“The Old Man and The Sea” by Ernest Hemingway Plot Summary: “The Old Man and The Sea” relates the difficult life of an old Cuban fisherman that struggles in his profession for a long period of time until he catches the biggest fish in his life. The story begins presenting readers the fact that Santiago, the old fisherman, has been eighty-four days without catching a fish. This uncomfortable situation leads Manolin, a teenager who works with Santiago, to leave him under his father’s command. However, Manolin reflects more than once throughout the story his desire to keep accompanying the old man in the sea adventures. Although, Manolin was forced to belong to a more prosperous boat, he shows his gratitude, respect, and concern about Santiago. This story also depicts the interest of Santiago in baseball, the most classic Cuban sport. Though Hemingway refers to the characters in third person, his likes and struggles are reflected in the story. Hemingway was a skilled fisherman, and very passionate about baseball, just like Santiago. Hemingway learned about the culture, and experimented the typical Cuban lifestyle, so he uses typical Cuban phrases through the story. Hemingway presents typical phrases that only Cuban may find meaningful. For example, “Perico gave it to me at the bodega,” (Hemingway, 3) where bodega symbolizes the daily life of Cuban people, where not only food provided by the government may be acquired, but where people interact and discuss about usual
The epic journey of “The Old Man and the Sea” describes struggle, discipline and manhood. The main characters relationships exemplify how faith and skill overcome man’s adversity during life on the sea. Santiago’s growing relationship with the boy idealizes his statute as a father figure and develops his integrity and values towards the boy. Hemmingway shows us how an old fisherman’s will to overcome the sea’s obstacles proves his manhood to himself and the young boy. His skills and knowledge of the sea provide a positive influence for the young boy to become a great fisherman someday.
Even though he is an adolescent boy, Manolin loves spending time with Santiago. He loves to go out fishing with him but, his parents no longer will let him. The reason for this is because Santiago has not caught a fish for eighty-four days. As a result of this unfortunate occurrence, others deem Santiago the term salao, or the worst kind of unlucky. Knowing the struggle Santiago is facing, Manolin tries to help him in as many ways as possible. Manolin brings Santiago drinks, food and the newspaper so they can talk about baseball and the great Joe DiMaggio. In spending all this time with the old man, Manolin develops a form of respect for him. He comes to understand that despite the recent unlucky situations, Santiago remains hopeful as well as prideful. This is why Manolin looks up to the old man so much. “Santiago… I could go with you again. We have made some money. The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him” (Hemingway 10). Along with just loving Santiago for himself, Manolin also looks up to him because Santiago taught him how to fish. Manolin understands that he is a large part of Santiago’s life and feels honored and
Baca’s essay shows the reader how he grew as a person. Even though he had many obstacles his intention was to become a better person. The first steps he took towards growing as a person was by listening to someone read to him. Before long he was able to start reading books on his own. After succeeding in learning how to read, he accomplished his biggest goal yet, Baca was able to write. Thus, causing him to feel a sense of freedom and no longer anxious.
The Old Man and The Sea, is a tale of an old man named Santiago who is a fisherman. He hasn’t had any luck with fishing, resulting in the other town members viewing him as a lame old man. A boy who used to fish with him inspires to change up his usual fishing tactics resulting in him catching a great huge fish. After fighting the fish for a couple days in his tiny boat he ties it to the side, headed for shore. On the way in sharks eat his entire catch leaving a skeleton to show for his work. The reader can see a clear metaphor painted by Hemingway. The fish
Manolin is very devoted to the old man. Though he is not allowed to go fishing with Santiago, he aids the old man however he can. “’Keep the blanket around you,’ the boy said. ‘You’ll not fish without eating while I’m alive,’” (Hemingway 19). This statement uncovers how much Manolin cares for the old man. Manolin wants to be there for the old man, however difficult it may be for him. The two characters divulge a bond that is unbreakable because of how much they love and care for each other. Though Santiago is not able to fish as well as he used to, Manolin still believes in him. Manolin has faith in Santiago and that is root of their relationship. “’Que va,’ the boy said. ‘There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you,’” (Hemingway 23). Manolin’s devotion to Santiago highlights the old man’s values and beliefs as a fisherman and as a person. Manolin admires the old man and cannot contain his love for Santiago. He sees himself reflected in Santiago, which is why he has an abundant amount of love for him.
Have you ever thought about how everything that you’ve accomplished and learned in your lifetime can eventually be forgotten about once you pass away? That all the knowledge you’ve consumed will no longer be passed around to help others? Ernest Hemingway explores this topic in his novel, The Old Man and the Sea written in 1952. Set in Cuba near Havana, the novel revolves around Santiago and his struggle to catch a marlin, the biggest fish he’s ever dealt with. Santiago’s only companion is Manolin, a young boy who Santiago taught how to fish.
Ernest Hemingway combined three of the most random symbols into one of Literature’s well known books. The Old Man and the Sea has several symbolic meanings hidden in its pages. The old man can be seen as a Christ or Christian figure. The marlin is compared to as greater than his opponent. Joe DiMaggio is also compared to the old man because of their similar backgrounds. Santiago is also seen as weak by the other fishermen, but by the end of the novel they had an unspoken respect for the old man who caught the marlin, worked like Christ, and loved what he
The novel written by Ernest Hemingway tells the story of an old fisherman named Santiago (referred to as "the old man") and his quest of catching a fish. Unfortunately, the old man has been down on his luck and has been fish-less for eighty-four days. The next time the old man leaves for a fishing trip, he sets sail farther than any fisherman has ever gone before, and he refuses to go home until he has proven to himself and to society that he is more than an average old man. However the old man is forced to overcome many challenges on his quest. His old age hinders him drastically and when he is finally able to get a fish on his line, he is not strong enough and is unable to reel the fish in. On the third day of the fishing expedition as the old man continues to struggle with the fish (a large marlin), he begins to reflect on the nature of the universe and his low place in society. The old man begins to feel pity for the fish, however also feels an unflagging determination to kill
Throughout the journey, Santiago encountered many struggles and hardships, however he never gave up. Throughout The Old Man and the Sea Hemingway wants to show Santiago’s perseverance and Santiago as Christ. Santiago is faced with many struggles throughout his journey of catching the marlin yet he preservers through his struggles. Santiago was once known as the champion fisherman by locals, however he had not caught a fish for eighty-four
Santiago of The Old Man and the Sea is the quintessential “Hemingway Hero”-a type of fictional character created by Hemingway in all of his books whose basic response to life appealed very strongly to the readers. The Old Man begins the narrative with all the elements of such a hero despite his senescence and poverty. He shows strength, determination, and dedication to himself despite his struggles. Santiago relates back to readers as a strong failure who picks himself up repeatedly.
Before I finished reading the novel “The Old Man and the Sea”, I thought that Santiago would hate nature because it is how he gained money, but nature did not help him. It had been eighty-four days since he last caught a big fish. After I finished reading this novel, I saw that Santiago was actually trying to challenge mother nature. He was not mother nature’s enemy. From this, I developed a thesis statement: “The pride of a man can challenge mother nature, shown by how Hemingway depicted Santiago and the marlin as equal opponents”.
The Old Man and the Sea was written by Ernest Hemingway and published in 1952. This is a captivating fiction story about a man named Santiago and his adventure when one day, he goes on a fishing journey to catch the big one. However, this adventure quickly becomes one of pain and suffering when things take a turn for the worse.
In Ernest Hemingway’s novel, The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago demonstrates the traits of the code hero. The Hemingway’s code hero covers the principal ideals of honor, courage, and endurance in a misfortune life. Throughout the novel, Santiago shows a contrast between opposite attitudes and values which associate his behavior with the guidelines of the code. In this case, the depiction of conflicting values, such as dignity despite humility, perseverance despite despair, and victory despite defeat are aspects that help to describe and understand the role of Santiago in the novel, and reflect the reason why this character is perfectly suited to the heroic conduct established by Hemingway.
Hemingway has a way of making his readers believe that the feats and strengths that his characters obtain in his novels are actually possible. Although this statement may be too critical, and maybe there is a man out there, somewhere on the coast of Cuba who at this very moment is setting out to the open sea to catch a marlin of his own. The struggle many readers have is believing the story of Santiago’s physical powers and his strength against temptation bring forward the question of whether or not The Old Man and the Sea is worthy to be called a classic. Hemingway’s Santiago brought Faulkner and millions of other readers on their knees, while to some, believed Hemingway
“Hemingway’s greatness is in his short stories, which rival any other master of the form”(Bloom 1). The Old Man and the Sea is the most popular of his later works (1). The themes represented in this book are religion (Gurko 13-14), heroism (Brenner 31-32), and character symbolism (28). These themes combine to create a book that won Hemingway a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and contributed to his Nobel Prize for literature in 1954 (3).