What are hints of Existentialism in The Old Man and the Sea?

Answer 1

As the old man chooses to go further than all the other boats 'beyond all people in the world', this novella goes beyond being either Cuban or American, becoming an universal allegory for man's willpower and the spirit of endurance. The 20th century USA, with its increasingly urban and suburban lifestyle, may have seemed excessively 'safe' to Hemingway, not offering enough scope for heroic individual acts. He acknowledged the fact that Santiago's universal parable of stamina and virility needed to be free from the intervention of civilization and therefore isolated Santiago in an existentialist setting when he makes the decision to go far out. He emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts - something Santiago is forced to undertake as he exercises his will against the fish, thus validating his existence.

Answer 2

One hint of existentialism in "The Old Man and the Sea" is the theme of individual struggle and perseverance in the face of a seemingly indifferent world. The old man's solitary battle to catch the marlin reflects the existential idea of confronting life's struggles alone. Additionally, the emphasis on the old man's internal thoughts and reflections throughout the novella highlights existential themes of introspection and individual responsibility in the face of adversity.