Then there is the other secret. There isn't any symbolysm. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The shark are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know.

Summary

This quote, attributed to Ernest Hemingway, emphasizes the rejection of symbolism in literature. It suggests that there is no hidden meaning or metaphor embedded in objects or characters; things are exactly as they appear. The sea is just the sea, the old man is an old man, and the fish is just a fish. It challenges the notion that readers should search for deeper symbolic interpretations, asserting that what truly matters is the subjective experience and understanding gained through perceptive observation.

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