Pivotal Book- Old Man and the Sea

I chose The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway as my pivotal book on American culture. The book was published in 1952. The summary, to put it simply, is the story of an ordinary man who struggles against nature and over coming those obstacles. In most of Hemingway's writings he uses a metaphor that explains what he is trying to write about. The main character Santiago, has a great deal of individualism and heroics in his quest for the marlin. This book can be viewed in many different aspects, for example, some think the book is classical in nature and some think that by its context it is Christian. A strong theme of the book is that people can identify with it. Clinton Burhans, in the Journal of American Literature, writes like in all great works of art, there is a mirror wherein every man perceives a personal likeness. 

Santiago represents a man who has love for his universe. Characteristics of Santiago is that he is a fighter until the end. Defeat is not an option and you can be destroyed, but not defeated. As time went on the old man felt a connection to the marlin that he was trying to capture. Santiago starts to feel bad for the Marlin. The struggle between the old man and the Marlin is equal and no one can win. All creatures share a connection of being the hunter and the hunted. Santiago teaches us that by going out of your place in life you can fall into sin. After killing the marlin by driving a harpoon into it, the old man does not feel a sense of accomplishment. Instead, he felt as though he betrayed the marlin, hurting someone who had no intention of doing that to him. The sharks coming is the inevitable result of Santiago killing the fish, almost like a punishment. 

The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and the Nobel Prize in 1954.   As much as the sun rises and sets, so does man's course with nature go. It follows the same usual rhythm. Religion is a backdrop, not the central theme inThe Old Man and the Sea, much like his other writings. Santiago does not rely on God to solve his problems in the book, but his own resources. The struggles of life and death are also present. This book shows the lengths that people will go to for pride. Santiago did not kill the fish to eat, but rather for his pride. Brotherhood and love also play a role in The Old Man and the Sea because everyone is killed or being killed as part of nature. 

Dinner Tradition

When I think of family traditions, I automatically think of the one that my family takes part in as often as we can, that is eating dinner together. Ever since my sister and I were little we have been eating dinner at my grandparents' house because they live right across the street from us. We usually eat around the same time everyday. This tradition is very important, as people grow up they tend to get busier and for many, that family time becomes less often. My sister and I both participated in after school activities such as sports and dance class, so while we did not sit down together every single day to eat, we still do so as often as we can. 

Perhaps some traditions are appreciated more the older and wiser we get. While I always enjoyed sitting down and eating with my family, when it happens now it is even more special. The reason that it is more special when we are together now is because my grandpa is 92 and my grandma is not far behind. My sister and I are both away at college so the whole family together does not happen as much. 

Dinner always takes place around 5:00. After dinner, of course is desert. If we have enough time after, sometimes we will play a card game or in the summer time we always sit outside on the swing and talk. For us, dinner time is a chance to talk about our day and to take time out of our busy lives to spend time together. For my grandma she enjoys making dinner for everyone because it gives her something to take part in. 

My mom cooks, but she makes different dishes than my grandma, so over the past few years, especially when it comes to holiday cookies, my grandma has been showing her how she makes certain things. Some foods that my grandma makes, there isn't really a recipe for, so without her showing my mom it would be very hard for it to be made again. It is important that this tradition continues in my family, so I am sure one day my mom will be teaching me how to make the same things that her mom taught her to make. I can only hope that one day if I have my own family, that we would treat dinner time how my family does.

Pivotal Movie- Breakfast at Tiffany's

Breakfast at Tiffany's, released in 1961, is a pivotal movie for several different reasons. The movie was released when conformist culture had taken over and the second wave of feminism was about to take hold in America. Played by Audrey Hepburn, Holly Golightly with her black dress, up do and cigarette is considered to be one of the most iconic images of twentieth century American cinema. Perhaps the most obvious reason that this movie has an impact on American culture is because Audrey Hepburn's character Holly Golightly does not fit into the role of your traditional woman in the 1950's. Her exciting life is very different from the everyday life that most people lead. Writer Paul Varjak moves into Holly's apartment complex and Holly changes her personality and lifestyle according to the situation that she is in. Holly is a carefree socialite who values her freedom and the ability to do what she wants when she wants to do it. She often abandons parts of her life that could pose a threat to her freedom. She is battling with the ideals of stability and freedom. It is suggested that the reason for Holly's character being the way it is is because she does not conform to American convention and thus it leads to social exclusion. She feels as if she has no place in the world. There isn't really a place that she calls home. Holly would describe herself as a wild animal who is put into society. Holly does not rely on a man to take care of her and is not in the kitchen cooking with appliances. She rules her relationships with others, especially men and is very out going and is flirtatious. However, she continues to be unhappy throughout the movie. She uses her independent free nature to find fulfillment in life. 

As we discussed in class, people have outlets for dealing with anxieties about growing up and finding one's place in the world. Holly is constantly trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. It is something that everyone deals with at one point or another in their life. Perhaps we cannot pull out specific parts of the movie and relate those to our lives, but the bigger themes of the movie are relatable. In the end, Holly becomes happy and takes in her freedom, for a man who brings fulfillment to her life.