Is The Old Man and the Sea a symbolic work?

Symbolism is another major feature of the language art of For Whom the Bell Tolls. Some people even call Hemingway a symbolic writer. He is good at using symbolism to express the theme according to the content of his works. In The Old Man and the Sea, the symbolic significance of Christianity, especially the image of the crucifixion of Christ, has been fully reflected from beginning to end. In the process of fighting with marlin, the old man's palm was cut bloody by fishing line. Although this shows Santiago's hardship and willingness to sacrifice, the wound refers to the holy mark on Christ, and Hemingway is bent on shaping Santiago into a martyr like Christ. When the shark attacked, the old man immediately let out a scream "like a human hand nailed to a board." Moreover, the old man struggled to climb the hill and carry the mast to the village, which would remind people of the scene of Christ struggling to March into Calgary. Even Santiago threw himself on the bed exhausted, face down, arms straight and palms down, which would remind people of the tragic scene of Christ on the cross. In addition, at the tragic end of the story, the last picture is extremely profound: he trudged into the hut and fell asleep. In his dream, he saw an African lion symbolizing courage and fearlessness.