2. Literature Review文献综述

     Ernest Hemingway, who is a contemporary, outstanding novelist in America, has been regarded as a powerful man both in American literature and the world literature. No sooner than The Old Man and the Sea was published in 1952, it gave rise to universal interest, various reaction and violent discussion. “In essence, The Old Man and the Sea is not a novel full of plot, but is a allegorical novel. By describing struggle between the old fisherman and the great fish, it reflects the spirit of Code Hero.” (Jian Tong, 2002: 352) As simple the plot is, the appeal and meaning it brings is not the story itself. It is no doubt that the touching and unforgettable portrait of the immortal and powerful figure, Santiago, who is a great representative of human, contributes to the popularity of the novel.  

     A great number of critics express various opinions on the evaluation of the novel, but there is a general consensus about the dauntless spirit in the critical world. So far, the evaluation of this novel mainly comes from literary points of view. Many researchers interpret it from the analysis of the novel’s characters and its plot, from the author’s attitude towards life and the society. They even link the critical analysis of the novel to Hemingway’s personality, temperament, experience, and his beliefs in literary creation. They also make a comparison between The Old Man and the Sea and the author’s other works when evaluating the novel. Carlos Baker (Carlos Baker, 1952: 297) thinks that Hemingway is a man like Jesus from the aspect of Santiago’s sufferings and courage. Clinton S. Burhans, American scholar, thinks Santiago is a tragic man, whose series of action lead to his unavoidable failure. Robert W. Lewis thinks Santiago is a lonely and benevolent man. In Dai Guiyu’s (Dai Guiyu, 2009: 154) opinion, the old man’s unconscious dream and illusion are built consciously by Hemingway. They represent the old man’s unconscious desire. She thinks Santiago’s desire---to be the champion, to be the real man is actually the metaphor of Hemingway’s own desire. Recent years, many critics analyze the novel from the Eco-critical perspective. Santiago is a seeker after “whole spirit” of nature. “Santiago is not superstitious about religion; he is close to nature, as he is curious about the performance of marlin” (Yang Renjing, 2012: 148) Since then, people pay much attention to Ecological Environment.