第一篇：老人與海(英文書評)

老人與海（The Old Man and the Sea）英文書評(book reviews)

這本書講了古巴(Cuba)的一個名叫圣地亞哥的老漁夫，獨自一個人出海打魚，在一無所獲(to achieve nothing)的84天之后釣到了一條無比巨大的馬林魚。這是老人從來沒見過也沒聽說過的比他的船還長兩英尺的一條大魚。魚的勁(vigor)非常大，拖(to drag)著小船漂流了整整兩天兩夜，老人在這兩天兩夜中經歷了從未經受的艱難考驗，終于把大魚刺(to stab)死，拴(to tie)在船頭(the bow)。然而這時卻遇上了鯊魚(a shark)，老人與鯊魚進行了殊死搏斗(put up a good fight)，結果大馬林魚被鯊魚吃光了，老人最后拖回只剩下一副光禿禿bald的魚骨架(a fish skeleton)和一身(all over the body)的傷。最后卻得到了人們的贊賞。

《老人與海》完全可能成為當代一部名副其實的經典作品。厄納斯特·海明威的這部短篇小說處理方法謹嚴(exact)、注意時間和地點的統一(unite)，行文(a style of writing)簡潔而內涵(intension)很深(deep)。另外，和極大多數巨著(a great work)一樣，海明威的這篇小說讀起來可有不止一層的意思。一方面，這是一個激動人心的帶有悲劇性(tragedy)的冒險故事。故事講到一個精神沮喪(depress)的老漁人，在他對職業的自豪感的支持之下，冒險遠航至墨西哥灣流并在那里釣住了一條該水域中從未見過的最大的馬林魚。故事接著說到他孤零零地、在因奮力叉住這條大魚而耗盡了力氣之后，被迫投入一場和一群海盜似的鯊魚的絕望的搏斗之中，結果是那些鯊魚只給他留下了獵獲物的一具骨架。另一方面，這又是一個寓言，它描述

(describe)了人所具有(possess)的不可征服(conquer)的精神力量——一個人如何從災難和實際失敗的環境中攫取精神上的勝利。再一方面，這是帶有宗教意義的一種隱喻(a metaphor)，作者不引人注目地給這一主題添加了基督教(Christian)的一些象征和比喻。一種注意寫實(writing or painting realistically)，有著動人的情節(plot)；另一種則側重(to lay special emphasis on)道德說教，充滿象征(badge)的意義。

Translation:(book reviews)

This book tells us a story about a Cuban old man.He went fishing at sea on his own.After more than eighty four days , he fished an extremely large fish.The old man hadn’t ever seen such a big fish that was two meters longer than his boat.The vigor of fish was sostrong that it dragged the boat drifting for two days.During the two days,the old man experienced the difficulties that he had never met with.Finally,he stabbed it and tied the fish on the bow.However,he came across a shark.Then,the old man put up a good fight with a shark.As a result, the fish was eaten by the shark.So,the old man carried a bald fish skeleton and being hurt all over the body to reach home.But in the end, he attained admiration by people.The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most immortal

works.The book may very well become one of the true classics of this generation.Certainly, Ernest Hemingway's short novel is processed exact , well united time and places and it’s style of writing is very deep.In addition, as the most great works, his novel contains not only one meaning.First of all,this is an exciting tragedy adventure story.Because I see a picture how an old man killed the large fish and fought a shark via his wisdom.Furthermore, it’s also a fable that describes a spirit strength------how a person achieved success from a bad envirnoment.Lastly, the story implied a religious metaphor as well.The author added some Christian symbols and figure of speech inconspicuously.So, in my opinion, this novel tells not only a moving plot,but also lays special emphasis on moral meanings that are full of the symbol of badge.The spirit that the old man possessed impressed me deeply.meaning

第二篇：老人與海英文書評

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Miller Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway(1899-1961), the author of the The Old Man and the Sea, was born in Oak Park, America.Actually, Hemingway was not just an author, he was also considered to be one of the most famous novelists of the 20th century.He had strong interest in writing, so he wrote novels at the same time.In his later years in Idaho Ketchum's home committed suicide.Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954..Many of his works are considered classics of American literature.Hemingway's emotional experience was complicated that he has married four times.He was a representative figure in the United States “lost generation” The life, world and society of his works have shown a feeling of confusion and uncertainty.The main content of this book is that the old fisherman Santiago doesn’t catch any fish for 84 days.At first, a boy named Manolin follows him.However after forty days without catching a fish, the child is arranged by their parents to another boat up because they think the old man is unlucky.Thus on the eighty-fifth day, He unexpectedly caught a marlin even bigger than the boat.Santiago makes the fish pulling his skiff.Two days and two nights pass in this manner, during which the old man bears the tension of the line with his body.On the third day, the fish begins to circle the skiff.Thus Santiago begins the fight between the sharks and himself.Finally reaching the shore before dawn on the next day, Santiago struggles on the way to his shack, carrying the heavy mast on his shoulder.Once home, he goes to his bed and falls into a deep sleep.A group of fishermen gather the next day around the boat where the fish's skeleton is still attached.Tourists at the nearby café mistakenly take it for a shark.Manolin, worried during the old man's endeavor, cries upon finding him safe asleep.The boy brings him newspapers and coffee.When the old man wakes, they promise to fish together once again.Upon his return to sleep, Santiago dreams of his youth—of lions on an African beach.The words that inspired me most in this article maybe is the “Man is not made for defeat.A man can be destroyed but not defeat.” This is Santiago’s living faith, and

also the idea that the author wanted to express in The Old Man and the Sea.The old man never gets one fish during 84 days, but he never thinks about giving up.He just still struggles for the brief he used to hold.Yes, at last, he failed, but we can’t deny he is a powerhouse in the spirit.And in our real lives, there are all kinds of difficulties that we need to deal with.Some people choose escape, because they think they can’t overcome them.They scared.But for me, I like it.I think the problems are good for me.Every time I surmount it, I enjoy that kind of achievability.I enjoy the process I solving the problems, and this can be the precious experience in my lives.But sometimes the problems may be harder than our imaginations;we try all kinds of ways to solve them but still failed, so, at this time, we need to learn the old man’s spirit.I think the live is not complete without fail and pain.It’s impossible that everything goes smoothly in our lives.We can grow up only if we experience the pain and harm.Just like choice.We face all kinds of choices every day, and sometimes we don't know how to choose or what we need to choose.In fact, we can’t choose, that’s because we have already had something we really want in our heart, so we don’t need to choose.Santiago teach me what is courage, and teach me insist and never say never.Actually, that reminds me of a short video I watched in the high school.It's a inspirational video.I still remember the first time I watched it, I cried.This video is about a game named “death crawl”.A group is practicing so that they have enough energy in the football game.Now, at this time I don’t want to talk about too much about this video, I just want to say something about faith, insistence and potential.In our lives, sometimes we didn’t do something well, we may say, well, I’ve already tried my best.We may think it’s OK, that is enough.The standard we give to ourselves is too low, but the interesting thing is, we always ask other people to be excellent, and the standard we give to other is so high.When we don’t do it well, we say we’ve already tried our best, but we never strain every never.The reason why we haven’t been successful is we don’t have aims, don’t have a real dream, we are not confident, don’t have a great coach, and don’t know how much the potential we have.We all read this book, The Old Man and the Sea, but why we didn't learn the spirit in it? Compared to Santiago, the condition we have is so great nowadays, but we become

more and more frail, especially our teenagers.Most of them always say they don’t believe something at all, and write those inactive or negative words in their blog, I just wonder why they become so negative.This is the most beautiful time in a whole life, we need to treasure it, love it.An old man can struggle for 2 days and 2 nights, but look at us, as the teenagers, why we can’t?“Lost generation”? I think we just don’t know how much, how better we can do.Potential.Everyone’s potential is infinite.We didn’t do well, that’s because we told ourselves we can’t do it in advance.Just because we don't believe ourselves, so we can’t do anything.In my opinion, when we face the problems, maybe the best way we can do is just pretend to be someone else.I think for Santiago, maybe at that time, he pretended himself as a strong man, maybe Schwarzenegger.And then, he really made it.He thought he was Schwarzenegger, so he got a lot of power and energy, so he can catch the fish, and fight with so many sharks, and finally, went back to home.During the trip, that is the faith supports him to go all the way to the coast.Our life is not plain sailing and it is constituted by the difficulties and problems.The solution to the problem is not only the witness of our growth but also make us more mature.In order to make our life much more meaningful, let us face the challenges of life bravely.

第三篇：老人與海 英文書評

Destruction or Success Ernest Miller Hemingway, a famous American novelist, his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations.He enlisted with the world War Ⅰambulance drivers, but he was seriously wounded and returned home.His wartime experiences formed the basis for his novel A Farewell to Arms.Also he was presented at the World War Ⅱand get injured.The Old man and the Seais Hemingway’s final full-length work published during his lifetime, written in 1951 in Cuba.He wrote the draft of the book in eight weeks, and felt quite satisfied with it.And in May 1953, the novel received the Pulitzer Price and was specifically cited when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.When Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize, it was for "his mastery of the art of narrative, most recently demonstrated in The Old Man and the Sea, and for the influence that he has exerted on contemporary style.Shortly after the publication of The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway went on safari to Africa, where he was almost killed in two successive plane crashes that left him in pain or ill health for much of his remaining life.Finally, on July 2, 1961, Hemingway committed suicide.The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of a battle between an aging, experienced fisherman, Santiago, and a large marlin.The story opens with Santiago having gone 84 days without catching a fish, and suffering the worst unluckiness.He is so unfortunate that his young apprentice, Manolin, has been forbidden by his parents to sail with him.But the boy still visits Santiago’s shack each night, and takes good care of him.Santiago ventures again, far out into the Gulf Stream.On the eighty-fifth day of his unlucky streak, Santiago has his bait taken by a big fish that he is sure is a marlin.Though wounded by the struggle and in pain, Santiago expresses a compassionate appreciation for his adversary, often referring to him as a brother.On the third day, Santiago worn out and almost delirious uses all his remaining strength to pull the fish onto its side and stab the marlin with a harpoon.Santiago straps the marlin to the side of his skiff and heads home.On his way in to shore, sharks attacked him.He fights against them bravely, not only the sharks, but nature,”salao” and life.In the end,Santiago returns home exhaustedly, though there is only the fish’s skeleton left.The scene that Santiago fights against the sharks still keeps me alive.What he said that “Man is not made for defeat.A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” always appears in my mind.And I believe this sentence has encouraged a lot of people to face the difficulties and to deal with them bravely.To be honest, when I saw the sentence at the first time, I cannot agree it.Why a man can be destroyed but not defeated? I think life is the most important thing in our life;men cannot give up their lives easily.And failure is quite common in our daily life, why a man will choose to be destroyed instead of to be defeated? However in that condition, it is easy to understand the reason.Because Santiago is regarded as a failure, because he is suffering the worst misfortune, because he is not trusted be others, he needs a challenge to prove himself.As a result, he decides to put the life to wrestle in such an extreme situation.This is miserable story, it describes a miserable hero.After reading the novel, I am confused that why the author did not let Santiago win in the end.The story of the old man symbolizes the in destructible spirit of human beings.At the end of the story, the old man said,” They beat me, Manolin.They truly beat me.” I can get the feeling that he had, how disappointed, how desperate, and how sad.In the reality, Santiago is a failure, but he succeeds in the spirit.His insistent struggle shows the dignity of human beings.In a way, victory is not important in the novel.What makes me admire is that Santiago dares to break down all the barriers over and over again.What he brings to all of us is a great confidence, a strong spirit.I have learned a lot from the book, especially the attitude towards failure and success.Wearenotlimitedbytheplaceofourbirth,thecolor ofourskin,thecreedofourculture,theflagofourcountryor the circumstancesofour past.Weare onlylimited by the magnitudeofourvision,theextentofourfaithandthevastness ofourwillingnesstotakeaction.If no one believes in you, then believe in yourself and as long as you live.When no one else will give you the encouragement that you so long for, then take hold of the podium of your own heart and encourage yourself.Failure is not horrible;the most horrible thing is giving in to the failure.What is the hero? In my opinion, the real hero will face the trouble bravely, will challenge it, will beat it, and will be a better man.The author also suffered a lot in his life, war, physical illness and mental illness.Although he committed suicide, he did deal with the trouble fearlessly.Our life is just like the venture of the old man, we will meet a great number of difficulties.However, what we should do is put a bold front on them.Please remember we will be stronger if we fight against them, even though we fail in the end.In a word, this book will put you in touch with the hidden seeds of your success and mobilize you to take action.It awakens your collective consciousness and faces you with your own greatness, with your higher mission.

第四篇：《老人與海》書評

《老人與海》書評

標題：失敗是另一種成功——《老人與海》讀后感 內容：

“一個人并不是生來要給打敗的，你盡可以把它消滅掉，可就是打不敗他。”海明威的《老人與海》這部經典之作，我曾一遍又一遍地翻閱。每次靠近它，幾乎都能深深地觸及到自己的心靈，震撼到自己的靈魂，獲得精神上堅不可摧的依靠。

“一個人可以被毀滅，但不能被打敗。”這是主人公桑地亞哥信奉的真理，他一直在用行動詮釋給我們看，并且他做到了，創造了大海上的奇跡。是他，通過自己的一舉一動，一言一行，告示給我又一個人生箴言：失敗是另一種成功！

這位“硬漢”的故事真的將我深深折服??

風燭殘年的老漁夫桑地亞哥一連八十四天都沒有捕到一條魚，這讓他成為了別人眼中的失敗者。而他卻從沒有認輸過，總是斗志昂揚，充滿著信心與希望，時刻準備迎接下一次的豐收。這也似乎正預示著一場戰斗的開始。終于，在第八十五天，他發現了一條身長約十八尺，體重約一千五百磅的大馬林魚。他明知對方力量比自己強大，卻還是決心與之戰斗到底。盡管大魚拖著船往海里走，老人依然死拉著不放，即使沒有水，沒有食物，沒有武器，沒有助手，左手抽筋，他也絲毫不灰心，并對大魚說：“我跟你奉陪到底！”。經過兩天兩夜的戰斗后，他終于殺死了大魚，把它拴在船邊。然而，考驗并沒有因此結束。回航時，大魚的血腥味引來了鯊魚一次又一次的襲擊。筋疲力盡的老人憑著自己頑強的意志，獨自用盡一切手段來反擊。魚叉被鯊魚帶走了，他把小刀綁在槳上亂扎。刀子折斷了，他用短棍。短棍也丟了，他再用舵把來打。——似乎沒有什么能阻擋和摧殘他。可是，上天似乎并不會憐惜這位堅毅剛強的老人，它將厄運一次又一次降在他身上，而最終只留給了他一副魚骨頭。老人回到家中，已是精疲力竭，躺在床上，去夢里追尋心底的那份美好??

桑地亞哥——多么令人心疼的孤獨樂觀的老人，多么令人欽佩的勇敢睿智的漁者，多么令人敬畏的頑強剛毅的硬漢，多么令人稱贊的堅韌執著的斗士——用行動抒寫了自己人生的“華麗”篇章，這份“華麗”，雖然很不完美，更可以說是失敗的，畢竟他是付出了沉重的代價最終仍一無所獲。但是，從另外一種意義上來說，他更是一個勝利者。因為，他不屈服于命運，無論在怎么艱苦卓絕的環境里，他都憑著自己的勇氣、毅力和智慧進行著奮勇的抗爭。大馬林魚雖然沒有保住，但他卻捍衛了“人的靈魂的尊嚴”。他身上所散發的精神氣息已經深深感染了每一個人，他的英雄形象也已深深刻在了每一個人的心上。他是物質的失敗者，卻是精神的勝利者，是生命的英雄。他的失敗，注定詮釋了另一種成功。

或許勝利在這部小說里已然不重要，重要的是一個人的生命價值，正真得到了體現。老人敢于挑戰極限，一次又一次地超越，不得不讓我們敬佩，他所帶給人類的是一種自信，一種強大的精神力量。

這位英雄老人，這位失敗的成功者，他不僅代表了自己，更代表著像他一樣的那一類人，了不起的一類人，讓人敬佩的一類人——“命運總是與人作對，人不管如何努力拼搏，終不免失敗。盡管如此，人還是要苦苦奮斗，并盡量保持自己的尊嚴，一個人在肉體上可以被打垮，但在精神上永遠是強者。”這，便是這類人一直堅定遵循的一個真理——這一類人，他們始終保持旺盛的生命力和堅強的意志力，始終保持人的尊嚴和勇氣。在他們身上，具有一種不屈不撓、堅定頑強，面對暴力和死亡而無所畏懼，身處逆境而不氣餒的堅強性格。他們用行動來顯示自己的勇敢、冷靜、果斷、頑強和不畏任何強大力量的主體意識。從他們身上，我們可以看到人的本質，人的努力和奮斗，人的追求和痛苦，人的信仰和掙扎，人的倔犟和價值，人的聰明和命運，人的膽略和氣魄，人的尊嚴和靈魂。即使失敗了，也要坦坦蕩蕩，不失重壓下的人的“優雅風度”。

其實，失敗的確可怕，只要它猖狂起來，可以將人徹底擊潰。而失敗又不可怕，只要你敢于面對他，不向它屈服，盡可以將它踩在腳下。何謂失敗？失敗就是要跌倒了重新鼓起勇氣爬起來，再一次跌倒再一次爬起，永遠不要失去對生活的希望，不要失去對夢想的追求。何謂英雄？英雄就是敢于面對挫折，面對挑戰，不斷戰勝自我，戰勝挫折的強者，就是有勇氣繼續去完成自己也許已經失敗了許多次的夢想的勇士，他會不斷告訴自己：當你遇到挫折，沒關系，闖過去！黎明在下一時刻迎接你；當你遇到坎坷，不要緊，沖過去！彩虹在下一個晴天鼓勵你；當你慘遭失敗，不要哭，挺過去！風景這邊更好。生命中，經歷一次磨難，就是鍛煉自己的意志；挺過一次災難，就是增加自己的力量。

無論處在順境還是逆境，立于自然或是社會中，都應該正視現實，接受一切并超越它，繼續自己的人生之旅。縱然面對死亡，也要漠然處之，寧折勿彎。這是桑地亞哥所執著的人生要義，也正是《老人與海》中的哲理閃光之處。他揭示了肉體和精神的永恒生命力來自于不斷運動的驅動力，強調了要在深沉的行動中鍛造有價值的靈魂。

讀《老人與海》這本書，我感到自己渾身都增添了戰勝困難的勇氣和力量。我覺得，正是書中描繪的復雜險惡的人生環境和面對此種環境主人公所展現的堅韌的人生態度，使得我越來越迷戀這部作品。無論在今后的人生道路上有多少荊棘坎坷，多少挫折失敗，我相信只要有老人那般不服輸的品質，我一定會是生活的強者。《老人與海》真的是值得我們去細細品味的，就像高爾基的《海燕》，能讓我們在暴風雨來臨前獲得勇氣，獲取力量。而它又有自己獨特的神韻，其中更多了一份堅韌、剛毅、執著與信念，讓我們不管遇到什么困難都能有勇氣、有信心地去面對，去堅持，去抗爭，決不退縮。

我想，人生正像老人出海捕魚一樣，會遇到這樣那樣的坎坷波折甚至失敗。失敗的原因也可能不盡相同，無論如何失敗總會帶給人一定程度的打擊，讓人難以承受。但是，我們必須明白，只有再出海，才會有勝利的希望，才會有成功的機會。只要我們勇敢地去面對，即使沒有成功，也不會給人生留下遺憾，畢竟我們努力過，付出過，奮斗過，爭取過，我們同樣會是生活的強者，我們的生命也會因此而精彩。

這，應該就是“失敗是另一種成功”的價值所在吧！

第五篇：《老人與海》書評

生命不息，堅韌不止

——《老人與海》書評

10廣電2班徐華100701226

曾聽過這樣一句話：平凡就是知道自己就像一顆小草一般，卻依舊擁有堅忍不拔的意志，為了一個問題的答案而追根究底，為了一篇論文的完成而廢寢忘食，為了一份承諾的實現而夙興夜寐，在一個個平凡的日月輪回中不斷努力，讓自己不因平凡而淪為平庸。是的，《老人與海》的作者海明威正事塑造了這樣一個主人公——圣地亞哥，平凡，卻因為擁有堅忍不拔的意志讓人為之肅然起敬。

《老人與海》這本書講了這么一個故事：古巴老漁夫圣地亞哥連續八十四天沒捕到魚，被別的漁夫看做失敗者，可是他堅持不懈，在一次單身出海打魚時，釣到了一條大馬林魚，卻拉不上來，大馬林魚將他的小船在海上拖了三天才筋疲力盡，被他殺死了綁在小船的一邊。后來又因大馬林魚傷口上的魚腥味，在歸程中一再遭到鯊魚的襲擊和搶食，但老人仍不愿就這樣放棄，他用盡了一切手段來反擊，最終突出重圍，將大魚帶回了漁港，只可惜回港時只剩魚頭魚尾和一條脊骨。盡管魚肉都被咬去了，但這依舊無法摧殘他的英勇意志，這讓其他漁夫佩服不已。老人是孤獨的，他是在理想的道路上獨自前行的旅人，但他又是不孤獨的，因為他的意志是那樣的堅強。

海明威的這部小說榮獲了諾貝爾文學獎和普利策獎。這個骨頭里留有幾百塊彈片的硬漢作家，恰當地寫出了生命的強度，告訴我們怎么去面對生、老、病、死，告訴我們心該有多寬，這位普通而又可敬的老人讓我們深深的懂得了：做人不應該被任何困難所屈服，應該盡自己最大的努力與生活中的磨難做不屈不撓的斗爭。

人性是強悍的，人類本身有自己的限度，但正是因為有了老漁夫這樣的人一次又一次地向限度挑戰，超越它們，這個限度才一次次擴大，一次次把更大的挑戰擺在了人類面前。在這個意義上，老漁夫圣地亞哥這樣的英雄，不管他們挑戰限度是成功還是失敗，都是值得我們永遠敬重的。因為，他帶給我們的是人類最為高貴的自信。人生本來就是一種無止境的追求。它的道路漫長、艱難，而且充滿坎坷，但只要自己勇敢頑強地以一顆自信的心去迎接挑戰，就將永遠是一個真正的勝利者。

縱使老人頑固不化、愚蠢木鈍，但他的堅持贏過了波塞東的囂張；縱使老人一次次失敗，他從沒有絕望過，那份淡定，平息了一切波濤；縱使老人身處險境，但他的生存信念驅走了死神的垂顧；縱使老人一次次精疲力竭，然而他的等待，勝過了時間的腳步。其實，在我看來，《老人與海》中得老人圣地亞哥，也正是作者海明威所塑造給自己看的一個形象，用于激勵自己。然而，1961年7月2日晨7時，海明威取出自己珍愛的鑲銀雙筒獵槍，槍口對準口腔，他用最后的勇氣為自己敲響喪鐘。也許正如他言：“有勇氣死去比經受身心屈辱的恐怖要幸福得多。”

海明威終究還是選擇了死亡，忍受不了現實來自各個方面的折磨而解脫。在最后那一刻，海明威究竟是一個超越自我的英雄還是一個選擇逃避的懦夫我們不得而知，但是我相信，海明威作為《老人與海》的作者也是它的第一位讀者，一定也從中意識到了很多。海明威自己也非常喜歡他的這一作品，他說：“我一直讀過200多遍，每讀一次，我就多一份收獲，好像我最后得到了我這一生辛苦工作所欲得到的東西”。當然，每一個它的讀者也一定從中受到了鼓舞，甚至于將海明威視為自己精神的寄托。曾聽說在海明威自殺后的第二天，消息傳到了西班牙，一位出名的斗牛士知道了以后只說了一句：“做得好”，然后便選擇了同樣的方式，終結了自己的生命。看來，海明威的文字的的確確影響了那個時代的很多人。

“一艘船越過世界的盡頭，駛向未知的大海，船頭上懸掛著一面雖然飽經風雨剝蝕卻依舊艷麗無比的旗幟，旗幟上，舞動著云龍一般的四個字閃閃發光——超越極限！”作者海明威是這樣評價他的作品《老人與海》的。當然，小說是小說，生活是生活，我們不可能像老

人去一個蒼茫的大海，不服輸地和鯊魚搏斗，但我們可以在摔倒后，珍藏那枚把我們絆倒的石頭，然后帶著它，負著傷，繼續前行，同時等待天空中的云霧撥開。

人們總是把海明威的《老人與海》作為“硬漢”精神的代表，“人不是為失敗而生的”、“一個人可以被毀滅，但不能被打敗”，所有讀過這篇小說的人都對這兩句話留下了深刻的印象。偉大的作品都能散發出象征和寓言的意味，這篇作品在表現老漁夫堅毅意志的同時，也深刻表現了他孤獨的憂傷，或許，這是比單純表達他驚人意志力更為感人更為使人震撼的蘊含在作品深處的意味。

從創作來看，海明威始終恪守著“冰山原則”，他說：“冰山運動之雄偉壯觀，是因為它只有八分之一在水面上”。作品中的文字和形象是所謂的“八分之一”，而情感和思想是看不見的那“八分之七”。《老人與海》中使用了大量的象征、隱喻手法，賦予了作品豐富的內涵。而《老人與海》只有5萬多字，它卻征服了所有的諾貝爾文學獎的評委，1954年，“因為他精通于敘事藝術，突出地表現在他的《老人與海》之中”，才被授予了諾貝爾文學獎這一獎項。

《老人與海》更多的給人是希望與信念。在那個迷惘的年代里，《老人與海》一掃“迷惘”的陰霾，在那孤獨的憂傷里，給人更多的是頑強與不屈的精神品格。