【英语论文】老人与海硬汉形象“Code Hero” in The Old Man and the Sea

青岛理工大学琴岛学院毕业论文用纸题目An Analysis of “Code Hero” inThe Old Man and the Sea第7页摘 要 海明威是美国著名的小说家之一，小说老人与海使其获得了1954年的诺贝尔文学奖。在此小说中，作者创造了一个完美的硬汉形象桑地亚哥。老人与海是一件影响广泛， 寓意深刻的世界文学瑰宝，它广泛地为大众所阅读，以至有人这样认为“只要是个文化人，你就会知道海明威其人。知道海明威，你就不可能不知道小说老人与海。”为什么这部小说如此被广泛的阅读？当然，诸多方面造就了小说的成功，但是有一点，毋庸置疑，那就是作者对小说主人公桑地亚哥这一永恒的艺术形象的成功塑造给人深刻印象，让人难以忘记这个硬汉形象的代表。本文是从分析作品中老人这一形象出发，揭示“硬汉”的特征，倡导一种坚忍不拔，永不言败的精神。在论文引言中，我们将对小说的主要内容作一简单的叙述，揭示小说的中心思想，并提出本次设计的内容分析小说主人公桑地亚哥这一硬汉形象特征。后简单介绍此次论文的写作思路及框架。论文正文的一部分为背景信息，我们通过介绍小说作者海明威的传奇一生，指出作者与小说主人公的诸多相同之处，其中最相似之处便是都具有“硬汉”精神。在正文的第二部分，我们将结合老人捕鱼前后及在大海中航行的遭遇，具体分析小说主人公的“硬汉”形象特征。这种特征主要表现在四个方面：首先，在任何困难情况下都不放弃希望；其次，在斗争过程中始终保持高昂的斗志，永不服输；再次，在行动上勇往直前，打不到，击不跨；最后，在漫长的斗争过程中学会忍受孤独。本文的最后一部分为总结。通过对小说中“硬汉”形象的分析，深刻体会“硬汉”精神对当今社会的现实意义，倡导这种坚忍不拔，永不言败的精神。 关键词：老人与海，海明威，“硬汉”，桑地亚哥AbstractHemingway was one of the most famous novelists in America. He created a perfect image of Code Hero: Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea which won Hemingway Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. The Old Man and the Sea is one of the most influential and far-reaching novels of the literary treasure of the world. Its so widely-read that people consider that “Whatever there is an intellectual, people know Hemingway and nobody knows Hemingway without knowing his works The Old Man and the Sea. Why the novel is so widely read? Why is it so influential and why is it so loved by the people of different colors and different nations? Surely many factors may contribute to the success of the novel. But the main factor, no doubt, is the touching and unforgettable portrait of the immortal artistic figure, Santiago, a representative of Code Hero. In the introduction of the essay, I will make a brief description about the contents of this novel and point out the main idea of the novel. The content of the essay is to analyze the characteristics of Code Hero. And then I will set out framework of the essay. The first part of the body is the background information. Through the introduction to Hemingways legend life, we find some common points between the author and the old man, and the most familiar point is that both of them have the spirit of Code Hero. In the second part of the body, I will portray the process of his catching Marlin and fighting with the sharks. Then I will analyses the spirit of Code Hero. The spirit is concentrated on four areas: First, never give up hopes in any difficult conditions; secondly, keep daring spirit and never admit defeat in the process of fighting; thirdly, behave heroically in the actual battle; and last, endure the loneliness in the long process of the fighting. The last part of the essay is the conclusion. This paper will analyze the image of the old man, reveal the characteristics of Code Hero, and advocate the spirit of never giving up. KEY WORDS：The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway, Code Hero, Santiago Contents摘要AbstractIntroduction1Chapter One The Background Information21.1 About the Author21.2 The Authors View on the Novel and the Old Man3Chapter Two The Four Characteristics of Code Hero52.1 Everlasting Hope for the Future52.2 Daring Spirit for Facing the Challenge72.3 Heroic Behavior in the Actual Battle92.4 Loneliness Endurance in the Long Fighting10Conclusion12Acknowledgements13Bibliography14IntroductionThe Old Man and the Sea was published in 1952 and was one of Hemingways most successful novels which won Hemingway Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. The novel writes a very simple story which chronicles the adventure of Santiago, based on a true story of a Cuba fisherman. After eighty-four days without catching a fish, Santiago, an old Cuban hooks a giant fish. For two days and two nights the old man holds on while the fish pulls him further and further. Finally he kills the fish and ties it to his skiff. Almost at once, brutal sharks begin to take his price away. He struggles against the sharks with the harpoon, the oar, the knife, the short club. The sharks eat all but the bones of the fish. Half dead with exhaustion, he brings the skeleton home and makes his way to bed and dreams of his golden time. In the novel, Hemingway creates an immortal artistic figure, Santiago, a representative of Code Hero. Santiago is a poor fisherman who lives alone and has finally lost all will to live. Every day is the same dull, monotonous routine. His wife had died; his only comfort is a boy who is forbidden to fish determination in holding onto a gargantuan fish, Santiago is plunged into the adventure of his life, but will it bring meaning to his days? But it is the spirit of Code Hero to support him fighting and living. The chief point about Santiago is that he behaves perfectly and honorably, with great courage and endurance. While losing to the sharks the giant fish he has caught, he comes with the message that while man may grow old, and be wholly down on his luck, he can still dare to stick to the rules, persist when he is destroyed, and thus by the manner of his losing to win his victory. I also want to point out that the novel not only describes the fight between human and nature and fate but also indicates Hemingways Code Hero getting to its summit. Although the old man in the novel is weak and in the grim fate of pressure, he also shows the spirit of Code Hero. This paper will analyze the image of the old man, reveal the characteristics of Code Hero, and advocate the spirit of never giving up. Chapter One The Background Information1.1 About the Author Ernest Hemingway (1896-1961) was a novelist and short story writer who became one of the best-known American authors in his century. He was famous for his experience and unique artistic style all over the world. According to The Old Man and the Sea (1952), Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. Hemingway centers his novels on personal experience and affections. According to his works The Sun Also Rises (1926) he became the representative writer of “the Lost Generation”. He could not cope with post-war America, and therefore he introduced a new type of character in writing called the “Code Hero”. Hemingway is known to focus his novels around code heroes who struggle with the mixture of their tragic faults and the surrounding environment.Moreover, Hemingways creation not only originated from life true to life but superior to life. Hemingway is a realism writer, consequently, copied something mechanically. He was also a master of turning reality into fiction, representing not only what had actually happened but also what logically might happen. He didnt lay special emphasis by his inner beauty. So Santiago leaved an indelible impression to us. Hemingway once said that The Old Man and the Sea could be in a longer novel. In the novel, he could describe many other villagers and how they made a lively life, how they were educated, how they bore children, and so on. But he omitted all those, only describing, the old man and the process of fishing the Marlin and fighting the sharks. Besides, Hemingway not only reflected real life but also expressed himself in his work. Or, we can say, Hemingways creation is superior to life. Santiago showed the spirit “undefeated” which Hemingway has. So Hemingways life attitude has been widely recognized and imitated all over the world. Hemingway is worthy to be called the Code Hero: he was born in an intensely middle-class family, Chicago, Oak Park. His father, who was a doctor, devoted to hunting, fishing and influenced on Hemingway greatly when he was three years old, his father gave him a fishing pole for his birthday gift. When he was ten years old, he got a hunting gun. As a boy of fourteen, he was encouraged to practice boxing. Hemingway fought in the two world wars: in the first war as a medical soldier, and the second as a reporter. He took part in World War I as an honorary lieutenant in the Red Cross. He went overseas as an ambulance driver. He was wounded many times and experienced at least 12 operations which took out 227 pieces of artillery shells. Besides, he suffered a great deal from aviation accident: his eyes injured while hunting and in African jungle he was in two airplane accidents in the spaces of two days. All these didnt defeat Hemingway. He was such a man who turned down defeat. When he was old he was poor in health. Still he indulged himself in fishing, hunting and bull-fighting from which he pursued thrilling scenes and enjoyed himself in fighting. However there is a question, “Is Hemingway timid and pessimistic, so that he is committed suicide?” The answer, of course, is “No”, Hemingway suffered much illness and injury and he committed suicide at last. But his suicide cannot show he was timid and pessimistic. On the contrary, he set upon image of braver because he regarded his illness and injury as his “enemy” such as the sharks. He used his life as a weapon, in order to get rid of his “enemy”, he would rather choose to die. He and his “enemy” ended in common ruin. 1.2 The Authors View on the Novel and the Old Man Hemingway defined the Code Hero as “a man with lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful” (The American Tradition in Literature, Page78). He showed, in his famous phrase for it, “grace under pressure”. The Code Hero measures himself by how well they handle the difficult situations that life throws at him. In the end the Code Hero will lose because we are all mortal, but the true measure is how a person faces death. The code believes in “Nada”, a Spanish word meaning nothing. Along with this, there is nothing after life. Hemingways view of human nature is that happiness is rare and is found within a man and not in his outside circumstance or surroundings. Hemingway illustrates this in three ways. First, he portrays the human nature of Santiago, the main character, as being one of humility and compassion, full of strength and pride. He is shown not as a gleefully happy man, but one who meets life with a serene, quiet resilience. Second, Santiagos fellow villagers are shown as shallow, with a narrow view of life compared to his. Their focus on appearances is in sharp contrast to Santiagos focus on intrinsic values. Third, it will be shown that his rare brand of happiness comes from within. To Hemingway, the dignity of a man should be so important to that man that he is willing to die for it. Most likely that is the reason Santiago went deep into that sea, following the Marlin, tearing the skin off his hands as he held on to that line. This is also why Santiago risked his life catching the Marlin. Finally, he caught the marlin, he was proud of himself that he so extremely wanted. When the sharks attack the fish, it is as same as the sharks attacking his dignity. This is mostly why an elderly man, armed only with crude weapons would fight many sharks. As the sharks tear apart the Marlin bit by bit, it is as they are tearing apart his dignity bit by bit. That is why Santiago found the courage to fight off sharks to protect his dignity. Hemingway shows that a man will not risk his life for his dignity, then what is in that life to live for? Even though the old man lost the battle with the sharks at the end, “his obtunding and persistent determination makes him as a perfect Code Hero”(The American Tradition in Literature, Page82). He had done everything a person possibly could have. Through Santiago Hemingway told us that we are wholly down on our luck and destroyed in the end. Then we should conduct ourselves just like the old fisherman, not be pessimistic and disappointed but to keep on struggling until we get what we want. That is, undefeated spirit is most important. This is also the normal principle of Hemingway. I think Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea was Hemingway himself. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway was fond of him and sang high praise of him. He placed his personal experience on the old man and reflected some of his innate characters. Hemingway merged himself with Santiago in thoughts and feelings. The spirit of Santiago lasted and re-embodied on Hemingway. Throughout Santiago, the old man cannot accept the fact that he is getting old and that he slowly casting his strength. Hemingway in reality was having the same problems. He was getting old and things he once did, he no longer could do. Just as Hemingway could not accept that fact, neither could his character: Santiago. In fact, Hemingway utilized his life to show that he was an unconquerable “old lion”. Chapter Two The Four Characteristics of Code Hero2.1 Everlasting Hope for the FutureOne may lose the battle in life, but he can achieve a moral significance after his courage, bravery and ability to endure have been tested. Because hope does not die, power is not off. Even if the hope is slim, we also must try our best to fight for it. The author believes that, hope makes the old man to fight with the Marlin, fight with the sharks and fight with his own will. At the beginning of the novel, the author portrays the image of the old man. “The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of the neck. The brown blotched of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his cords. But none of these scars were flesh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page1). When we read here, we maybe show our sympathy to the old man and think that he cannot do anything. Further more, Santiagos life is not in good condition. He lives in a shack in which there is only a bed, one chair and a place on the dirty floor to cook with charcoal. He is so poor that had no “pot of yellow rice and fish to eat”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page2). While sailing for fishing, he has only a bottle of water with him. He leads a lonely life. His wife died leaving him no children. Except a boy he once taught to fish, he has few friends. It seems that few people care him. What is more, he is a failure in catching fish. For eighty-four days he fished in a skiff without taking a fish. Eighty-four days is a long period of time. Eighty-four days without a fish is very unfortunate for a fisherman. For a weather-beaten, poverty-stricken and lonely old man like Santiago, the misery might be beyond anyones intolerance. For a man can tolerate failure, but cant tolerate continuous failure. Too much failure will sure defeat a man even with strong will. For this reason, we may arrive at the conclusion that Santiago will give up fishing. But to our surprise, the color of the character is brighter in the following, “everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated” (The Old Man and the Sea, Page2). The eyes of the old man are not stuffy and he has the eyes those “were the same color as the sea” that only the young man has, which shows the old man has a young heart as the young. “He fitted the rope lashings of the oars onto the thole pins and, leaning forward against the thrust of the blades in the water, he began to row out of the harbor in the dark”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page18). The old man firmly insists that he will not always be unfortunate, and ships into the deep sea without looking back. What makes the old man make such a decision under the difficult condition? Through the man, the author points outeven though life is harder, even the wretched standpoint, “But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page22). This is the hope for the future, never giving up hope for the future. The author further strengthens the character of the old manthe Code Hero. When the sharks have eaten half of the Marlin, “it is silly not to hope, he thought. Besides I believe it is a sin. Do not think about sin, he thought”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page90). “he forked the tiller free from the rudder and beat and chopped with it, holding it down again and again” Finally, he saw one shark came against the head of this fish, and he knew all was over. He swung the tiller across the sharks head where the jaws were caught in the heaviness of the fishs head which would not tear. He swung it once and twice and again. He heard the tiller break and he lunged at the shark with the splintered burr. He felt it go in and knowing it was sharp he drove it in again. The shark let go and rolled away. That was the last shark of the pack that came. There was nothing more for them to eat. At last, he sailed back into harbor exhaustedly, with a skeleton of his fish and a broken skiff. “Shes good, he thought. She is sound and not harmed in any way except for the tiller. That is easily replaced” (The Old Man and the Sea, Page109). All what the old man sees are good side. He failed, however, “he is not defeated, despite the fact that has been beaten, as he himself admits, by his violation of the sacred code. He pronounces that nothing beat him really and that his only fault was that he went out too far ” (Elegant Demeanor under Heavy Pressure, Page90). 2.2 Daring Spirit for Facing the Challenge The process of the old mans fishing is just like the humans whole life. Everyone in the world lives a hard life and has to face the vast and vast sea, the greedy sharks with sharp tooth, and along with himself is just a boat and his soul that support him live in the world. Facing with the respected but fearsome nature, the human being is so insignificant. However the author has raised such a question: by what the human being should have to live in the work? At the same time, the author answered this question by portraying the way that the old man faces the sea and deals with the sharks alone. “Just then, watching his lines, he saw one of the projecting green sticks dip sharply.” (The Old Man and the Sea, Page31) A big fish is hooked. At the first round of contest, the old man suppresses his own desire and waits the fish to eat the hook quietly. The old mans silent sounds reflect his strong desire from the deep heart. “Eat them, fish. Eat them. Pleased eat them. How fresh they are and ” “Come down, the old man said aloud. Make another turn. Just smell them. Arent they lovely? Eat them good now and then there is the tuna. Dont be shy, fish. Eat them. ”(The Old Man and the Sea, Page31-32) With patient the old man faces the silent before the battle. Next is the contest of the strength. The old man “swing with each arm alternately on the cord with all the strength of his arm and the pivoted weight of his body.” But “nothing happened. The fish just moved away slowly and the old man could not raise him an inch.” The fish is so big that can pull away the boat to the wider deep sea. At one side is a very old man, and at the other side is unfathomable sea and unknown injuries, the readers can imagine the picture. Hegel ever said, “The great personality and the degree of firmness can only be measured by those of the opponents.” (The Image in Hemingways The Old Man and the Sea, Page24) The old mans admirable courage is also demonstrated by the opponentthe sea and the sharks. On the returning voyage the old man suffers greater challenge: the Marlins blood draws the sharks group. The author uses much ink to portray the sharks “wide, flattened, shovel-pointed heads now and their white-tipped wide pectoral fins. They were hateful sharks, bad-smelling, scavengers as well as killers, and when they were hungry they would bite at an oar or the rudder of a boat. It was these sharks that would cut the turtles legs and flippers off when the turtles were asleep on the surface, and they would hit a man in the water, if they were hungry” (The Old Man and the Sea, Page93) These portrays aim to descr