The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. The Great Gatsby is considered the best novel by Scott Fitzgerald that was published in 1925. Like his other novels, this novel was also inspired by the incidences of his own life and was based on his own youthful romance with socialite Ginevra King. The story depicts the moral deterioration of the Jazz Age and is set on Long Island near New York City. The novel tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young married woman whom he loved in his youth. The novel is written as a first-person narrative and depicts the interactions of enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby with Nick Carraway (the narrator). Fitzgerald himself was enamored by Ginevra but failed to marry her because of the differences between their economic class. The same class clash is depicted in this novel too. In 1998, the Modern Library selected The Great Gatsby as the 2nd best English language novel of the 20th century.

Characters:

Nick Carraway is the first-person narrator of the novel. He is a World War I veteran belonging to a rich Minnesota family. He is a Harvard graduate who visits New York City to learn more about Bond Business. He is the cousin of Daisy Buchanan.  Jay Gatsby is the titular protagonist of the novel. His real name is James Gatz; he was born in North Dakota to an impoverished farming family. While serving in the Army in World War I, Gatsby met Daisy Fay (now Daisy Buchanan) and fell passionately in love with her. However, he could not marry her because she belonged to a well-to-do family while he was poor. He worked his way out to high society through hard work and some mysterious works with the help of a millionaire. Gradually, he became acquainted with the people of high society but lost Daisy as she married someone else. Daisy Buchanan, formerly known as Daisy Fay is Nick’s cousin. She is married to Tom Buchanan. She loved Jay Gatsby and had promised to wait for him until the end of the war, but after meeting Tom Buchanan and comparing his extreme wealth to Gatsby's poverty, she broke her promise.  Tom Buchanan is a brutal strong man belonging to a highly rich family. He is sexist and racist. He is a vicious bully, physically menacing both his wife and his mistress. Jordon Baker is Daisy’s long-time friend. She is a golfer who cheated to win her first tournament. George B. Wilson is a listless poor man whose only passion is his love for his cheating wife. Myrtle Wilson is George’s wife. She is an earthy, vital, and voluptuous woman who seeks improvement in her life. She is in an extramarital affair with Tom Buchanan and is jealous of his wife. Meyer Wolfsheim is a notorious underworld criminal figure involved in bootlegging and betting. He is a business associate of Jay Gatsby. He is a jew. He is the only one who feels real grief after the murder of Jay Gatsby.

Summary

The novel begins with Nick Carraway’s monologue

“In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.

‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'”

Nick is the first-person narrator who is a World War I veteran. Nick was educated at Yale and he belongs to a rich family. Nick is thinking back on his life events that happened in the summer of 1922. Throughout the story he tells, he remains a passive observer offering his perspective about the other characters and events. Nick was from Minnesota and visits his cousin Daisy Buchanan in New York to learn about the bond business. Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan and they live in the posh Long Island District of East Egg. Nick decides to have accommodation in West Egg which is a less fashionable area. People living in East Egg do not consider it a good place to live. There is a certain class clash as even though people living in West Egg are also very rich and successful, they have recently made their money and they lack the usual established social contacts in high society. Tom is also a Yale alumnus who was a football player during his college days. He is a brutal bully who is too much sensitive about class and race. Nick’s cousin Daisy, on the other hand, is a calm lady who appears to be listless as if she is not happy. At Daisy’s home, Nick meets Jordon Baker, a professional golfer who is very cold and cynical by nature. Nick learns that she is the one who cheated in her first tournament. Nick and Jordon make a friendly relationship that soon turns out to be romantic.

Jordon tells Nick that Tom is not loyal to Daisy as he is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, a woman living in the Valley of Ashes which is an industrial wasteland outside of New York City. Nick then returns to his home at West Egg. He sees Jay Gatsy, his neighbor, gazing at a mysterious green light across the bay. Jay extends his hand towards the light as if he will touch it.

Tom Buchanan takes Nick to New York City to have some fun. On their way, they stop at a garage owned by George Wilson. They meet Wilson and his wife Myrtle in the garage. Nick remembers what Jordon told about Myrtle. Tom tells Myrtle to join them later in the city and then they move out of the garage.

In the city, Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to Morningside Heights. Tom expressively shows that Myrtle is his mistress. Myrtle’s sister Catherine also visits there along with a couple named McKee. All the five enjoy their evening with a lurid party. Nick listens to their gossip. Catherine talks about the mysterious Gatsby living in West Egg. She says that Gatsby has some underworld connections and he is in some relationship with Kaiser Wilheim who was the leader of Germany during the First World War. As Myrtle drinks alcohol, she loses control and becomes aggressive. She starts showing how jealous she is of Daisy and starts taunting Tom about her. Tom also shows a temper and breaks her nose and thus the party comes to an end.

At home, Nick observes that his neighbor Gatsby is fond of throwing extravagant parties. Nick gets an invitation to one such party by Gatsby and he decides to attend it. At the party, Nick meets Jordan Baker who was also invited. Nick sees that while many prominent people attended the party, most of them didn't know who Gatsby was. He had never seen Gatsby before from close. He observes that Gatsby is a handsome young man with an English accent. While Nick and Jordan were talking, Gatsby approaches them and introduces himself. He then asks to speak to Jordan Baker alone. Jay and Jordan talk for quite a long time and then Jordan returns back to Nick. She says that she has learned remarkable news but she cannot share the details with Tom at this time.

A few days later, Jay visits Nick’s house and invites him to lunch. At lunch, he says that he belongs to a rich family in San Francisco and he attended Oxford thus he has an English accent. He tells him that like Nick, he joined the army during World War I. While Jay speaks with confidence, Nick feels that something is fishy about all this. Gatsby introduces Nick to his business associate Meyer Wolfsheim who is an underworld criminal with possible links to the 1919 World Series Fixing case.

Nick observes that while Gatsby continues to arrange parties, he mysteriously avoids inviting Buchanans. Later on, Nick learns the reason for this from Jordan Baker. Jordan tells him that Gatsby had been in love with Daisy Buchanan when they met in Louisville before the war. Jordan subtly intimates that he is still in love with her, and she is with him.

Gatsby asks Nick to arrange a meeting between him and Daisy. As Nick agrees, Gatsbycarefully plans his meeting with Daisy and rehearses for it. When Daisy arrives, he attentively welcomes her and offers a tour of his mansion. He flaunts his huge property and wealth. Despite his cold behavior, the love between Daisy and Gatsby reignites and they begin an affair.

Nick continues to know more about Gatsby and he learns that he was born James Gatz in North Dakota, but had his name legally changed at the age of seventeen. Nick learns that James Gatz was a poor farmer. Jay fell in love with Daisy who belonged to a rich family. Daisy’s family opposed their relationship because of the class difference between them. Daisy promised to wait for him till he returns from the war but when Daisy met Tom as a suitor, she broke her promise as she had little hope that Jay could ever earn such a huge fortune and decided to marry Tom. After failing in his love life, Jay began a mission to become highly rich and successful and he got the able direction of gold baron Dan Cody who introduced him to the world of wealth, power, and privilege.

One day, Tom accidentally reaches Jay’s mansion while riding his horse and sees Nick and Jay together. He immediately feels a dislike towards Jay as for him, Gatsby belongs to the newly rich group and hence, is a threat to the old order that Tom considers important. Gatsby invites Daisy and Tom to his next party together and Tom and Daisy attend the party. At the party, Tom behaves exceedingly rudely toward Gatsby. Nick learns that Gatsby wants Daisy to leave her husband and reunite with him. Nick feels that Gatsby has a great many qualities, but his worship-like obsessive love for Daisy is his flaw. Nick observes that Gatsby is unable to see Daisy's flaws. He believes that he can undo the past, and forgets that Daisy's essentially small-minded and cowardly nature was what initially caused their separation.

As Daisy shows an inclination to come back to Gatsby, he stops throwing extravagant parties. Nick learns that the only reason Gatsby threw such parties was the chance that Daisy (or someone who knew her) might attend. On the other hand, Daisy feels cheated as she comes to know about Myrtle and Tom’s affair. She invites Gatsby, Jordan, and Nick to her home for lunch. To make Tom feel jealous, she openly shows her affection toward Gatsby. Then she tells Gatsby that she loves him while Tom is in earshot.

Tom himself is having an extramarital affair but he is not able to accept that his wife is in love with someone else. He gets angry and forces the group to drive to the city. During the drive, they stop at Plaza Hotel where Tom and Gatsby argue bitterly. Tom abuses Gatsby and denounces him for his lower birth. He reveals to Daisy that all the huge fortune that Gatsby has earned is a result of illegal activities such as betting and bootlegging. Gatsby begs Daisy to leave Tom and accompany him but Daisy says that her real allegiance is towards her husband and refuses him. Gatsby accepts her decision and asks to drive them back home. Tom says that he will come later and allows Gatsby to drive Daisy back to East Egg. In a way, he shows contempt for Gatsby and expresses his confidence in his wife.

During the drive to East Egg, Gatsby allows Daisy to drive so that she may feel better after his bitter argument with Tom. As they pass through Wilson’s garage, Daisy tries to avoid a collision with another car coming from the opposite side and accidentally ends up hitting Myrtle. Myrtle is fatally wounded and she immediately dies. Gatsby takes the blame for the accident to save Daisy. Nick advises Gatsby to go away from the city to avoid jail. However, Gatsby refuses to go away to ensure tDaisy's safety. Meanwhile, Wilson is too sad after his wife’s death and wishes to avenge her death. Tom meets him and reveals that Gatsby was the driver of the fatal car accident that killed Myrtle. Wilson knew that Myrtle had an affair but he was unaware that she was Tom’s mistress. Wilson believes that the car driver who killed Myrtle must have been her lover. He shoots Gatsby and then commits suicide.

After the murder of Gatsby, the Buchanan family leaves the city to distance themselves from the violence they caused. Jordan Baker also breaks up with Nick and Nick remains alone to arrange for the funeral of Jay Gatsby. He observes that while many people attended the extravagant parties thrown by him, only a few really cared for him. Only Meyer Wolfsheim shows genuine grief. Nick decides to find out about Gatsby’s father Henry Gatz and brings him to the funeral. Henry Gatz reveals a lot and Nick learns about the greatness of Gatsby.

Nick is thoroughly disgusted by life in New York and decides to return to Minnesota. Before returning, he meets Tom Buchanan who tries to justify his actions. Nick says that of all the people he met in New York, only Gatsby was the one who tried hard to change his dreams into reality and that makes him great. He further says that Gatsby’s greatness has no value in current times as greed and dishonesty have irrevocably corrupted both the American Dream and the dreams of individual Americans.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.

The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald | Character, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. The Beautiful and Damned was the second novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald that was published in 1922. Just like his first novel, The Beautiful and Damned was also inspired by his own life. The characters of this novel are also complex, selfish, and materialistic and they suffer difficulties in their social and personal relationships. The story again depicts the Jazz Age in a bad light. The novel was based on Fitzgerald’s own experiences in the early days of his marriage to Zelda Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned follows protagonist Anthony Patch, who is set to inherit a sizable fortune. The story follows his service in World War I, his courtship with his future wife Gloria Gilbert, their post-war life in New York, and his addiction to alcohol later in life. Because both Anthony and Gloria are selfish, they experience many difficulties during their relationship.

Characters:

Anthony Patch is the protagonist of the novel. He represents the Lost Generation of the Jazz Age. He is the heir to his grandfather’s large fortune. Being unambitious, he is not motivated to do any work to earn a living on his own while he continues to squander his grandfather’s fortune. He is drafted into the army for World War I but he doesn’t offer any patriotic service. Having no vocation, he gets addicted to alcohol and squandering at parties. Richard Dick Caramel is a college friend of Anthony Patch. He is an aspiring author and he published a novel titled ‘The Deamon Lover.’ Gloria Gilbert is a cousin of Richard Caramel. She is a selfish beautiful girl who wins the heart of Anthony Patch. Gloria agrees to marry her while breaking the hearts of other suitors. She too engages in wastefulness, alcoholism, and too much partying with no purpose along with Anthony Patch. Maury Noble is another college friend of Anthony and Richard. Unlike Anthony, he is a careful student and becomes a successful businessman. Yet, his experiences in business make him cynical. Joseph Bloeckman is a Jewish young man who pursues Gloria but Gloria chooses Anthony over him. He is attentive, ambitious, and careful. He changes his name to Joseph Back to avoid discrimination and succeeds as a movie producer while Anthony continues to waste all that he had. Adam Patch is Anthony's grandfather. He is a Civil War veteran who made a fortune as a wolf on Wall Street. He is a hardworking, caring, and morally strong man and he wants the same from Anthony but gets disappointment. Edward Shuttleworth is the secretary of Adam Patch. He has some moral transgressions as he falls for alcohol and salon but manages himself when Adam pushes to reform Anthony. While Adam fails to bring any positive change in Anthony, Edward goes through a positive change. As a result, Adam leaves every bit of his fortune to Edward after his death. Dorothy Dot Raycroft is a 19-year-old girl whom Anthony meets while training for the war in the army and begins an extramarital affair with her. She is a lost soul looking for someone to share her life with. She falls in love with Anthony despite learning that he is married, causes problems between Gloria and Anthony, and spurs Anthony's decline.

Summary of The Beautiful and Damned

The story begins in 1913 before the First World War that began on 28^th July 1914. Anthony Patch is a Harvard graduate who has accomplished nothing else other than his degree. After the death of his parents, he was raised by his grandfather Adam Patch, a Civil War veteran who made huge fortunes on Wall Street through his shrewd business sense. His grandfather is a morally strong man who wants his grandson to prove his place in high society through his work. Although Anthony has no interest in any vocation and he just enjoys partying and killing time with his friends. As his grandfather pressurizes him to look for a career, e falsely claims that he is working on a book. He spends most of his time thinking about writing a book (rather than actually writing anything). He is leading a luxurious lifestyle at the expense of his grandfather’s money and hopes to be the only heir and owner of his grandfather’s fortune after his death. In New York, he is living in an extravagant villa with a luxurious bathroom and most of his time is spent in the bathtub of his bathroom while he thinks of what to write.

Dick Caramel is Anthony’s roommate at Harvard. He takes Anthony to a party where he introduces him to one of his cousins named Gloria Gilbert. Gloria is a sensational beauty, a society girl who uses her beauty to persuade young rich men to pay for her meals and spending. Anthony gets fascinated by her. Although he comes to know that Gloria is already dating a movie producer named Joseph Bloeckman, he tries to develop a relationship with her. Gradually, he comes too close to her and realizes that they have much in common. Both of them are afraid of the fleeting nature of youth and life. Anthony decides to propose and marry her. He is absolutely obsessed with her. When he proposes to her and says that he wants to marry her, she immediately accepts while rebuffing Bloeckman.

Before their marriage, Anthony faces some second thoughts. He realizes that his limited fixed income that comes from his grandfather’s granted assets is already appearing thin to cover his own expenses and after marriage, he will have to take care of Gloria’s social exploits too. Furthermore, he is also worried about sharing his apartment with Gloria after their marriage. However, he pushes away all such doubts. He feels that everything will work out and anyhow, he is destined to enjoy the vast fortune of his grandfather who will soon die someday. Like the alcohol or expensive clothing Anthony is always buying, Gloria is a thing he wants and therefore takes. Soon they get married.

As soon as they marry, both of them come to realize their differences. Anthony is too afraid of dying and takes too many precautions while driving. Gloria can't stand this kind of behavior and thinks it makes Anthony seem cowardly. On the other hand, Anthony expects Gloria to take care of household chores as that would save some money of his but Gloria straightforwardly denies undertaking any domestic activities whatsoever.

Gloria realizes that she doesn’t like Anthony’s large city apartment that much while Anthony considers it his safe haven. Gloria forces Anthony to take a big villa in-country and despite his initial refusal, Anthony accedes to her demand and takes home on rent. However, Anthony likes to live in his city apartment and hence, refuses to give up his apartment for rent. As a result, his expenses further stretch to unmanageable limits. Both of them continue to live extravagant life that they cannot financially afford. Soon they discover that the only way to avoid arguing and worrying about their financial debacles is to through extravagant parties with their friends and drown themselves in alcohol. Socially, Anthony and Gloria become enormously popular because they continue to through parties. On the other hand, they realize that they are being allienated by their friends as their friends are trying to settle in life, working hard and earning and saving money.

Everything comes crashing down when Anthony’s grandfather, a strong proponent of prohibition shows up unannounced at the country house during one of the parties. Disgusted by Anthony’s indulgence in alcohol, Adam Patch disinherits his grandson and replaces him in his will with his secretary, Shuttleworth. This is revealed upon his death which occurs shortly after he changes the beneficiary of his estate.

When Anthony and Gloria come to know about this, instead of controlling their expenditures, they decide to cash in all their bonds while continuing to waste whatever little money they have. While both of them depend on each other, they find each other irritating. At the same time, Anthony gets a draft to join the Army for the First World War. Both Gloria and Anthony enjoy this enforced separation. Anthony begins an affair with a woman named Dorothy Raycroft but feels horribly guilty about it as soon as the affair starts. Anthony is a terrible soldier, but before he is deployed the war comes to an end. He is excited to return home to Gloria, who has missed him too, but soon their old pattern returns and they are unhappy all over again.

Gloria has always dreamed of becoming an actress. She thinks that if she becomes an actress, it will resolve their financial issues. She married Anthony while refusing Bloeckman’s proposal who is a movie producer. She contacts him and asks a favor from him to get a screen test. At the screen test, she learns that she is considered too old to be a leading lady. She is thirty but feels as if her life is over. She prepares herself for death. The only glimmer of hope for her is the lawsuit that she and Anthony have filed against Shuttleworth to get Anthony’s grandfather’s fortune back. She proposes to go to Europe and die there. Anthony suggests that they can stay in America while taking some loans from their friends and wait for the result of the lawsuit.

Anthony decides to meet his estranged best friend Maury Noble who has now settled in as a successful businessman. When he meets Maury Noble, he gets drunk and Maury doesn’t even let him have a chance to ask for a loan. Anthony gets too irritated. At the same time, he sees Bloeckman who is drinking in a very elite drinking club. They get into a fistfight and Anthony is thrown out. A passerby puts him into a taxi but the driver ejects him from the cab because he has no money to pay the fare. Anthony is overwhelmed by the changing situations. He used to be a prospective heir of one of the richest persons in the US and now he is almost penniless. Anthony stumbles home and reflects that he does not even feel drunk anymore, simply frenzied. Anthony descends quickly into life-altering alcoholism. He rarely leaves the house and does not even go to the courthouse with Gloria to hear the verdict of their lawsuit.

Dorothy visits New York to look for Anthony. She visits his apartment but does not receive the reception she had hoped; Anthony is too drunk to process the surprise visit and throws a chair at Dorothy before passing out. That was the day of the final verdict of the lawsuit against Shuttleworth. Gloria and Richard had gone to the court for the final hearing. Anthony wins the case and he gets full rights to his grandfather’s fortune. When Gloria and Dick return home to inform him about their victory, they find him on the floor studying his childhood stamp collection. Meanwhile, Shuttleworth commits suicide as a result of his defeat in court.

In the end, two onlookers talk about Anthony who lost his mind right after the news of Shuttleworth’s suicide. Now he talks to nobody but feels only the sense of victory that he managed to beat an unnamed adversary called "they", and came out on top in the end.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.

The Windows by George Herbert | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. George Herbert was a poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England who took birth on 3rd April 1953 and died on 1st March 1633. He is one of the most celebrated Metaphysical poets and is considered one of the foremost devotional lyricists. All of his poetry is religious. He was the son of Richard Herbert and Magdalen Newport. While he belonged to a rich family, his father died early in 1596 when he was just 3 years old. Magdalen had a great interest in poetry and literature and she was a known patron of clergyman and poet John Donne and many other poets. After his father’s death, John Donne became his Godfather and mentor.

George Herbert attended Westminster school and later on won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1609. He completed his post-graduation in 1616 at the age of 23. He was known for his fluency in Greek and Latin and hence was appointed as the Public Orator of Cambridge University. King James Ist was highly impressed by him and often favored him. In 1624, George became a Parliamentarian from Montgomery. However, he didn’t have much interest in governance and politics, and soon after the death of King James I, he chose the devotional path to Church and became a priest in 1629. He died of consumption in 1633.

The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations by George Herbert

Herbert wrote poems in English, Latin, and Greek. However, he almost remained unpublished throughout his life. All his major works were published posthumously. He used to collect the manuscripts of his poems and shortly before his death, he sent the manuscripts of all his poetry to his friend Nicholas Ferrar who was also a priest. He asked Nicholas to read them and publish the poems if he thought they might "turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul", otherwise to burn them. Soon he died in 1633 and after his death, Nicholas Ferrar published all his English poems in the book The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations with a preface by Nicholas Ferrar. All these poems are religious. Being under the influence of John Donne, George Herbert mastered conceit and all these poems are metaphysical. In these poems, Herbert said that Nicholas will find “a picture of the many spiritual conflicts that have passed between God and my soul before I could subject mine to the will of Jesus, my Master." In this Herbert used the format of the poems to reinforce the theme he was trying to portray. Beginning with "The Church Porch", they proceed via "The Altar" to "The Sacrifice", and so onwards through the collection.

In the book, all poems offer deeper spiritual meaning through various conceits, and visually too the poems are varied in such a way as to enhance their meaning, with intricate rhyme schemes, stanzas combining different line lengths, and other ingenious formal devices. The most obvious examples are pattern poems like The Altar and Easter Wings. In The Altar, the shorter and longer lines are arranged on the page in the shape of an altar. The visual appeal is reinforced by the conceit of its construction from a broken, stony heart, representing the personal offering of himself as a sacrifice upon it. Built into this is an allusion to Psalm 51:17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart." In Easter Wings, the words were printed sideways on two facing pages so that the lines there suggest outspread wings. The words of the poem are paralleled between stanzas and mimic the opening and closing of the wings.

The Windows

The Windows is one of the most talked-about poems of The Temple by George Herbert. In this poem, Herbert explores a definite link between the preacher and his work as a communicator of Christian faith. The Windows is written in iambic tetrameter with alternate rhyme. The rhyme scheme is AXABB XCXCC CDCDD. There are three stanzas in the poem and each stanza 5 strings (lines). Thus, the total number of lines in The Windows is 15.

Summary of The Windows

Lord, how can man preach thy eternal word?

He is a brittle crazy glass; 

Yet in thy temple thou dost him afford

This glorious and transcendent place,

To be a window, through thy grace.

The poet begins with a deep question and asks How can the man in all his frailty reflect God in all his glory? The poet then answers and explains that despite his imperfection, God has allowed him to be in the holy temple (church) as a window. Further, the poet describes the grace of God. He says by his grace, he is in the holy place of God. When the story of God is inscribed on the glasses of the windows, the window shines. In other words, the poet’s life shines when the story of God is inscribed in his soul. By the light, glory, preachings of god an ordinary window turn out to be extraordinary. The ordinary glasses are waterish, bleak, thin, and full of dust. But by the grace of God, the window becomes sacred and reverential. The poet suggests that because of god’s grace and his preachings, he becomes sacred.

Herbert uses conceit and compares man with a ‘brittle crazy glass’.

But when thou dost anneal in glasse thy storie,
Making thy life to shine within
The holy Preachers; then the light and glorie
More rev’rend grows, & more doth win:
Which else shows watrish, bleak, & thin.

During those times, window glasses were used to be heated at a high temperature to fix the paints and colors. This process is known as annealing the glass. The poet indicates his intense desire to mingle with god. His union with the god is similar to the combination of colors and light on the window. So the inner life of the preacher must shine with the rich color of the life of God. Only that richness will win the hearer. The hearer will not be won by life and words which are 'waterish, bleak, and thin'.

Doctrine and life, colours and light, in one
When they combine and mingle, bring
A strong regard and aw: but speech alone
Doth vanish like a flaring thing,
And in the eare, not conscience ring.

The poet further suggests that doctrine and life, preaching and practice should mingle with each other in his life inseparably. This is also an indication of the poet’s total union with the god. The poet suggests that the words of God should become a part of his conscience. The poem ends with more weight being put on the emptiness of words without the backing of a holy life. Without the latter, the words do not penetrate to the inner heart and conscience so have the effect of a flare or firework which might momentarily fizz and crackle with life but will quickly vanish.'

It is a common saying that Preachers must practice what they preach. In this poem Herbert is saying the same thing, but with rather more elegance.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English Literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist, short-story writer, essayist, and screenwriter who is known for popularizing the term “Jazz Age” through his novels. He belonged to ‘The Lost Age’ and was a friend of Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. While the Lost Age represented the people who suffered the psychological, economical, and physical affect of World War 1, the Jazz Age was a period in the 1920s and 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles rapidly gained nationwide popularity in the United States. The Jazz Age generation were those younger Americans who had been adolescents during World War I and were largely untouched by the conflict's psychological and material horrors. Fitzgerald criticized the moral decline of the Jazz Age in his novels and stories. Fitzgerald took birth on 24th September 1986, and he died on December 21, 1940. he belonged to a middle-class family attended Princeton University for his graduation where he fell in love with an upper-class girl named Ginevra King. While the two continued their romance for some years, Ginevra King and her family rejected Fitzgerald’s marriage proposal because of his lower economical status. As a result, he dropped out of college in 1917 and enrolled in the United States Army during World War I with suicidal tendencies. When he was stationed in Alabama, he met another upper-class girl named Zelda Sayre and developed a romantic relationship with her. However, his lower economical status again created hurdles in their relationship. Finally, Zelda challenged him to either gain success as a writer and make a good fortune or forget her. As a response, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote and published his first novel This Side of Paradise in 1920 which became a huge hit. Fitzgerald's newfound fame enabled him to earn much higher rates for his short stories, and his increased financial prospects persuaded his reluctant fiancée Zelda Sayre to marry him.

Just like Ernest Hemingway, Fitzgerald also used to write his stories and novels based on real-life incidences and characters. His first novel This Side of Paradise was also inspired by his own life incidences and situations.

Characters of This Side of Paradise

Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the novel. The character is based on Fitzgerald and his failed relationships. Amory grew up with his mother in an affluent environment and was later sent to a boarding school. He then goes to Princeton for his graduation. As a child, he was kind-hearted and caring but as he grows up, he turns egotistic and selfish. He is handsome and often succeeds in seducing young girls, yet suffers a failure. Rosalind Connage is the sister of Alex Connage, one of the college friends of Amory Blaine at Princeton. The character of Rosalind is loosely based on Zelda Sayre. Beatrice Blaine is a rich alcoholic mother of Amory. Isabelle Borge is a young girl from a rich affluent family whom Amory first met as a boy and fell in love with her. After his prom, Isabelle breaks up with him. The character of Isabelle Borge is based on Ginevra King. Elenor Savage is an eighteen-year-old atheist whom Amory meets in Maryland. Thayer Darcy is a Catholic priest who becomes Amory’s spiritual mentor. He always treats Amory with respect and kindness as if Amory is his son. Kerry Holiday is Amory’s friend at Princeton and Burne Holiday is Kerry’s brother. Kerry teaches his friend not to take life and its problems very seriously. He is also a very confident person, who doesn’t worry about everyday problems. Kerry fights in World War I and dies as all young guys. Burne Holiday is hardworking, clever, and intelligent. He refuses to fight in World War I, thinking that it is stupid, and runs away. Thomas Parke D’Invilliers is another Princeton classmate of Amory who becomes Amory’s close friend and inspires him to write poetry.

Summary of This Side of Paradise

The novel is divided into two parts. The first part of the novel is titled ‘The Romantic Egoist”. The novel begins with Amory’s childhood in the 1900s. He belongs to a rich and highly educated family. His mother Beatrice Blaine is also a highly educated modern woman who pampers him. Beatrice takes Amory to various exotic parts of the world as they travel and learn. However, Beatrice, being an alcoholic, loses control over Amory. As he ages, he becomes unruly and demanding. As he continuously disobeys his mother, she suffers a breakdown and decided to send him to her friend Monsignor Darcy, who runs a Catholic church. Thayer Darcy admires Beatrice and he likes Amory too.

Under the direction of Darcy, Amory matures a little and improves his behavior. However, he is still unable to see his life beyond his privileges. Amory is a handsome teenager who enjoys parties and soon he makes friends with a girl named Myra with whom he enjoys his first kiss. He visits his mother Beatrice, finding that her alcoholism has worsened, causing her mental health to deteriorate. Anyhow, he continues his studies under the direction of Monsignor Darcy and gets admitted to Princeton for higher studies. At Princeton, Amory makes friends with Burne and Kerry Holiday. His other friends include Alex Connage and Thomas Parke D’Invilliers.

During his second year at Princeton University, World War I begins, and Amory’s father dies. He returns to Minneapolis to reunite with Monsignor Darcy during the Christmas break. At Minneapolis, he meets Isabelle Borge, a rich modern girl belonging to an affluent family. He immediately false in love with her and they develop a romantic relationship. After returning to Princeton, he continues to write letters and poems for Isabelle. However, because of the distance, Isabelle becomes disenchanted with him and she breaks up with him after his prom on Long Island. Amory gets emotionally disturbed and depressed due to this separation. As a result, he decides to join the United States Army after his graduation and hopes to take part in World War I and die as a brave soldier in the battleground. Some months later, Amory is drafted to fight in the war. He is shipped overseas to serve in the trenches of the Western front. While at the war front, he learns that his mother has died and most of his family’s fortunes have drowned because of some bad investments. Suddenly he realizes that now he is a poor person. Kerry Holiday also joins the army and dies while fighting as a great soldier. Burne, now his best friend, refuses out of principle to fight, and dodges his draft, disappearing without any hint as to his destination. The first part of the novel ends here.

The title of the Second Part is “The Education of a Personage.” He starts working for an advertising agency and settles in New York City. One day, Amory meets Rosalind Connage, sister of Alex Connage, and falls in love with her. Rosalind is a cruel narcissistic flapper who enjoys a rich lifestyle. She aims to marry a rich suitor who could afford all her needs. However, Amory doesn’t have any money left with him as he already lost his family's fortunes. Despite that, Alex and Rosalind’s parents agree to match Amory with Rosalind. Yet, Rosalind is not interested in Amory as she focuses her attention on Dawson Ryder, a rich suitor. At a party, Amory asks Rosalind to feign love for him; she agrees to please him, but soon leaves him. Amory realizes that love cannot grow out of coercion or unreciprocated desire. He grows depressed and begins to dull his woes with alcohol. His friends and superiors become concerned that he is unable to remain sober, and Amory considers killing himself. They inform Thayer Darcy about Amory.

Amory receives a letter from Monsignor Darcy and it helps him alleviate his mood. He goes to Maryland to meet Thayer Darcy and this time, he meets a bubbly atheist girl Elenor Savage. Elenor rebels and disregards the religious conformities and the gender limitations of her society. Elenor and Amory get close and engage in sexual escapades. They often discuss their love life and seasons. One day, when Amory tells Elenor that he must return to New York to take care of his job, she starts a debate about her atheistic belief and God. To prove her point, she attempts suicide to establish that there is no deity. Amory realizes that he does not love her and their relationship is grounded in lust. He comes back to New York City. Amory’s memory of Rosalind begins to wane. One day, he sees a newspaper column announcing Rosalind’s engagement to Dawson Ryder. Amory agonizes endlessly at the seeming unfairness of life. However, this time, instead of falling into despair, he recognizes his own insignificance and contingency in the universe’s scheme. He newly understands the virtues of compassion and respect, which forge connections between seemingly incompatible people and dreams. He decides to visit his alma mater Princeton and takes a ride offered by a wealthy man whose chauffeur doesn’t like Amory. During the conversation with that wealthy man, Amory suggests that he favors socialism, however, he is not sure yet. In the end, he says "I know myself . . . but that is all."

In the end, Amory has undergone a complete transformation of self. Now, acutely aware of the universality of human suffering, he muses that the only thing he can possibly “know” is himself. In a way, Fitzgerald criticized the Jazz Age through this novel and suggested that ultimately, just like Amory, the young Americans, wasting their time, energy and money will have to learn better things.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Upon Overmuch Niceness by John Bunyan | Sturcture, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. John Bunyan was a celebrated English minister and preacher, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), the book that was the most characteristic expression of the Puritan religious outlook. His other works include doctrinal and controversial writings; a spiritual autobiography, Grace Abounding (1666); and the allegory The Holy War (1682). While these were serious philosophical works that he wrote with a general readership in mind, he was interested in writing content that could help young children in shaping a better character for themselves. With this aim in mind, Bunyan wrote ‘A Book For Boys and Girls’ or ‘County Rhymes for Children’ in the year 1686.

This book wasn’t published in his lifetime as he died on August 31, 1688. Later on, this book was published posthumously by the title ‘A Book for Boys and Girls or Temporal Things Spiritualized’ by John Bunyan’ in the year 1701. There are some seventy-four children’s rhymes in this book.

‘A Book for Boys and Girls’ is a collection of rhymes written for children to explain some aspects of God’s ways to children in such a way that a child in rural England of that time could easily understand. This collection of poems is very easy to understand and the book holds a didactic purpose of pleasing the young minds while justifying the ways of God to them. Most of the poems employ a commonplace or an ordinary subject to inculcate moral values and divine conclusions in the young minds. Some prominent rhymes of ‘A Book For Boys and Girls’ offering religious instructions are ‘Upon the Ten Commandments, ‘Upon the Lord’s Prayer’, and ‘Upon the Creed.’ However, many poems are not that religious in tone, rather, they offer general social, spiritual, and moral insights and ideas. One such beautiful rhyme is ‘Upon Overmuch Niceness.’

Poem Structure:

The rhyme is written in blank verse with no proper rhyme scheme. The whole poem is written in eight stanzas with a quatrain at the opening of the poem, followed by seven couplets. The poem has 18 lines in strings written in iambic pentameter, following rima rhyme. The poem appears to be written like a sonnet. While the number of words in each line varies, many lines contain 8 words. The words ‘they’, and ‘their’ repeat in the lines diaphorically. The poem contains many allegorical Biblical references.

Summary:

Tis much to see how over nice some are
About the body and household affair,
While what’s of worth they slightly pass it by,
Not doing, or doing it slovenly.

The poet directly addresses a certain type of people who are habitual to offer great concern to their outer appearances. They care a lot about their physical beauty and grooming and although they appear to stress more on cleanliness and niceties of behavior, the poet complains that such people often ignore things that are of higher worth and deeper meaning. Despite their outer cleanliness, they either ignore their moral obligations completely, or they do it excessively casually.

Their house must be well furnished, be in print,
Meanwhile their soul lies ley, has no good in’t.

The poet further explains how those who stress more on their outer well-being materialistically, fail to gain anything spiritually. He says that while their houses are elegant, beautiful, and well-furnished, their soul is unseeded or uncultivated, holding no worth at all. As if their bodies are like those of highly ornamented tombs with nothing but bones inside. Their niceness is devoid of a soul that is spiritually refined. The well-furnished house and the uncultivated soul remind us of Matthew 23:27 from Bible.

Its outside also they must beautify,
When in it there’s scarce common honesty.

In these lines, the poet suggests that such people often find themselves to be forced to take great care of their outer beauty and look as if it is a must thing for them. This is so because, within their soul, they even lack the common honesty that must shine a soul.

Their bodies they must have tricked up and trim,
Their inside full of filth up to the brim.

While they realize their hidden filth within, such people are bound to keep a neat and clean physique to impress and fool others while their inner self is full of conceit and deceit.

Upon their clothes there must not be a spot,
But is their lives more than one common blot.

The poet further chastises such people who devout all their energies in decorating and glorifying their outer self. They remain neat and clean and always wear clean and shining clothes. Even a little dark spot on their clothes disturbs them and they keep a keen watch on the cleanliness of their attires. However, their whole life is sans any spiritual, moral, and humanly goodness and they appear a common blot on the society. The people wearing spotless attire lead a blemished life marred with imperfection.

How nice, how coy are some about their diet,
That can their crying souls with hogs’-meat quiet.

The poet further notices that while such people take great care of their health and always manage to take the best and healthy rich diet, they ignore the nourishment of their starving, crying souls. Such people try to quieten their hunger with corporal nourishment with no thought of the spiritual needs their souls need.

All drest must to a hair be, else ’tis naught,
While of the living bread they have no thought.

The poet says that while these people are so attentive and careful about their corporeal needs and desires, while they take care of every hair on their body and if even a slight imperfection on their outer being make them feel as if they have lost everything, they hardly think about the ‘living bread’, the spiritual need of their soul. Here, the poet indicates the Biblical bread mentioned in John 6:51, 6: 35, and 6: 32-35.

The poet suggests that just like bread is essential for life, Jesus, the ‘living bread’, the foundation of spiritual life.

Thus for their outside they are clean and nice,
While their poor inside stinks with sin and vice.

In this last couplet, the poet exhorts such people who are leading soulless life to ask for Godly help to revive their spiritual life. People seem to be complacent about their worldly life immersed in materialistic pleasures with a total disregard for spiritual rejuvenation. Their outside and inside are totally different. While their outside appears so nice and clean and calm, within their poor soul, they are full of sins and vice, and their soul realizes the troubles and disharmony that they are bound to suffer.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Religio Medici by Thomas Browne

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Thomas Browne was an English polymath and author who was influenced by and followed the Baconian method of scientific inquiry and wrote several treaties in diverse fields including scientific development, medicine, religion, and mysticism. His writings were influenced by Baconian scientific inquiry methods along with Classical and Biblical references and he continued to suggest a balance between science and religion. He was a medicinal doctor and his writings are an amalgamation of science and spiritualism, development, and mysticism. Thomas Browne took birth on 19^th October 1605 and died on 19^th October 1682.

His first literary work was Religio Medici which was published in the year 1643. It proved to be his most talked-about work. It is a spiritual testament like those of medieval literature. It is a kind of psychological self-portrait structured upon Christian virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Through Religio Medici, Thomas Browne tried to establish a balance between science (rationalism), and religion (mysticism). In this work, Browne expresses his beliefs in the doctrine of sola fide, the existence of hell, the Last Judgment, the resurrection, and other tenets of Christianity. The major theme of the work is the relationship of science and religion while Browne uses scientific imagery to support religious beliefs. Religio Medici is often considered as a medieval text even though it was not written during the Medival period because the writing style of Thomas Browne and the religious topics that he chose to write about resembles those of the Medieval literature which talks about the Last Judgement, resurrection, hell and other biblical concepts while amalgamating them with scientific concepts...

Religio Medici is a kind of psychological self-portrait or autobiography in which he discusses the episodes of his life when he was able to feel, find and look at the mysteries of nature, god, and man. He begins Religio Medici with a line that says this work is “a private exercise directed to myself.”So the quotation “a private exercise directed to myself” comes from Religio Medici by Thomas Browne as it is the beginning statement of this work. This work is considered important because while the major theme of Religio Medici is Church or Christianity, Thomas Browne being a physician tries to amalgamate religion with science and reason in a harmonious manner. It is a general opinion that science and faith cannot work together, if you have a scientific viewpoint or rational approach, then you cannot believe in God because the existence of God cannot be proved. On the other hand, if you rely upon faith, then you do not need any rational inquiry about the existence of God, nor any kind of scientific knowledge is necessary. For example, John Milton wrote Paradise Lost in which he suggests that there is a golden chain connecting Earth with Heaven. On the other hand, Religio Medici is different in the sense that although it is also based on Biblical religious concepts, Browne maintains a decorum of scientific inquiry and rational approach in his work. Thus, he establishes Christian beliefs as scientific truths in this work. The meaning of Religio Medici is The Religion of a Doctor and Thomas Browne maintains that for a Doctor, his religion is serving humanity sans any discrimination. Browne says that God has made us human beings and not beasts so we owe the debt of rational inquiry to God.”

After completing his medical studies, Bowne decided to have a set of values and belief systems while acting as a physician for which he wrote this comprehensive spiritual tract. One of the key themes of his philosophy concerns the importance of separating one's attitudes on science and religion. For a physician, one of the clearest implications of this belief is that a doctor must not only tolerate but also respect individual patients' religious or philosophical beliefs, even if they conflict with one's own. In seventeenth-century Europe, such religious tolerance was practically unheard of in the professional and peasant classes alike. A citizen was not only expected but also required by law to practice the religion of the state, be it Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox. In no state was Judaism the official religion, therefore, Jews were ostracized and frequently persecuted for their beliefs. Such beliefs, however, according to Browne, should not preclude the physician from treating patients. Browne shows his view of tolerance in Religio Medici while saying that individual churches and sects should not "usurp the gates of heaven, and turn the key against each other; and thus we go to heaven against each others' wills, conceits, and, with as much uncharity as arrogance, do err." For this reason, Browne strongly opposes the religious mandates put forth by most European states at this time, which led to bitter and bloody conflicts like the Thirty Years War, which raged during the period in which Browne wrote Religio Medici.

On one hand, Thomas Browne shows deep tolerance towards patients of other religions and faiths, he is adamant about his own religion and shows complete faith in Protestant values by the notion of sola fide or "faith alone." Sola Fide means deep and abiding faith in God, Jesus, and the resurrection is sufficient justification for a sinner to be pardoned and her soul saved. This differs from Catholicism, which tends to emphasize "works" or good deeds as part of the grace required to gain admission into heaven. In discussing his beliefs, Browne also attests to the existence of hell and the promise of the last judgment, the eschatological worldview that says the second coming of Jesus Christ will hearken God's final and eternal judgment of every human being on the planet.

Thomas Browne further asserts his belief that science can illuminate religious truths. He supports strict adherence to the scientific rigors of empiricism and observation pioneered by rationalists like Sir Francis Bacon and suggests all physicians should follow the ‘Baconian Method’ or "the scientific method." Doing so necessitates a clear separation between the spheres of religion and science, at least when conducting medical procedures or formulating diagnoses.

Thomas Browne suggests that the profession of medicine is different from other professions. To him, medicine is more than a trade or profession; it is a moral pursuit built on a foundation of service to others. This moral component also renders one's medical career into a journey of personal fulfillment. In Religio Medici, Brown says, "For by compassion, we make others' misery our own, and so, by relieving them, we relieve ourselves also." When a disease is beyond Browne's capacity to cure, he professes great shame and is reluctant to charge the patient a fee, calling this "scarce honest gain." This conceiving of the physician as a person of great moral character, for whom honesty and compassion are paramount, was unprecedented at the time.

The content of Religio Medici may make one feel as if Thomas Browne was a secular, however, he opposes any such accusation in the very first paragraph of Religio Medici and states that regarding his own religion some people might think he has no religion whatsoever. However, Browne then writes that he is of the honorable style of a Christian. Browne writes intending to prove to his readers that he is a Christian and also to stop people from labeling him as an atheist. He states, “Having in my riper years and confirmed judgment seen and examined all, I find myself obliged by the principles of grace and the law of mine own reason to embrace no other name but this [: Christian]” He was a firm believer in witchcraft, demonology and so many other magic and superstitions. In Religio Medici, he tries to scientifically justify all those superstitions.

Religio Medici is a story of conversion and provincial experiences which emphasizes Browne’s love for mystery and wonder. Browne’s writings are often described as melancholia, however, in Religio Medici, Browne clearly mentions that Death doesn’t hold any terror for him, he is not afraid of death. He believes that the world is not a place where we come to live, but it is a hospital where we come to get cured and ultimately die. While Religio Medici is a psychological self-portrait, it is not an autobiography as it doesn’t talk of life incidences of Thomas Browne, rather it shows his psychological and philosophical self.

Another important work by Thomas Browne was titled Pseudodoxia Epidemica or Vulgar Errors. The work includes evidence of Browne's adherence to the Baconian method of empirical observation of nature and was in the vanguard of work-in-progress scientific journalism during the 17th-century scientific revolution. Like in Religio Medici, he again talks about various superstitions and popular beliefs in Vulgar Error while scientifically examining them and offering corrections to those superstitions.

Another important work by Thomas Browne was Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, or, a Discourse of the Sepulchral Urns lately found in Norfolk in which he talks about the Anlo-Saxon pots that were found in Norfolk and then offers a survey of most of the burial and funerary customs, ancient and current, of which his era was aware.

So this is it about today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. The Old Man and the Sea was the last novel by Ernest Hemingway that was published in his lifetime. It is a short novel that he wrote in 1951 while he was living in Cayo Blanco, Cuba. 'The Old Man and the Sea' was published in 1952. Hemingway often used the real incidences and happenings in his life in his stories. While he dramatized his experiences of World War I and World War II in The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell To Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea is different because it is not a war novel. Yet, The Old Man and the Sea continues his autobiographical tradition as this story is figuratively based on his real-life experience. Hemingway was one of the most prolific and successful writers of the 1920s and 1930s, but in 1950, after nearly ten years without publishing a novel, Across the River and Into the Trees was published, and it was a disaster. For 10 years, Hemingway continued to face criticism of critics and was often considered as a fine writer of the past who has nothing new to say. Hemingway believed that Across The River and Into the Trees was also a nice novel, even better novel than his earlier novels that were highly popular. When he wrote The Old Man and the Sea, he was not confident that critics will like this novel too though he believed it was his best novel. The Old Man and The Sea attained huge success and re-established Hemingway as one of the finest authors of his time. In 1953, 'The Old Man and the Sea' was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and it was cited by the Nobel Committee as contributing to their awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Hemingway in 1954.

The novella tells the story of a struggling old fisherman who used to be a fine and reputed catcher but has failed to catch any good fish for the last 84 days.

Characters

Santiago is an old dedicated fisherman who taught Manolin everything he knows about fishing, Santiago is now old and poor and has gone 84 days without a catch. Manolin is a young man from the fishing village who has fished with Santiago since the age of five and now cares for the old man. Manolin recently began fishing with another fisherman whom his parents consider luckier than Santiago. Martin is the owner of the Terrace where tourists stay. He appreciates Santiago and sends food and drink to Santiago through Manolin. Rogelio is another fisherman of the village who occasionally helps Santiago with the fishing net. Marlin is an eighteen-foot bluish billfish and a catch of legendary proportions that Santiago succeeds to catch on the 85th day. While Santiago successfully catches Marlin, he fails to save it from voracious Mako sharks and shovel-nosed sharks. Pedricko is another fisherman of the village who buys Marlin’s head to use in the fish trap. There are Tourists (a man and a woman) enjoying their holidays at the Terrace.

Summary

Santiago is a lonely old fisherman whose wife died years ago. He lives alone and while he is an experienced fisherman, he has caught nothing for 84 days. Other fishermen of the village now consider him ‘salao’ which means the worst type of unlucky. Manolin is a young fisherman who has been with Santiago as his trainee since he was five years old. Since Santiago is failing to catch anything for long, Manolin’s parents force him to leave Santiago’s boat and join the boat of some other luckier fisherman. Manolin is sad about it and though he joins another boat, he remains dedicated to Santiago, visiting his shack each night, hauling his fishing gear, preparing food, and talking about American baseball and Santiago's favorite player, Joe DiMaggio.

Santiago too mises Manolin and though he has not made any significant catch for a long, he is confident of his skills and believes that his streak of bad luck is going to end soon. He decides to go far out into the Gulf Stream, north of Cuba in the Straits of Florida to fish.

It was his 85th unlucky day when in the morning he takes his skiff (a small fishing boat) into the sea. He fails to get any catch for long and as a result, he continues to row his skiff far away. In search of an epic catch, he eventually does snag a marlin of epic proportions. He hooked a big fish, but he is unable to haul it in. He is unwilling to tie the line to the boat for fear that a sudden jerk from the fish would break the line. With his back, shoulders, and hands, he holds the line for two days and nights. He gives slack as needed while the marlin pulls him far from land. He is hungry with no food, trapped in the middle of the sea, struggling against a mighty marlin, determined to control it. He misses Manolin and feels it could have been easy if the young man had been with him and continues to say “I wish I had the boy.” He uses his other spare hooks to catch a small fish and a dolphin fish to eat and satiate his hunger. Despite all these troubles, he expresses compassion and appreciation for the marlin, often referring to him as a brother. The line has cut his hands and he is tired so he sleeps.

On the other hand, the fatigued Marlin starts circling the skiff. Santiago feels the movement and starts drawing the line inwards towards the skiff. As the Marlin reaches near the boat, he pulls the marlin to one side and kills it with his harpoon. He then tries to pull the fish into the skiff but realizes that the Marlin is too large to fit in his boat. He decides to lash the Marlin on one side of his boat and sets off to the shore. He is happy for his catch thinking of the high price the fish will bring him at the market and how many people he will feed.

However, the wound of Marlin caused by the harpoon leaves a trail of blood from the dead marlin and it attracts sharks. Santiago berates himself for having gone out too far. He kills a great mako shark with his harpoon but loses the weapon. He makes a spear by strapping his knife to the end of an oar. He kills three more sharks before the blade of the knife snaps, and he clubs two more sharks into submission. But each shark has bitten the great marlin, increasing the flow of blood. That night, an entire school of sharks arrives. Santiago attempts to beat them back. When the oar breaks, Santiago rips out the skiff's tiller and continues fighting. Upon seeing a shark attempt to eat the marlin's head, Santiago realizes the fish has been completely devoured. He tells the sharks they have killed his dreams.

Santiago reaches shore before dawn the next day. He struggles to his shack, leaving the fish head and skeleton with his skiff. Once home, he falls into a deep sleep. In the morning, Manolin finds Santiago. As he leaves to get coffee for Santiago, he cries. A group of fishermen has gathered around the remains of the marlin. One of the fishermen measures it at 18 feet from nose to tail. The fishermen tell Manolin to tell Santiago how sorry they are. A pair of tourists at a nearby café see the marlin's skeleton waiting to go out with the tide and ask a waiter what it is. Trying to explain what happened to the marlin, the waiter replies, "Eshark," explaining that sharks have eaten the marlin. But the tourists misunderstand and assume that's what the skeleton is. The woman tourist exclaims that she didn’t know sharks have developed such a beautiful long tail.

When Santiago wakes, he donates the head of the fish to Pedrico. He and Manolin promise to fish together once again. Santiago returns to sleep, and he dreams of his youth and of lions on an African beach.

Analysis

Hemingway was famously fascinated with ideas of men proving their worth by facing and overcoming the challenges of nature. When the old man hooks a marlin longer than his boat, he is tested to the limits as he works the line with bleeding hands to bring it close enough to harpoon. Through his struggle, Santiago demonstrates the ability of the human spirit to endure hardship and suffering to win. At the same time, he also expresses his own struggles after the failure of Across The River and Into the Trees as a writer. He depicts the unfriendly literary critics who rejected his previous novel as sharks while this novel is the Marlin that Santiago caught. After the reviews that he got for Across The River and Into the Trees, he believed that critics will do the same for The Old Man and The Sea as what the sharks did to the Marlin. However, this short novel proved to be the best and most successful work of Hemingway. Somehow, Hemingway expressed his dislike for women too as he described the Marlin as a male. Santiago believes that males have an abundance of self-control. He knows that the marlin he has hooked now is a male before he sees it. He says, "He took the bait like a male, and he pulls like a male, and his fight has no panic in it" Furthermore, the female tourist, which the only female character in the whole novel makes the silliest comment about the dead Marlin, mistaking it to be a shark.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.