Old Man and the Sea question 6

6. I think that we still read this book because it has some good messages behind it. I believe that Santiago’s perseverance is one of the main reasons we read it. I know it inspired me a little bit and it probably does the same thing to a lot of other people. He always had a plan and he always knew that things had to turn up some time. Even though he didn’t like to eat the dolphin because it tastes bad, he still ate it because he knew it would make him stronger. When he stuck with it in the little things it made it easier for him to stick with it in the bigger harder things. I think another reason we still read it is because it is very relatable to us. In some books we can’t relate to the main character, but Santiago is a perfect person to relate to. We have all been down on our luck before, and we all know what it is like to feel loss and the pain of hard work. Santiago was very down to earth and he was never trying to be better than someone else or trying to out do them. I think it is easier to like someone that is humble than it is to like a character that is rich and stuck up and has everything handed to them on a silver plate. Another reason it is a timeless classic is because of the writer, Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway is a very successful writer, and many people enjoy his style of writing. The combination of all these attributes makes this book almost irresistible for anyone who enjoys reading a good book. The main thing to take away from this book is that the way you carry yourself, and the way you go about what you do makes a huge difference in the way you look at life and the way you approach it.