The Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea
Copyright © 1988 By Odell Sneeden Hathaway, III What is symbolized by the encounter of the old man and the Fish? In Hemingway's "The Old Man and The Sea" MATTHEW 4:18–19 Now Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” I saw in the old man a picture of what God must be like: an old man, full of life—one who loves everything, even the fish whom he must kill. “Everything about him was old except his eyes; they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.” If I had to paint a picture of God, I do not know what shape I would make Him, or what color His eyes would be. I do know that He would be old and that His eyes would be young—and most of all, no matter how much He calls us and we refuse His love, He would never look defeated, but hopeful up until that m...