I owe much of the author Ernest Hemingway for his novel The Old Man And The Sea. I personally feel, I am just like the old man Santiago of his novel in many aspects .
Since in my early years, I have dreamt to be an English teacher. I strove to make my dream come a true. I merely considered that studying was releasing outlet when I feel tired.
I stood just a few steps away from the forty seven. I became an old man and my vivid dream also became an old one. It was growing up with me. I had got everything through my life. I defeated poverty which prevented me from chasing my old dream. I achieved finally most precious things, except the old dream of mine. I was waiting as long as a great wish lurked in my heart.
Much later, I joined to The College Of Arts. From then on , I devoted myself to attain my dream. So I made many sacrifices in order to be an English teacher. I lost my position as tradesman among my friends, became uncared for money. Moreover, I shrunk a little from participation in my city’s social activities. I did my best to study. I learnt as much as I could to get higher marks in my class, and to challenge my fate. At last I managed to be a clever and a successful old student in my college.
Soon after, I graduate and get a certificate which qualifies me to be an English teacher. But I can’t be a good teacher for many reasons.
In the novel The Old Man And The Sea, there was a hero whose name was Santiago. The fish of The Old Man Santiago was so big, but he could not deal with it. It was uneatable because the sharks had eaten it. Although the old man aimed his strong desire but unfortunately the fish was useless for him.
I feel that I am just like Santiago. I get my certificate in English language but , it is no longer useful to promote me to be a good teacher. My health no longer good as before . Moreover I can't hear audible sounds clearly. I have Tinnitus which makes me tired a lot. My eyes no longer as eagle eyes because I have read too much recently. Let alone my body is exhausted. I physically unfit to teach students now, though my delight spirit. Even I never –say- die attitude, but what can I do?
Apparently there is unseen powers and unavoidable incidents which controls our destinies. Our wills and obviations are not sufficient enough to complete our dreams.
In the Ernest Hemingway’s novel , the hero
Santiago was unbeaten man but there were justifiable reasons behind losing his aim. He hunted a very big fish , but it was useless.
Santiago was a good reflection to my struggle against my fate.
Comments
Hi my old friend viviana @ really ,your nice comment makes realize that I have hunt a golden fish. Your comment stimulates me to read The summary of Analects Confucius too . It is my first time to read about this valuable books . I feel so satisfied and content as soon as I read supportive comment here and how brilliantly you link between me and what you read in Analects Confucius.
Many of us have unfair share of life. We have many troubles in common. Sometime ,I think it should not be necessary to mention my personal details here , man’s life is not open book .I have written that my illness plus age plus rules of government all of that add shade of complexity to my case. However, it is also worthwhile to take a closer look at my personal life just to give some lessons especially to younger people to motivate them and make them go on ahead and seize their opportunities before they get older and become like me. Thank you so much for Congratulating me your words means me a lot. Please always keep in touch .
Dear friend, I think you have hunt a golden fish. Do not let some (mean) political rules to bite from it. You are a certified teacher, Congratulation! I am glad for you. Be proud of you and your achievement. Here in EC I already consider you a valuable teacher.
I read at the moment the ''Analects of Confucius'', and while reading your blog I had the impression that the man of virtue has descended on EC. (like other teachers from here of course) You fought with immense determination for a dream. You are a great example! This gave us hope there are barriers in our minds that can be overcome.
Moreover, don't let your image about age, to bit from your fish. Medically speaking, we consider young, people with your age ; in more, tinnitus and visual acuity problems are not necesarily age related. Please take some medicals cheack-up, hope for a quick recovery dear teacher, and... attention! : absolutely not accepted long periods of missing from EC :))
My words are far from being poetical as yours :) (I studied a real profile), but please accept them in an objectie and direct style: Immense thanks for this blog!
Dear Galina ,It is good to repeat what I wrote two weeks ago. I was a very smart student , my higher marks were at English lessons .I liked knowledge and arts since the time of my childhood ,I was a painter of my school , and the poet of its celebrations .l liked Mozart and Beethoven’s symphonies ,so I tried to study music secretly because our traditions forbade me to learn such hobby , still remembered that I bought a music instrument ,but I gave up when my mother whispered in my ears “Son ..damn will be sent down on our heads because music is forbidden as we are Muslims ” And I was forced to leave music ,and painting ,and poetry and studying to earn money for my family .All my dreams had been killed since then .
I know money was very important in our lives , but money had a tricky value in our world , it is not bad in itself but sometimes dangerous because it could not make all your dreams come true When I got wealthy life, I realized that the time ate my sweet years .
Much later ,I devoted myself for studying. I kept on my eyes at my the old dream.Although I lost some of my business but I got my purpose finally, it is long –awaited my certificate. I am not regrettable now .
I like The Old Man and the Sea so much . it published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction to be produced by Hemingway and published in his lifetime. One of his most famous works. The Old Man and the Sea was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 and was cited by the Nobel Committee as contributing to the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Hemingway in 1954.
Your nice comment delights my sprit Galina , thank you so much dear for every comment you drop .
Wow! Tawfeeq! You never stop to surprise me!!! I thought you learnt English just for yourself and not in college. The news that you got a certificate was some kind of a shock to me! I admire your wish to be a teacher and what's more your perseverance to acieve it! Not every person can do it while having commitments in his life: family, job and other millions of everyday problems. It means, Tawfeeq, that it’s your mission to be a teacher! You could be a real teacher! You have everything for it; creativity, imagination, love to reading books, love to writing. It’s a pity that you have lived a hard life and didn’t have an opportunity to accomplish your real mission. But life is life and maybe you’ll have a chance to teach students, nobody knows what expects us in our life. If not, you are teaching people here with your nice poetic blogs. We enjoy reading them and benefit from them a lot. Just keep up writing and learning!
By the way, I also like E. Hemingway, and this story in particular. Thanks for the link to this lovely cartoon. I haven’t seen it before, so enjoyed watching it very much!
Anele , I live in Iraq , here is a shadowy world .Thanks for your comments ,with such nice comments I am afraid of arrogance hahahah I should be a way from excessive pride .
Bala from India @Oh Lord! What a pleasant comment !
How it brilliantly changes my fierce winter and turns it into flourish spring . You make me feel that my efforts is not in vain .I am such a man who always been effected by nice and kind words I feel grateful for my EC as it gifts me by friends like you . Thank you for a very selective comment .
Ha Nguyen@Do you really admire my English ? I am happy to see you admire my English despite the fact that I have many grammatical mistakes when I write something.
One of the best merit of my studies is ,it enables and improve me to communicate with nice persons in EC like you and Hala , Galina , Sami and others. So you are right dear because of you my efforts are not in vain .
Ha Nguyen, you are providing me by confidence which is the key of success I hope I will thrive to meet your expectations .Million thanks for your nice comment ,you made my day .
Expector Smith@You remind me of a very clever student who joined The College of Art and give up the College Of Medicine .When she was asked “why do you give up your college “ she said “I sacrifice the College Of Medicine’s privileges to learn English literature , I love English language ” by the way the doctors in my country have so many benefits and privileges which qualify them to be an elite of society .
Thank you for your nice comment ,it delights my blog.
Freewill@ As you know my close friend , I was not fairly good in my class , there were four students better than me. I had rather many troubles as I was a busy man but I decided to finish my studies no matter how late it is.
Yes , it is too late to be a teacher in Iraq. I agree with you about Iraqi educational regulations . I feel sorry for those roles. Many people all over the world “apart from people in my country” are successful men. It does n’ t mean that we are stupid people and other who live in other countries are clever, but our governments belittle and hinder the clever successful men in order to fail them, whereas other countries encourage unfruitful people to overcome their failures and help them to become successful . My close friend Hassan ,you are the best example, You were the best one among your classmates .But there is no fairness in our place .
I should thank my EC . My EC was the main source of mine during my staying at the College. If it was for my EC’s encouragement I had never be a successful student in my college.
Thank you very much for very nice comment .I am proud of you Freewill , You are my hero.
Tawfeeq.....I am very much proud to be in EC...cos only here, i can see good souls like u............ Please teach me English...Please teach me how to be determined to achieve the goal....Please teach me how to challenge the fate......
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