The Old Man and the Sea

This book had a pace and style unlike any I had ever read. I could definitely sense the journalistic tone in the writing and could see how Hemingway's past career influenced this novel. The Old Man's unwavering drive to achieve amazed me more and more as hurdle after hurdle blazed toward him. His will was so strong that nothing, no pain, no exhaustion, no discouragement could phase him. I began to believe he'd never catch the fish but die trying so I was surprised when he did. However after the first shark attacked I predicted that by the time he made it home, there would be nothing left of his prize. His reaction to reaching the dock with nothing but a skeleton shocked me. Rather than lamenting over his broken achievement, he picks himself up and presses on. I guess it makes sense. Failure never daunted him before because he always clung to hope. I believe in character he is much the same yet this experience was a point of no return and never again will he tackle a struggle quite so titanic no matter what he could prove through it.