content: A great, simple tale of a man at sea. Brimming with Hemingway's brilliant symbols, this short novel is a must read.After reading it, I couldn't help but feel that the fish represented Hemingway's writing. Reading it gave me the feeling that after the critical failure of his last novel, Hemingway felt as the old man: Tired, alone, but struggling with his art. The sharks seem to vividly recapture the vicious criticisms shot at Hemingway from all sides following his most recent defeat.By the time the old man(and Hemingway) reach shore, there is nothing left but a few tales for the villagers. It is telling that Hemingway never wrote another novel after this one.