The Old Man and the Sea and the Symbolism of Santiago PrideThe Nobel Prize in Literature is the most prestigious literary prize since its creation in 1901. This prize is awarded each year by a committee of three to five men who reward certain authors whom they consider to have “the most remarkable work in an ideal direction” (Nobel Prize Office). Ernest Hemingway's works, such as The Garden of Eden and The Sun Also Rises, became very popular and made him a widely read author over the past 50 years. Although these were well received by critics, it was not these works that won him the Nobel Prize. Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature because of his extensive use of symbolism, its ability to capture the attention of readers of all ages, and its role as a cornerstone through his contemporary writing style. Hemingway lived an interesting life, which allowed him to take past life experiences and retell them through novels. He does this exclusively through subtle symbolism in works like The Old Man and the Sea. As in all of his other works, Hemingway incorporates past experience into The Old Man and the Sea. Hemingway does this in the book's largest scene using the birds, the sharks Santiago fights, the marlin himself, and the other fish of the sea as symbols. In the book, Hemingway uses birds to represent his friends and mentors, with the sharks being the critics of his book, the marlin being The Old Man and the Sea, and the other fish representing Hemingway's other works. Hemingway uses symbolism when he writes: “'You're killing me, fish,' thought the old man. “But you have the right to do so. Never have I seen anything bigger, more beautiful, calmer and more noble than you, my brother. Come on, kill me. I don't care who kills what ... middle of paper ... story progresses. This contemporary style is what sets Hemingway's novels apart from others. His style and approach were simplistic and direct. We see this simplistic and direct style when Hemingway writes: “But a man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated” (103). These two short sentences are simple and direct, but they have weight and substance. When you look at the career and life of Ernest Hemingway, you can really see how interesting his life was just by reading his books. This lavish lifestyle attributed to his writing style, and this highlight eventually led him to become a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Not only did his great ability to translate his life experiences into literary works help him win this award, but also his ability to use his art of symbolism and appeal to readers of all ages and backgrounds..