1.2 Literature Review

Hemingway has ever said: “I tried to make a real old man, a real boy, a real sea, a real fish and real sharks. But if I made them good and true enough, they would mean many things.” Actually, the role of the boy is not so simple. The support of the boy to the old man is worthwhile to analyze. Plenty of scholars have studied relevant topics. The first scholar Bickford Sylvester (2000) holds the view that the boy takes the responsibility to pass down the fishing skills and spirit of the old man, who symbolizes the new generation . The second scholar Jing Ying (2003) considers that the author intends to make readers ponder the meaning of life through the contrast between the tough old man and the boy who is delicate comparatively. The third scholar Yang Yuanteng (2007) claims that the role of the boy offers a method to perform the old man’s grace under the pressure. And the fourth scholar Sun Shaoqing (2012) regards the boy as the young Santiago, who is the ideal successor. In general, these scholars all neglect the support of the boy to the old man including emotional support, spiritual support as well as physical help indicated by the old man’s repetition of the sentence “I wish I had the boy.” and the plot repetition. 

1.3 Research Purpose and Significance

As a matter of fact, as for the old man going far out into the sea alone and fighting with a giant marlin as well as dangerous sharks for two days, the support of the boy is extremely essential, which is also a motif of this novella. If we ignore the support of the boy, one important theme would be covered, which is a severe damage to the novella. Besides, the boy’s support to the old man is showed by the sentence repetition and plot  repetition in the novella so that the thesis also tends to discuss the functions of the repetitions in novel comprehension. Finally, the thesis intends to reveal the theme of the novella --the essence of life lies in the companionship and support from other people through analyses of old man’s repetition of the sentence “I wish I had the boy” during three difficult days, and the plot repetition about the boy’s emotional, spiritual and physical support to the old man.