The ocean has served as the setting for many of the greatest works of literature, with Hemingway, Melville and Homer offering some of the more readily recognizable titles. There are innumerable reasons so many authors have chosen to write about the open water, as the symbolic nature of the ocean is seemingly limitless and represents a perfect setting for stories of exploration. These works have all been done on varying scales, with the Odyssey and Moby Dick being nearly as vast as the ocean itself. On the other hand, The Old Man And The Sea represents a relatively quick read that is nonetheless an outstanding example of literature that centers on the ocean.
Sebastian Hirsch has developed a deep appreciation of the manner in which these authors have been able to accurately portray these seafaring scenes while also advancing themes and ideas that are masterfully layered. Hirsch, who sometimes goes by Hugo, is also a surfcasting aficionado, and his passion for this style of fishing has led him to explore the works of literature that focus on characters that elect to stay on the shore to reap the bounty of the ocean.
Of the many works Hirsch has studied over the years, he offered Big Sur as one of his personal favorites. The book, written by Jack Kerouac in the aftermath of his massive literary success, explores the author’s descent into alcoholism and his subsequent attempt to restore his health by retreating to a cabin amid the redwoods in Northern California. Kerouac suffers throughout the novel, but there are several moments in which he finds solace in the beauty that surrounds him.
Though it is not necessarily prominently featured, Kerouac uses surfcasting as a means of juxtaposition. Another character is content to simply cast his line from the shore and, despite catching just a single, meager fish, he is delighted and focuses his energy on cracking jokes just to make others smile. Kerouac sees this as a wonderfully simple philosophy for life, as the surfcaster is able to find contentment independent of any external circumstance.
