海明威的经典著作《老人与海》，其细腻而深刻的文字，透露着一个勇于实现自我的，同时又空虚而孤独的灵魂。而这很有可能就是我们很多人的写照。
故事讲述了老渔夫数月捕鱼未果后，终于发现了一条重量无比的大鱼。经历了三天三夜的搏斗后，大鱼终于被击败。不幸的是，在归程中老渔夫一度遭遇鲨鱼袭击，以至最后回港时只剩鱼头鱼尾和一条鱼脊骨。
出于对实现自我的渴望，我们同生活和命运殊死拼搏，尽管最后很可能只是扑了场空。
我们拖着沉重的身躯回到陋舍，喘息间修补自己心头的伤口。而后终于意识到生命的真理在于：不计结果，重在过程。
这是一部故事简短，但寓意深刻的古典悲剧式小说。本文摘录了其中一些经典语录，供大家品读。
Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.
每天都是崭新的一天。有运气当然是好事，但我宁愿做到分毫不差。这样运气来临时你就有所准备了。
But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated.
人生来不是被打败的，一个人可以被毁灭，但不能被打败。
Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.
让它认为我是一个更强壮的人吧，那样我就可以如此去做了。
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is.
现在不是去想缺什么的时候，而是要想一想凭现在的东西能做些什么。
But,then,nothing is easy.
不过话说回来，没有什么事是容易的。
My big fish must be somewhere.
一定有属于我的大鱼在什么地方等着。
But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert.
但这些伤疤没有一处是新的。它们就像那无鱼可打的沙漠中受侵蚀的地方一样古老。
Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.
他的一切都显得如此古老，唯独他的双眼，它们跟海水一般愉快，那样不可被击败。
It's silly not to hope.
人不抱有希望是傻的。
Now is no time to think of baseball, he thought. Now is the time to think of only one thing. That which I was born for.
现在没时间去想棒球了。此刻要思考的只有一件事，那就是我生来是为了什么。
If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.
如果被别人听见我大声地自言自语，他们一定以为我是疯了。但既然知道自己不是，我也不在乎了。
Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?
运气这种东西每次都以不同形式出现，谁又能认得出来呢?
“No one should be alone in their old age, he thought.
没有谁是应该孤独终老的，他想。
If you said a good thing, it might not happen.
如果你说出一件好事，那这件好事可能就不会发生了。
Do not think about sin. It is much too late for that and there are people who are paid to do it.
不要想罪恶，现在想也为时已晚，而且有些人就是专靠这个吃饭的。
You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after. If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?
你杀它是为了个人的骄傲，因为你是个渔夫。它活着的时候你爱它，它死后你依然爱它。如果你爱它，那么杀了它就不算罪恶。或者罪恶更深。