermen and all the people of the village. But soon he was awakened because something was happening; his boat was rocking like a cradle. Sharks were attacking his precious fish! He was desperate and he fought them with all his might with all things which he could find in the boat, harpoons, oars and all. For some time he succeeded to chase them away and he could relax a little. But the fish was badly bitten and blood was oozing from its wounds. This attracted more and more sharks. He did his best to defend his fish but it was all in vain, he fell unconscious in his boat. It was quite some time to regain conscious and when he did everything was calm and the boat drifted swiftly towards its destination. He stood up, there were no sharks but when he looked at his fish, he saw that only the spine, the head and the tail were left, all the flash was gone.
It was dark during the night when his boat touched the sandy beach of his village. He didn’t even bother to tie his boat in its place. He just got down of the boat and made his way to his hut. Then he just let his body fall on his bed and cried. He still had those images in his mind about the big beautiful fish, the sharks, the fighting……. and soon he fell asleep dreaming again his usual dreams.
What a disappointment!! And this is very true in your and my life too. How many times did our dreams vanish into thin air for one reason or other? During my life I fought many of life’s battles. Even now at my ripe age I still have strong challenges. How many disappointments I had to face? More often than not the people around us do not even appreciate our effort even if it concerns them too.
But you know what? Some do appreciate. Some do have a sense to see beyond once failure. The old fisherman may have lost his fish. But some of those villagers who saw his boat with the skeleton of the fish still tied to it, with blood all along one side of the boat……they guessed exactly what had happened and saw in that old weary, broken man a hero, a real man, a champion.
I dedicate to-day’s story to those who in my life, despite of my failures, see that I struggled and fought and did my very best to make things better for myself, my family and to all those who I intended to help in one way or another………even if I sometimes did not succeed.
In stead of the usual 'Quote of the day, I decided to give you three links which are taken from the film of today's story, 'The Old Man And The Sea." ( in case links won't open, please copy each in address bar of browser.)
http://youtu.be/lfumvx5uFFk
http://youtu.be/2VHqQ3FyWVU
http://youtu.be/OBQHvMOdyBY