Being Under Predicament

By taking Ernest Miller Hemingway’s novel The Old Man and the Sea as research object, through close reading, this article was analyzed with relating theories of existentialism and psychology in order to explore the meaning construction of the hero’s psychological illusions from the explanation been provided by the novel itself. It was aimed to solve the problem that how individuals self-adjust and make determinations under predicament and loneliness and find the self-being.This article included three parts:introduction, main body (three chapters were included), and conclusion.Part Ⅰ the introduction stated the importance of the novel and the research status. The research objective, author’s point of view, the possibilities to explain, and relating background were also introduced.Chapter Ⅰ stated the predicament of survival faced up with by the hero, Santiago, and analyzed what was felt by Santiago including loneliness, anxiety, and absurdity, which were also what may be experienced inevitably, by applying relating theory of existentialism in research.Chapter Ⅱ focused on the psychological phenomena during fishing:the recall of his "champion event" and frequent dreaming of lion, the illusion of existence of a little boy, praying for help of Jesus and the Goddess, dialogue with lives in the sea, and imagination of what would happened on DiMaggio, and the belief of good luck to hunt big fish. By analyzing the reason why those illusions arouse and the curing meaning what was shown was the meaning of his psychological illusions on his past, present, and future when encountered absurd reality:eased up the paradox of reality and ideality, and enhanced the belief, bravery and power to resist to reality.Chapter Ⅲ solved the problem of how man would make his determination and action to realize his value of being when facing up with accidental, absurd, and indifferent reality. Santiago finally went back to the resist in reality through psychological adjustment. Relating theory of existentialism was applied to show the independence and freedom of being, in which he endowed everything outside with meaning, made choices and action with his willing and bear the outcome it led to. During the process of free choice, indomitable resist, and actively undertake, he showed contempt for destiny and his dignity, and also transcend the life and death.Part Ⅲ the Conclusion made a conclusion and stated author’s opinion, and stated the relativity of novel and our existence, and show the reference of novel to us.