The Old Man, The Sea, The Shuttle and The Trains
Waiting for the fx shuttle going to makati takes 30 minutes, 1 minute tops. Waiting for the mrt going to cubao takes 10 minutes, 2 minutes tops. Waiting for the lrt going to santolan takes 9 minutes, 1 minute tops. Last year, all these valuable minutes were wasted by shifting my weight from left to right foot. Then I thought of bringing my old archie comics. Finally, that idle time has become idle time no more.
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After the comics, I brought The Old Man And The Sea. We already read this in high school but since I didnt remember the end part plus I just borrowed the copy, I bought my own. Although this is a short story, I have folded several pages. It has been my habit to fold the upper corner of the paper when I come across a quoteable phrase or sentence. Here are some of those.
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Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready. (32)
...because he knew that if you said a good thing it might not happen. (43)
No one should be alone in their old age, he thought. But it is unavoidable. (48)
There is no sense in being anything but practical... (59)
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is. (110)
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Ernest Hemingway was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this short story. Why? I'm not quite sure. Perhaps, it's because of the way he described the littlest detail of the weather, every sea creature that came near the Old Man's boat, and the relationship between the Old Man Santiago and the young boy Manolin. Moreover, it could also be the way he narrated every step of the "battle" between the Marlin and the Old Man. Haha, I thought it would never end. Talk about waiting 84 days to catch a fish and then waiting another 4 days (I cant remember. I just know it's more than 2 days but less than a week.) to finally kill the huge (2 feet longer than the boad) marlin that already got the bait.
...because he knew that if you said a good thing it might not happen. (43)
No one should be alone in their old age, he thought. But it is unavoidable. (48)
There is no sense in being anything but practical... (59)
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is. (110)
.
Ernest Hemingway was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this short story. Why? I'm not quite sure. Perhaps, it's because of the way he described the littlest detail of the weather, every sea creature that came near the Old Man's boat, and the relationship between the Old Man Santiago and the young boy Manolin. Moreover, it could also be the way he narrated every step of the "battle" between the Marlin and the Old Man. Haha, I thought it would never end. Talk about waiting 84 days to catch a fish and then waiting another 4 days (I cant remember. I just know it's more than 2 days but less than a week.) to finally kill the huge (2 feet longer than the boad) marlin that already got the bait.
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Weeks of May has The Old Man and The Sea. For June, it is The Secret Garden. :)
posted by valerie at
4:06 AM
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