ideas on page 63

On page 63, it says the old man seen many great fish but he was never alone." Now alone, and out of sight of land, he was fast to the biggest fish that he had ever seen and bigger than he had ever heard of, and his left hand was still as tight as the gripped claws of an eagle." I think that Hemingway has such a big idea that he wants to write down on paper but his hand is so tightly cramped he is not able to write it down.

I understand what you're saying and i agree with Hemingway having a big idea, but i think that his hand being cramped is a literal representation. I think that Hemingway's idea is so big that he can not or does not know how to write it on paper.

When I read this I thought about how the old man's "left hand was still as tight as the gripped claws of an eagle." I first imagined an eagle flying over the ocean searching and at the very last moment, it swiped down to claw at its prey and held onto it so tight that it wouldn't be able to escape. Perhaps Hemingway decided to add this eagle simile in order to reinforce the image of the old man/Hemingway being the predator preparing himself for the hunt.

I wasn't sure if Hemingway felt that the idea was too big, and that resulted in him being unable to write it down due to his cramped hand. (I mean it did say "left hand". Was Hemingway left handed?)

I saw it more as Hemingway bracing himself for this big idea, hence his left hand getting tight. It could have also been a sign of nervousness. Was he really ready for what he was searching for?

Just a thought...

Yeah, those are good thoughts also. But, i dont know if he was left handed? they never said, so i was just taking a guess on that.