In what year was The Old Man and the Sea published?
A1945
B1952
C1962
D1965
Answer:
B. 1952
Read Explanation:
The Old Man and the Sea: Publication and Significance
- Publication Year: The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway's classic novella, was first published in 1952. It initially appeared in its entirety in Life magazine on September 1, 1952, selling an unprecedented 5 million copies in just two days.
- Author: The novel was written by Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), a prominent American novelist and short-story writer, known for his concise and understated prose style.
- Genre and Length: It is classified as a novella, a work of fiction shorter than a full-length novel but longer than a short story.
- Plot Summary: The story centers on Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, and his epic struggle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba. It explores themes of perseverance, defeat, dignity in struggle, and the relationship between man and nature.
- Critical Acclaim and Awards:
- It was an instant critical and commercial success, helping to restore Hemingway's reputation as a major literary figure after a period of mixed reviews for his previous works.
- The novella earned Hemingway the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953.
- It was explicitly cited by the Nobel Committee when Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954, recognizing "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."
- Last Major Work: The Old Man and the Sea was Hemingway's last major work of fiction published during his lifetime.
- Setting: The narrative is set in the small fishing village of Cojímar, near Havana, Cuba, and the waters of the Gulf Stream.