The Old Man and the Sea
About the Author:
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Cicero, now in Oak Park, Illinois. Hemingway served in World War I as an ambulance driver and worked in writing journals before he published he first novel, "In Our Time". Some of his novels he wrote were "The Sun Also Rises", "A Farewell to Arms", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and "The Old Man and the Sea", which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. Hemingway also won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Ernest Hemingway was married four times and had many children. Near the end of his life, Ernest Hemingway decided to take his own life because he suffered from depression and many other conditions, such as high blood pressure and liver disease. Ernest Miller Hemingway committed suicide on the morning of July 2, 1961.
Here is a biography video of Ernest Hemingway: Click Here. --->_
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Cicero, now in Oak Park, Illinois. Hemingway served in World War I as an ambulance driver and worked in writing journals before he published he first novel, "In Our Time". Some of his novels he wrote were "The Sun Also Rises", "A Farewell to Arms", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and "The Old Man and the Sea", which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. Hemingway also won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Ernest Hemingway was married four times and had many children. Near the end of his life, Ernest Hemingway decided to take his own life because he suffered from depression and many other conditions, such as high blood pressure and liver disease. Ernest Miller Hemingway committed suicide on the morning of July 2, 1961.
Here is a biography video of Ernest Hemingway: Click Here. --->_
Exposition:
The main character of "The Old Man and the Sea" is the old man by the name of Santiago. Santiago is a skinny and weak old man that doesn't want to admit that he is old or weak. Also, Santiago is a religious man. Another main character of "The Old Man and the Sea" is Manolin. Manolin is a boy who takes care of the old man. Manolin helps prepare the old man for the journey to catch fish, but he doesn't go with the old man to catch fish. This story takes place in the Gulf Stream in Cuba.
The main character of "The Old Man and the Sea" is the old man by the name of Santiago. Santiago is a skinny and weak old man that doesn't want to admit that he is old or weak. Also, Santiago is a religious man. Another main character of "The Old Man and the Sea" is Manolin. Manolin is a boy who takes care of the old man. Manolin helps prepare the old man for the journey to catch fish, but he doesn't go with the old man to catch fish. This story takes place in the Gulf Stream in Cuba.
The Simpsons - "The Old Man and the Key" Compare and Contrast
Compare:
Both Santiago and Grandpa are widows. They both want to experience freedom and being young again. Both want something really bad. Santiago wants fish, and Grandpa from the Simpsons wants his car back. They both are having trouble of themselves. Santiago is having trouble of his age, and Grandpa is having a big issue that he shouldn't be driving. Homer is like Manolin. Homer takes care of Grandpa, and Manolin takes care of Santiago. Zelda and the marlin are alike. Grandpa from the Simpsons catches Zelda and says that she is a hoochie. Santiago catches the marlin. |
Contrast:
Both are different characters. Santiago is after fish, but Grandpa from the Simpsons is after Zelda. Santiago is fisherman, but Grandpa Simpson is just an ordinary grandpa. The settings are not the same. Santiago's setting is on the sea. Grandpa Simpson's setting is in the city or neighborhood. Grandpa Simpson is irresponsible. |
"The Old Man and the Sea" Vocabulary
skiff - a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat
sail - a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat, ship, or other vessel
gaff - a stick with a hook or a barbed spear, for landing large fish
mast - a tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels generally carrying a sail or sails
harpoon - a barbed spear-like missile attached to a long rope and thrown by hand or fired from a gun, used for catching whales and other large sea creatures
marlin - a large edible billfish
shark - a long-bodied chiefly marine fish; it is predatory
bow - the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat
bait - food used to entice fish or other animals as prey
stern - the rear most part of a ship or boat
oar - a pole with a flat blade, pivoting in an oar lock, used to row or steer a boat through water
fathom - a unit of length equal to six feet, chiefly used in reference to the depth of water
buoy - an anchored float serving as a navigation mark, to show reefs or other hazards, or for mooring
bonito - a fish related to tuna
albacore - a type of tuna
Why did the Old Man go after the fish?
The old man went after the fish because of pride. Catching this big fish would surely make him feel proud of himself, and also that he is not old. Santiago wants to be proud of himself. He wants to change people's understanding of him that he is old. Santiago wants give out a message that he is not old, although he is. He wants people to think of him as a young, successful fisherman. Santiago wants to be proud of catching this big fish and of himself.
The old man went after the fish because of pride. Catching this big fish would surely make him feel proud of himself, and also that he is not old. Santiago wants to be proud of himself. He wants to change people's understanding of him that he is old. Santiago wants give out a message that he is not old, although he is. He wants people to think of him as a young, successful fisherman. Santiago wants to be proud of catching this big fish and of himself.
Baseball Importance
Throughout the story "The Old Man and the Sea", Santiago keeps track of the baseball team the Yankees. In the timeline of the story, the Yankees included Joe DiMaggio and Leo Durocher. Baseball is important to Santiago because baseball is something that Santiago keeps track of. Baseball is something that Santiago is a fan of. More specifically, Santiago is cheering for the Yankees. Also, Santiago seems to treat Joe DiMaggio as his idol. Baseball to Santiago is something that is a part of his life.
Symbolism
The Lions:
The "lions" Santiago mentions in the story "The Old Man and the Sea" is part of his memory. Santiago remembers these lions when he was in Africa. Santiago saw lions all around Africa when he was a boy. Lions are predators that hunt down prey for food. The lions are just like Santiago. Santiago is trying to catch the marlin. The marlin is the prey that is trying to be caught by Santiago.
The "lions" Santiago mentions in the story "The Old Man and the Sea" is part of his memory. Santiago remembers these lions when he was in Africa. Santiago saw lions all around Africa when he was a boy. Lions are predators that hunt down prey for food. The lions are just like Santiago. Santiago is trying to catch the marlin. The marlin is the prey that is trying to be caught by Santiago.
Setting
Setting is where the story takes place. The setting in "The Old Man and the Sea" is Cuba. Most of the time, Santiago is in the ocean near Havana, Cuba. It is important to know the setting because it tells the time this story takes place. The setting tells what is going out right now in a story. "The Old Man and the Sea" takes place in the 1940's. The story also mentions Joe DiMaggio, who is from the New York Yankees. The fact that Joe DiMaggio is in the story also tells about when this story takes place.
Allusion
Allusion is a reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work in literature. In "The Old Man and the Sea", some people from history are mentioned throughout the story. For example, "Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio." (Page 17) In addition, "Naturally. But he makes the difference. In the other league, between Brooklyn and Philadelphia I must take Brooklyn. But then I think of Dick Sisler and those great drives in the old park." (Page 21) Also importantly, "If Durocher had continued to come here each year your father would think him the greatest manager." (Page 23) All of these people, who are Joe DiMaggio, Dick Sisler, and Leo Durocher, are famous baseball players from the past. What all these famous baseball players mean to Santiago is that they are Santiago's idols. Santiago looks up to Joe DiMaggio most of the time. Baseball is a sport that Santiago keeps track of. All these baseball players from baseball history are the people that Santiago looks up to and admires.
"The Old Man and the Sea" Movie - Compare & Contrast
Compare:
Santiago hasn't caught a fish in 84 days. Other fishermen make fun of Santiago that he hasn't caught a fish in many days. "Santiago's eyes were the color of the sea, cheerful and undefeated." A boy named Maonlin helps and takes care of Santiago. Santiago lives in a shack. On the wall of the shack, there are pictures of the Virgin of Cobre and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There was a picture of his wife, who is dead. Santiago did not put it on the wall because it would make him feel lonely. Santiago and Manolin talk about baseball, such as Joe DiMaggio. "You're my alarm clock." "Age is my alarm clock." Santiago dreams of the lions playing in the beach. Santiago thought of the sea as feminine (la mar). Santiago goes out to sea to catch fish. He puts bait that is attached to line in the water. A big fish gets one of the baits and pulls the skiff to the east. Santiago wishes that the boy was here to help him. The pull on the line of the marlin cuts Santiago's hand. The fish jumps out of the water, and Santiago realizes how huge the size of the fish is. He thinks of the memory of when he was arm wrestling a black man. He feels young again because of that memory. Santiago says that he will pray 100 Our Fathers and 100 Hail Mary's because of how exhausting it is to capture the big fish. Santiago pulls the fish closer and closer. He then throws his harpoon at the fish. It is killed. During the time of going back home, waves of sharks continuously take bites from the marlin that is attached to the side of the skiff. Half of the marlin is eaten. Santiago returns to shore and enters his shack. The next morning, Manolin enters the shack and finds Santiago. Manolin then gets coffee for Santiago. People are amazed of what Santiago has caught, even though half of the fish is eaten by sharks. Manolin promises to fish with Santiago whenever Santiago goes out to fish. Santiago returns to sleep and dreams about the lions playing in the beach. |
Contrast:
In the movie, Martin, the one who gives food and coffee for Manolin and Santiago, thinks that Santiago is too old and too weak to fish anymore. The movie mentions that during one night at sea, Santiago dreams about schools of dolphins, sleeping in his shack, the lions playing the beach, and the shales in the ocean. In the movie, Santiago doesn't mention baseball at sea. Baseball is only mentioned in the beginning of the story. In the book, Santiago mentions baseball at sea. |