Essay on topic 4.

4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

On the day of my thirteenth birthday, my parents gave me a book named "The old man and the sea." As a young child, it seemed to me that there only exists a frustrating life of an old man. However, what I couldn't recognize in my young age was that The old man and the sea is a novel full of symbolic meanings. After my father explained me about the symbols, I tried once more to scrutinize the novel with much deeper thoughts and approaches. Then, I　finally was shocked by the truth which is embodied through the old man: an indomitable spirit of humankind.

The old fisherman in the novel symbolizes all humankind. This fisherman sails to ocean which can be construed as a place of introspection rather than a physical world. After 84 days of failure to catch a single fish, he suffers in a great sense of frustration. However, as he sails further away into the deep ocean, there he finds a huge marlin and to catch it, starts a desperate fight not with the marlin itself but rather with himself. In this fight which can be referred as a self-examination and speculation, he finally wins and attains his purpose, the marlin. However, on his way back home, he loses everything at the overwhelming threat of sharks symbolizing death. He tries to resist but as he get to the shore, he finds out that there is nothing left but the mere bones of the marlin. He does not have much of a frustrated feeling this time but more of a sense of futility. He just falls into a deep sleep, dreaming of a lion, feeling better.

Although the old man fails to win the second fight with sharks, he seems to be satisfied with his failure, since he found his own purpose of life. This is why he is not so much frustrated but rather has a sense of futility instead. This futility, directly shown through the dazzling white bones of the marlin, has a close connection to the truth which the author is trying to present. Although the lion in the old man's dream has the perfect youth and enormous power, in the reality filled with futilities, he does not. To overcome this painful reality, the old man seems to find a solution, a will of iron. The old man in the novel presents that life is nothing but a frail and ephemeral reality, and pain of this reality always reiterates. However, he also presents that "A man can be destroyed but not be defeated.

Ever since I was young, this phrase remained deep in my heart and still takes a great part in my life. I have learned mainly two things from the old man. Firstly robustness and secondly, how to construe the world from my perspective. The will of iron I saw through the old man helped me overcome the hardships I encountered through my life. I do not try to hide from the reality but look squarely to it. I found out that if I believe myself and the indomitable spirit, if I always persue the right way to live my life, then there will not be anything impossible. Whenever I am having a hard time, I remind of the old man, trying to be the old man.