Out of all of the summer books I read for the blogs, The Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger was by far my favorite and was the one that I thought was best. I thought it had a better storyline than the others, and I thought that is was easier to read and understand than the other two. Holden Caulfield was not a reliable narrator and was not always a good person, but I found him easy to relate to on some levels because there is no one in the world that is perfect. Holden may not always acknowledge it, but he is the perfect example of regular, totally normal imperfection. Holden tries to do the right thing but sometimes ends up being completely wrong, and I understand that and think a lot of people would be able to relate to that aspect of Holden's character.
My least favorite summer reading book was The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I found the author's writing extremely boring and nearly impossible to get through, and while I did sympathize with the main character, I did not find the book at all interesting or even remotely good. I thought it was a terrible book, not just for the writing, but also for the story that was told. It was very boring even during the high point, and the resolution of the conflict was totally unsatisfying. I also felt like it was harder to understand the situations and the characters because of the way that the dialogue was written and even the way the rest of the novel was written.
I did not think The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck was bad, but it was not a story that particularly interested me. I thought the writing was good and a lot of the characters were easy to understand to relate to, but I did not really enjoy the storyline. I like history, but the time period was not one that interested me, and as a result it was harder for me to get through the novel and understand everything that was going on in the story and with all of the characters.
Showing posts with label The Old Man and the Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Old Man and the Sea. Show all posts
Sunday, August 22, 2010
"Friendship" Quotes
The friendship between the old man and the boy is a big part of the novel. They both try to take care of each other and enjoy having a companion, and they each want the best for the other. There are a lot of quotes in The Old Man and the Sea that explain the slightly unconventional relationship between the old man and the boy:
"..."Santiago," the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the skiff was hauled up. "I could go with you again. We've made some money."..." -Day One
The boy (Manolin) enjoys spending time with the old man (Santiago). The old man was the one who taught the boy to fish, and as a result the old man is kind of an important role model for the boy. Even though the old man has not been successful and revered for a very long time, the boy knows how much skill the old man has.
"The old man taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him." -Day One
Because of their common bond of fishing, the old man and they boy developed a very important relationship before the novel even started. The old man shared his skills and love of fishing with the boy, and in return the boy remained loyal to him and cared for him like he was his own father or grandfather.
The old man and the boy's friendship is based on mutual respect. They trust each other and greatly respect each other for just who they are, and that results in understanding and friendship. They find themselves lonely without the company of each other, and the old man often wishes that the boy was with him while he was out at sea battling against the marlin. The old man also first liked the boy because of his helpfulness and assistance, especially when the boy was young and the two first went fishing together.
"..."Santiago," the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the skiff was hauled up. "I could go with you again. We've made some money."..." -Day One
The boy (Manolin) enjoys spending time with the old man (Santiago). The old man was the one who taught the boy to fish, and as a result the old man is kind of an important role model for the boy. Even though the old man has not been successful and revered for a very long time, the boy knows how much skill the old man has.
"The old man taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him." -Day One
Because of their common bond of fishing, the old man and they boy developed a very important relationship before the novel even started. The old man shared his skills and love of fishing with the boy, and in return the boy remained loyal to him and cared for him like he was his own father or grandfather.
The old man and the boy's friendship is based on mutual respect. They trust each other and greatly respect each other for just who they are, and that results in understanding and friendship. They find themselves lonely without the company of each other, and the old man often wishes that the boy was with him while he was out at sea battling against the marlin. The old man also first liked the boy because of his helpfulness and assistance, especially when the boy was young and the two first went fishing together.
Conflict
The main conflict in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is very simple and straightforward. It is external, man vs. man- the old man vs. the giant marlin. The conflict is carried over a period of several days, and then after the falling action, the reader can almost feel the effects that the conflict has had on the old man.
The old man has not caught a fish in eighty four days, and he is starting to become a disgrace. He used to be so skilled and competent, and now it seems that he is not. But things start to look up for the old man when he goes out to sea alone one day and finally manages to snag a giant fish on his line. It is a marlin, longer than the old man's boat and purple in color. The old man knows that he needs to catch this fish- his reputation depends on it and he can finally feel like a successful fishermen again.
But even after he has captured the fish, the conflict is not over. Now he has to fight the fish. Man and fish are both holding on tight, neither wanting to let go and lose. And this carries on for hours and hours and hours. Neither of them are willing to give up, and both the old man and the marlin seem willing to hold on until death.
Finally after a lot of pain and trouble and weakening, the old man manages to kill the marlin with a harpoon. But still, the conflict is not over. The old man still has to bring the fish back to land, and when he starts to do so, a shark is attracted to the marlin. The old man has no choice other than to kill the shark, but the blood in the water attracts even more sharks and there is nothing the old man can do as the sharks devour the entire marlin and he has to go back to his fishing village with nothing at all to show for his great conflict. It is resolved, but definitely does not have a happy ending for either of the two involved.
The old man has not caught a fish in eighty four days, and he is starting to become a disgrace. He used to be so skilled and competent, and now it seems that he is not. But things start to look up for the old man when he goes out to sea alone one day and finally manages to snag a giant fish on his line. It is a marlin, longer than the old man's boat and purple in color. The old man knows that he needs to catch this fish- his reputation depends on it and he can finally feel like a successful fishermen again.
But even after he has captured the fish, the conflict is not over. Now he has to fight the fish. Man and fish are both holding on tight, neither wanting to let go and lose. And this carries on for hours and hours and hours. Neither of them are willing to give up, and both the old man and the marlin seem willing to hold on until death.
Finally after a lot of pain and trouble and weakening, the old man manages to kill the marlin with a harpoon. But still, the conflict is not over. The old man still has to bring the fish back to land, and when he starts to do so, a shark is attracted to the marlin. The old man has no choice other than to kill the shark, but the blood in the water attracts even more sharks and there is nothing the old man can do as the sharks devour the entire marlin and he has to go back to his fishing village with nothing at all to show for his great conflict. It is resolved, but definitely does not have a happy ending for either of the two involved.
"Skill" Quotes
The theme of skill is present in the novel because of the great fishing skill that the old man possesses. He may not be able to show all of his skill and prowess because of his old age, but it is skill there within him and will always will be. Because of this, there are several quotes in the novel that show the importance of the theme of 'skill':
"..."But are you strong enough for a truly big fish?"..."I think so. And there are many tricks."..." -Day One
"I may not be as strong as I think." The old man said. "But I know many tricks and I have resolution." -Day One
When asked about his abilities, the old man knows that he is no longer as strong as he was back when he was known as the best fisherman around and the 'El Campeon'. But he no longer relies on the strength of his aging body- he choices to instead rely on the skill that he still has left.
"He was rowing steadily and it was no effort for him...he was letting the current do a third of the work and as it started to be light he saw that he was already further out than he had hoped to be at this hour." -Day Two
The old man knows many tricks of the sea, and uses these little tidbits of knowledge to give him small advantages. Instead of wearing himself out by just getting out to sea, he allows the current to carry him part of the way and manages to conserve some of the energy that he will need to fish.
"The old man held the line delicately, and softly, with his left hand, unleashed it from the stick." -Day Two
It is clear how at ease and comfortable the old man feels while he does his job, and the skills he has acquired over the years allow him to do this.
"..."But are you strong enough for a truly big fish?"..."I think so. And there are many tricks."..." -Day One
"I may not be as strong as I think." The old man said. "But I know many tricks and I have resolution." -Day One
When asked about his abilities, the old man knows that he is no longer as strong as he was back when he was known as the best fisherman around and the 'El Campeon'. But he no longer relies on the strength of his aging body- he choices to instead rely on the skill that he still has left.
"He was rowing steadily and it was no effort for him...he was letting the current do a third of the work and as it started to be light he saw that he was already further out than he had hoped to be at this hour." -Day Two
The old man knows many tricks of the sea, and uses these little tidbits of knowledge to give him small advantages. Instead of wearing himself out by just getting out to sea, he allows the current to carry him part of the way and manages to conserve some of the energy that he will need to fish.
"The old man held the line delicately, and softly, with his left hand, unleashed it from the stick." -Day Two
It is clear how at ease and comfortable the old man feels while he does his job, and the skills he has acquired over the years allow him to do this.
Writing Style
There is definitely no argument that Ernest Hemingway is a great classic writer. However, it is also very obvious just how classic he is. Hemingway writes The Old Man and the Sea in an extremely unique way. Most authors tend to try and style away from too many choppy, simple sentences, but not Hemingway. He embraces this style of writing and takes off with it, making parts of The Old Man and the Sea hard to get through and very choppy.
The sentences in The Old Man and the Sea are very simple. Not all of them run together very well. Even when describing things the sentences are kept choppy and short. Sometimes the simple sentences are even drawn out too far.
But Hemingway is famous for his style- his factual, short sentences and declarative sentences. He uses an abundance of prepositional phrases, as well. Even though his writing can be very dreary, it is his own classic style and it is simply the way that he wrote. A lot of people in this time period wrote in the same way as Hemingway, but he put a slightly different spin on the small, short, and choppy sentences and slightly flat words and made the style his own, distinct and recognizable.
The Old Man and the Sea is not really a novel, it is a novella. And Hemingway made everything about this piece of fiction short. The story. The sentences. The captivation for the reader. Hemingway is definitely a great writer, an iconic one, but some of the writing in The Old Man and the Sea is just too hard to get into because of the way the sentences are formed. But given the writing of today, when authors and writers are encouraged to use compound sentences, simple sentences, and complex-compound sentences within a piece of work, Hemingway did well with the kind of writing style that he used in his works of literature.
The sentences in The Old Man and the Sea are very simple. Not all of them run together very well. Even when describing things the sentences are kept choppy and short. Sometimes the simple sentences are even drawn out too far.
But Hemingway is famous for his style- his factual, short sentences and declarative sentences. He uses an abundance of prepositional phrases, as well. Even though his writing can be very dreary, it is his own classic style and it is simply the way that he wrote. A lot of people in this time period wrote in the same way as Hemingway, but he put a slightly different spin on the small, short, and choppy sentences and slightly flat words and made the style his own, distinct and recognizable.
The Old Man and the Sea is not really a novel, it is a novella. And Hemingway made everything about this piece of fiction short. The story. The sentences. The captivation for the reader. Hemingway is definitely a great writer, an iconic one, but some of the writing in The Old Man and the Sea is just too hard to get into because of the way the sentences are formed. But given the writing of today, when authors and writers are encouraged to use compound sentences, simple sentences, and complex-compound sentences within a piece of work, Hemingway did well with the kind of writing style that he used in his works of literature.
Setting
The setting of the old man in the sea is pretty simple. The novel takes place in Cuba, somewhere near Havana, taking place time wise sometime during the 1940's. But most of the novel takes place out at sea (mostly the waters of the Gulf of Mexico), hence the very fitting title of The Old Man and the Sea. The important part of the novel does not take place in the fishing village or in the old man's hut, but out at sea while the old man has the fishing battle of his life with the giant purple marlin.
During the novel the old man does not just battle the big marlin fish, though, he also has mini battles with the elements of the environment while he is out at sea. The bright sun hurts his eyes, and the sharp, bitter chill of the night air is too cold for comfort. The old man is also very in tune with certain parts of his environment. He tends to interact with the environment around him, commenting on and admiring the sun and the moon and the stars during the night. The old man appreciates things like the stars and moon and sun while he is out at sea, even though the sun continues to hurt his eyes and the moon is sometimes too bright for his liking.
Santiago spends the majority of his time and most of the novel sitting in his little skiff out at sea fishing. The old man feels comfortable there- he is used to fishing and was once an extremely great fishermen. Although his mind and body have both aged, the old man still has those fishing skills somewhere inside of them, and a part of the sea brings out the younger side of him. The old man is not as comfortable on land, because I think that over his many years of fishing, the sea kind of became a part of him.
During the novel the old man does not just battle the big marlin fish, though, he also has mini battles with the elements of the environment while he is out at sea. The bright sun hurts his eyes, and the sharp, bitter chill of the night air is too cold for comfort. The old man is also very in tune with certain parts of his environment. He tends to interact with the environment around him, commenting on and admiring the sun and the moon and the stars during the night. The old man appreciates things like the stars and moon and sun while he is out at sea, even though the sun continues to hurt his eyes and the moon is sometimes too bright for his liking.
Santiago spends the majority of his time and most of the novel sitting in his little skiff out at sea fishing. The old man feels comfortable there- he is used to fishing and was once an extremely great fishermen. Although his mind and body have both aged, the old man still has those fishing skills somewhere inside of them, and a part of the sea brings out the younger side of him. The old man is not as comfortable on land, because I think that over his many years of fishing, the sea kind of became a part of him.
"Defeat" Quotes
In the novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the protagonist and main character, Santiago, faces a lot of defeat in a relatively short ammout of time. First, he has not caught a fish for eighty four days, as he states as the novel begins. Then, after wrestling with a giant marlin and finally being able to catch and kill it, the old man faces an even bigger defeat as sharks eat all the meat off of the marlin before he can get the fish back home. There is a great deal of defeat in the novel, and there are also a lot of quotes that go along with the theme:
"But a man is not made for defeat." He said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated." -Day Four
The old man is not really clear if he is eve truly defeated. For all the reader knows, he can just be destroyed. But either one sounds not very pleasant, and it is true that the old man has been shut down while trying to do several things.
"Now they have beaten me, he thought. I am too old to club the sharks to death. But I will try it as long as I have the oars and the short club and the tiller." -Day Four
This is the point when the old man is basically admitting defeat, even though he does not say it straight out. The old man does not want to acknowledge that he has been defeated, at least not at that point when he is still battling with the sharks even though he knows he probably will not be able to fight them off.
"I know how to care for them. In the night I spat something strange and felt something in my chest was broken." -Day Five
Even though the old man will probably not admit complete defeat, he cannot deny that he is physically defeated, at least. His body was too old to do what he did while out at sea fighting the marlin and the sharks, so his body is going to have to pay for it and suffer.
"But a man is not made for defeat." He said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated." -Day Four
The old man is not really clear if he is eve truly defeated. For all the reader knows, he can just be destroyed. But either one sounds not very pleasant, and it is true that the old man has been shut down while trying to do several things.
"Now they have beaten me, he thought. I am too old to club the sharks to death. But I will try it as long as I have the oars and the short club and the tiller." -Day Four
This is the point when the old man is basically admitting defeat, even though he does not say it straight out. The old man does not want to acknowledge that he has been defeated, at least not at that point when he is still battling with the sharks even though he knows he probably will not be able to fight them off.
"I know how to care for them. In the night I spat something strange and felt something in my chest was broken." -Day Five
Even though the old man will probably not admit complete defeat, he cannot deny that he is physically defeated, at least. His body was too old to do what he did while out at sea fighting the marlin and the sharks, so his body is going to have to pay for it and suffer.
"Pride" Quotes
The old man is character in The Old Man and the Sea that has a lot of pride to his name. He is proud even when he does not really have anything to be proud of, and the old man is proud of his past. Pride is a present theme in the novel, and there are some quotes that show its importance:
"No. I know others better." -Day One
When the old man is complimented and called the best fisherman, he is humble but still proud that he is among the best, or that he used to be. The old man has both pride and humbleness, two characteristics that can do well when brought together.
"I wish he'd sleep and I could see and dream about the lions, he thought. Why are the lions the main thing that is left?" -Day Three
The old man dreams about lions often, and he seems to like lions. One thing he admires about them is their pride. The old man is not the only proud thing in the novel- the lions in his dreams are proud as well.
"He took all his pain and what was left of strength and his long gone pride and he put it into the fish's agony." -Day Four
Although the reader first thinks that the old man 'has no loss of pride', he says himself that his pride is gone when he loses the marlin to the sharks in the water on his way back home. This is a breaking point for the old man, when things really start weighing down on him and causing him all kinds of pain. However, once he gets to recuperate a little, the old man gets his pride back and returns to his normal character.
"Nothing." He said aloud. "I went out too far." -Day Five
The old man acknowledges that losing the huge marlin to the sharks was his fault for going out too far, and he is still sure of himself and of his skills and abilities, even if those skills and abilities have to stay in the past. The old man should also be proud because he admitted that his loss was his own fault. He did not whine or complain, he simply took the blame.
"No. I know others better." -Day One
When the old man is complimented and called the best fisherman, he is humble but still proud that he is among the best, or that he used to be. The old man has both pride and humbleness, two characteristics that can do well when brought together.
"I wish he'd sleep and I could see and dream about the lions, he thought. Why are the lions the main thing that is left?" -Day Three
The old man dreams about lions often, and he seems to like lions. One thing he admires about them is their pride. The old man is not the only proud thing in the novel- the lions in his dreams are proud as well.
"He took all his pain and what was left of strength and his long gone pride and he put it into the fish's agony." -Day Four
Although the reader first thinks that the old man 'has no loss of pride', he says himself that his pride is gone when he loses the marlin to the sharks in the water on his way back home. This is a breaking point for the old man, when things really start weighing down on him and causing him all kinds of pain. However, once he gets to recuperate a little, the old man gets his pride back and returns to his normal character.
"Nothing." He said aloud. "I went out too far." -Day Five
The old man acknowledges that losing the huge marlin to the sharks was his fault for going out too far, and he is still sure of himself and of his skills and abilities, even if those skills and abilities have to stay in the past. The old man should also be proud because he admitted that his loss was his own fault. He did not whine or complain, he simply took the blame.
Analysis of Manolin
The boy has a real name- it is Manolin. He is only referred to by name in the dialogue, throughout the text of the novel he is simply known as 'the boy'. The boy shares a bond with the old man (Santiago) because the old man taught the boy how to fish. The boy is the old man's only true human companion, he is the old man's only friend in life.
Manolin is probably the only person in the novel who actually believes in the old man. He knows how good the old man once was in his youth, and thinks that skill sticks with you despite how old you might get. The boy respects the old man and even looks up to him in some aspects. And the old man and the boy both enjoy each other's company. They like talking together and reading the newspaper and eating breakfast and having coffee and fishing, and those little things are all their common bonds.
Even though the old man is obviously older than the boy, the boy still takes care of the old man. He gives the man companionship when he is lonely and food when he is weak, and support when he is defeated. And the boy actually does care about the old man- he searches for him when the old man is out to sea trying to catch the marlin and he worries for the old man's safety when he is gone, out to sea all by himself.
Manolin is a very caring character. He is still young, but has responsibilities in life and handles them well for his age. And he is nurturing as well, especially when the old man comes back after being defeated and the boy wants nothing more than to take care of him. The old man was a sort of role model for the boy, and he does not like to see the old man in any kind of pain- physical, mental, or emotional.
Manolin is probably the only person in the novel who actually believes in the old man. He knows how good the old man once was in his youth, and thinks that skill sticks with you despite how old you might get. The boy respects the old man and even looks up to him in some aspects. And the old man and the boy both enjoy each other's company. They like talking together and reading the newspaper and eating breakfast and having coffee and fishing, and those little things are all their common bonds.
Even though the old man is obviously older than the boy, the boy still takes care of the old man. He gives the man companionship when he is lonely and food when he is weak, and support when he is defeated. And the boy actually does care about the old man- he searches for him when the old man is out to sea trying to catch the marlin and he worries for the old man's safety when he is gone, out to sea all by himself.
Manolin is a very caring character. He is still young, but has responsibilities in life and handles them well for his age. And he is nurturing as well, especially when the old man comes back after being defeated and the boy wants nothing more than to take care of him. The old man was a sort of role model for the boy, and he does not like to see the old man in any kind of pain- physical, mental, or emotional.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
"Suffering" Quotes
The old man does a lot of suffering in the novel The Old Man and the Sea. At a certain point, the reader feels so bad for the old man that they think it would perhaps be better for him to just give up all together. There is a lot of suffering in the story, so there are also a lot of important and significant quotes about it:
"All my life, the early sun has hurt my eyes, he thought." -Day Two.
Even the sun is causing Santiago to suffer. The sun, for Pete's sake. It hurts his old weary eyes and makes it hard for him to see. And the old man needs to see if he is going to continue to fish. But this is just one extremely small amount of suffering compared to the suffering the old man has later on in the novel, but physically and emotionally.
"It encouraged him to talk because his back had stiffened in the night and truly hurt now." -Day Three
This is an example of some of the minor physical suffering that the old man goes through. He is no longer young, and he cannot handle the physical strain of fishing like he once could, but he continues to try.
"He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit the suffering at all." -Day Three
Pride comes into the old man's suffering now. He is definitely in pain, but does not want to admit that his body is not as able anymore, and he is no longer young and agile. As the days wear on the old man gets weaker and weaker, forcing himself to eat raw bait just to gain a little bit of strength back.
"He was stiff and sore now and all the wounds and all the strained parts of his body hurt with the cold of the night. I hope I do not have to fight again, he thought." -Day Four
This is when the old man finally acknowledges all of his physical and emotional suffering- he only allows himself to do so after the fish is finally dead. The old man has even more troubles and suffering, however, after the sharks eat the marlin away and he goes home with empty hands and painful wounds.
"All my life, the early sun has hurt my eyes, he thought." -Day Two.
Even the sun is causing Santiago to suffer. The sun, for Pete's sake. It hurts his old weary eyes and makes it hard for him to see. And the old man needs to see if he is going to continue to fish. But this is just one extremely small amount of suffering compared to the suffering the old man has later on in the novel, but physically and emotionally.
"It encouraged him to talk because his back had stiffened in the night and truly hurt now." -Day Three
This is an example of some of the minor physical suffering that the old man goes through. He is no longer young, and he cannot handle the physical strain of fishing like he once could, but he continues to try.
"He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit the suffering at all." -Day Three
Pride comes into the old man's suffering now. He is definitely in pain, but does not want to admit that his body is not as able anymore, and he is no longer young and agile. As the days wear on the old man gets weaker and weaker, forcing himself to eat raw bait just to gain a little bit of strength back.
"He was stiff and sore now and all the wounds and all the strained parts of his body hurt with the cold of the night. I hope I do not have to fight again, he thought." -Day Four
This is when the old man finally acknowledges all of his physical and emotional suffering- he only allows himself to do so after the fish is finally dead. The old man has even more troubles and suffering, however, after the sharks eat the marlin away and he goes home with empty hands and painful wounds.
"Perseverance" Quotes
Since the theme of perseverance is the largest and most important of the novel, there are many quotes throughout the story that show the importance of and focus on perseverance, and how much actually having perseverance means to the old man:
"I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put of bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty five days and I should fish the day well." -Day Two
The old man is tired and bored while out at sea fishing. He wants to go to sleep and knows how easy that would be, but since he has not caught a fish in an entire eighty five days, the old man does not want to give up. He wants to try his hardest and finally catch a fish that he can be proud of.
"This will kill him, the old man thought. He can't do this forever. But four hours later, the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was braced solidly with the line across his back." -Day Two
It is clear that the fish possesses perseverance just like the old man does. Neither one of them is going to give up very easily, and they will continue to fight and pull against each other until one of them wins. The old man is not wavered, and neither is the fish. They both are headstrong and extremely determined to be the winner.
"..."Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead." He'll stay with me too, I suppose, the old man thought and he waited for it to be light." -Day Two
The old man wants to catch this huge fish if it is the last thing he does. And he thinks that the fish feels the same way against him. The old man knows how difficult it is going to be to kill the fish, but is very determined to do so and be the winner of their long drawn out battle. His fight with the fish is a huge display of both their determinations.
"I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put of bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty five days and I should fish the day well." -Day Two
The old man is tired and bored while out at sea fishing. He wants to go to sleep and knows how easy that would be, but since he has not caught a fish in an entire eighty five days, the old man does not want to give up. He wants to try his hardest and finally catch a fish that he can be proud of.
"This will kill him, the old man thought. He can't do this forever. But four hours later, the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was braced solidly with the line across his back." -Day Two
It is clear that the fish possesses perseverance just like the old man does. Neither one of them is going to give up very easily, and they will continue to fight and pull against each other until one of them wins. The old man is not wavered, and neither is the fish. They both are headstrong and extremely determined to be the winner.
"..."Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead." He'll stay with me too, I suppose, the old man thought and he waited for it to be light." -Day Two
The old man wants to catch this huge fish if it is the last thing he does. And he thinks that the fish feels the same way against him. The old man knows how difficult it is going to be to kill the fish, but is very determined to do so and be the winner of their long drawn out battle. His fight with the fish is a huge display of both their determinations.
Themes
There are several themes in the novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway that set the plot line up for the novel. These include: perseverance, pride, suffering, skill, and defeat. The main character and protagonist, Santiago (or, simply, 'the old man) faces many difficulties in the novel and each of these themes play a part in his story.
Perseverance is probably the biggest and most important theme. The old man has not caught a fish for eighty four days, and he just keeps on trying, which is one example of the perseverance in the novel. But the biggest example of this is shown through the old man's battle with the Marlin. It continues on for days, and the old man is determined to give up on catching that giant purple marlin. And the old man never does give up. He finally kills the marlin and continues to press on, never letting go and never backing down. However, on his way back home, the marlin gets eaten by sharks and the old man has lost out and has nothing to take back home.
Pride is another theme in the novel. The old man used to be basically the best fisherman around, but now he is old and weak and has not had very good luck with his life or with his fishing. But the old man is still proud of what he once accomplished, and he is very determined to prove himself once again.
The themes of suffering and defeat can basically go together. The old man suffers while trying to catch and kill the marlin, and he is then defeated when sharks eat up the marlin before the old man can take pride in it. The old man has also suffered because he has not caught a fish for so long, and is defeated because once he finally does, it is taken away from him before anyone can see the huge marlin he caught while out at sea.
Skill is a smaller theme in the novel, but is still there nonetheless. The old man uses all the skills he possesses to catch that stupid marlin. He did well in catching it, never giving up or backing down, but his skills are pretty useless against a bunch of hungry sharks that are attracted to the blood in the water. The old man used to have a lot of great skills, but as he grew older, he lost some of them and was not as strong and agile as he used to be.
Perseverance is probably the biggest and most important theme. The old man has not caught a fish for eighty four days, and he just keeps on trying, which is one example of the perseverance in the novel. But the biggest example of this is shown through the old man's battle with the Marlin. It continues on for days, and the old man is determined to give up on catching that giant purple marlin. And the old man never does give up. He finally kills the marlin and continues to press on, never letting go and never backing down. However, on his way back home, the marlin gets eaten by sharks and the old man has lost out and has nothing to take back home.
Pride is another theme in the novel. The old man used to be basically the best fisherman around, but now he is old and weak and has not had very good luck with his life or with his fishing. But the old man is still proud of what he once accomplished, and he is very determined to prove himself once again.
The themes of suffering and defeat can basically go together. The old man suffers while trying to catch and kill the marlin, and he is then defeated when sharks eat up the marlin before the old man can take pride in it. The old man has also suffered because he has not caught a fish for so long, and is defeated because once he finally does, it is taken away from him before anyone can see the huge marlin he caught while out at sea.
Skill is a smaller theme in the novel, but is still there nonetheless. The old man uses all the skills he possesses to catch that stupid marlin. He did well in catching it, never giving up or backing down, but his skills are pretty useless against a bunch of hungry sharks that are attracted to the blood in the water. The old man used to have a lot of great skills, but as he grew older, he lost some of them and was not as strong and agile as he used to be.
Analysis of the Old Man
The Old Man's real name is Santiago, but he is only called that when people are speaking to him. In the text, he is simply referred to as 'the old man'. The old man used to be the 'El Campeon' or 'shaft' of the fishing community. But now, he is just the old man that cannot catch a fish and that everybody laughs at. So the old man feels like he really needs to prove himself and not be a laughing stock for any longer. He think he really need to prove that he has got what it takes.
Santiago has got some pretty weird quirks. He hardly ever eats, and when he does it is for the sole purpose of gaining strength, not to nourish his body. He could be compared to the marlin, who is also trapped by his own hunger, because that is how he got caught by the old man. And then the old man eats some of the same bait he used to lure in the marlin and he is also trapped in a way.
During the old man's battle with the marlin, it is clear that he is trying to become a champion again. But he cannot really go back to his old days of being the grand champion 'El Campeon' because he has simply gotten older and weaker and cannot push his body as far as he once could back in his golden days.
The old man spends days sitting in a boat, with a fishing line across his back, bleeding from three places, and eating old, raw fish bait just so that he can catch a really big fish. It is understandable that he wants to continue doing his profession, but by the third day he is really just pushing it and going too far. He should have taken the foreshadowing of his struggle to catch the fish into account, and just went a little closer in to shore to catch some smaller fish. But no, he keeps on trying and after all of his trouble, the old man is finally able to kill the fish with his harpoon. Great, good for him. But then he goes through even more trouble to take the marlin back, and the marlin ends up getting totally devoured by sharks.
Every ounce of the old man's tireless, hard work is suddenly put to waste and he has nothing at all to show for his five day battle with a giant purple marlin.
Santiago has got some pretty weird quirks. He hardly ever eats, and when he does it is for the sole purpose of gaining strength, not to nourish his body. He could be compared to the marlin, who is also trapped by his own hunger, because that is how he got caught by the old man. And then the old man eats some of the same bait he used to lure in the marlin and he is also trapped in a way.
During the old man's battle with the marlin, it is clear that he is trying to become a champion again. But he cannot really go back to his old days of being the grand champion 'El Campeon' because he has simply gotten older and weaker and cannot push his body as far as he once could back in his golden days.
The old man spends days sitting in a boat, with a fishing line across his back, bleeding from three places, and eating old, raw fish bait just so that he can catch a really big fish. It is understandable that he wants to continue doing his profession, but by the third day he is really just pushing it and going too far. He should have taken the foreshadowing of his struggle to catch the fish into account, and just went a little closer in to shore to catch some smaller fish. But no, he keeps on trying and after all of his trouble, the old man is finally able to kill the fish with his harpoon. Great, good for him. But then he goes through even more trouble to take the marlin back, and the marlin ends up getting totally devoured by sharks.
Every ounce of the old man's tireless, hard work is suddenly put to waste and he has nothing at all to show for his five day battle with a giant purple marlin.
Day Five Summary
The last day starts with the boy finding the old man asleep. The boy cries when he sees the old man's damaged hands, and continues to do so for a long time. The others are down at the beach, measuring the length of the huge marlin. They determine that it was eighteen feet. The old man and the boy talk for a while and the boy says he caught two fish the day before, but does not want to talk about them. The boy makes some coffee and brings it out for the old man, who says that "they beat me". He is not taking about the fish, though, but what happened afterwards.
As the two continue to talk the boy then says that they searched for the old man while he was gone. The old man appreciated that someone actually cared about him and his well being, and also says that he likes having someone to talk to, but does not want to fish with the boy anymore because he thinks of himself as bad luck. But the boy says he doesn't care and wants to fish with the old man anyway. They both decide that the old man needs to heal himself before he totally falls apart. The old man wants to read the newspapers from the days he was gone instead of talking anymore, and that is what he does.
All that is left of the marlin is the head, and the old man insists that they give it to Pedrico, who gave him food in the beginning of the story, instead of keeping the marlin head for himself.
Then, after all of that, it seems that life just goes back to normal for everyone. Tourists see the huge skeleton of the marlin and think that it is a shark, because they don't really understand the story when it is told. And as for the old man...the old man just goes back to dreaming about lions.
As the two continue to talk the boy then says that they searched for the old man while he was gone. The old man appreciated that someone actually cared about him and his well being, and also says that he likes having someone to talk to, but does not want to fish with the boy anymore because he thinks of himself as bad luck. But the boy says he doesn't care and wants to fish with the old man anyway. They both decide that the old man needs to heal himself before he totally falls apart. The old man wants to read the newspapers from the days he was gone instead of talking anymore, and that is what he does.
All that is left of the marlin is the head, and the old man insists that they give it to Pedrico, who gave him food in the beginning of the story, instead of keeping the marlin head for himself.
Then, after all of that, it seems that life just goes back to normal for everyone. Tourists see the huge skeleton of the marlin and think that it is a shark, because they don't really understand the story when it is told. And as for the old man...the old man just goes back to dreaming about lions.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Day Four Summary
As day four begins, the old man is woken up by the marlin jerking on the fishing line. The fish starts jumping around as the old man continues to desperately hold on, cursing his hand because it has fallen asleep. As the fish continues to jump the old man begins to deliberate about what he should do, and how he should handle his hunger. He finally decides that he needs to just eat more of the raw fish even though the very thought of it makes him want to throw up, because otherwise he is sure that he will pass out from the hunger.
So he eats the fish and mentally prepares himself for the rest of the day, telling the fish to 'bring it on'. The fish then circles the boat for a couple hours, and the old man starts to pull in the line a little bit. Two other fish are bothering the marlin, and the old man does not care who gets killed, he just wants the whole process over and done with.
Finally, after being on the verge of passing out, the old man sticks a harpoon in the fish and the marlin is dead. He figures that the fish weighs over a thousands pounds, and everyone back home who used to make fun of him for his recent fishing dry spell and inability would be shocked and jealous and proud. So the old man heads home with the marlin, which unfortunately starts bleeding. And the old man knows that the blood could very well attract sharks, which would really not be good.
A shark comes along not long after and the old man harpoons it, but not before it takes a big huge bite of the of the marlin, which means the old man is losing money. The old man then says that a man can be destroyed but not defeated. But biggest problem now is that the old man lost his harpoon while fighting off the shark, and he is now basically defenseless.
More sharks start to come and now a fourth of the marlin is gone, eaten away by the sharks. By the time he nears land, there is basically none of the fish left. He makes it to shore and pulls his boat up himself, deciding that is was all his fault because he had gone out too far. And then he goes home to his shack without anything to show for all his troubles.
So he eats the fish and mentally prepares himself for the rest of the day, telling the fish to 'bring it on'. The fish then circles the boat for a couple hours, and the old man starts to pull in the line a little bit. Two other fish are bothering the marlin, and the old man does not care who gets killed, he just wants the whole process over and done with.
Finally, after being on the verge of passing out, the old man sticks a harpoon in the fish and the marlin is dead. He figures that the fish weighs over a thousands pounds, and everyone back home who used to make fun of him for his recent fishing dry spell and inability would be shocked and jealous and proud. So the old man heads home with the marlin, which unfortunately starts bleeding. And the old man knows that the blood could very well attract sharks, which would really not be good.
A shark comes along not long after and the old man harpoons it, but not before it takes a big huge bite of the of the marlin, which means the old man is losing money. The old man then says that a man can be destroyed but not defeated. But biggest problem now is that the old man lost his harpoon while fighting off the shark, and he is now basically defenseless.
More sharks start to come and now a fourth of the marlin is gone, eaten away by the sharks. By the time he nears land, there is basically none of the fish left. He makes it to shore and pulls his boat up himself, deciding that is was all his fault because he had gone out too far. And then he goes home to his shack without anything to show for all his troubles.
Day Three Summary
The third day of the old man's story begins, the old man and the fish are both still holding on. The day before the old man decided that he would hold on until death, and has decided that the fish must be having this same idea. The old man then talks to the fish, telling him that he loves him, but he has to kill him. And then he sees a bird flying and decides that the bird must be tired after it lands next to the man. The old man talks to the bird for a little while, telling the bird that it should not be so tired.
At this point, the old man begins to refer to the this fish as his friend. As a response, the fish pulls tightly and almost pulls the old man overboard. For like the fifth time, the old man wishes that the boy were there with him to see the old man's success and share in it. The old man then eats some tuna and sees some birds flying around, which he considers a reminder that no one is ever alone while out at see.
The old man then starts to cramp up and again wishes that the boy was there with him, but this time only so that the boy could massage away the cramps. Finally, the huge fish starts to rise to the surface and the old man sees that the fish is purple and longer than the boat is. As the old man continues to pull he thinks about how it would be easier to live as a fish- but only in some aspects.
Nothing else is happening, so the old man starts to talk about the lions he dreams of often. The old man's thoughts start to wonder from thing to thing, not really focusing on anything in particular for very long. His day continues on and his eats a raw fish and debates about what to do with the marlin that he is still battling against. Then, the day ends and he dreams about the lions again.
At this point, the old man begins to refer to the this fish as his friend. As a response, the fish pulls tightly and almost pulls the old man overboard. For like the fifth time, the old man wishes that the boy were there with him to see the old man's success and share in it. The old man then eats some tuna and sees some birds flying around, which he considers a reminder that no one is ever alone while out at see.
The old man then starts to cramp up and again wishes that the boy was there with him, but this time only so that the boy could massage away the cramps. Finally, the huge fish starts to rise to the surface and the old man sees that the fish is purple and longer than the boat is. As the old man continues to pull he thinks about how it would be easier to live as a fish- but only in some aspects.
Nothing else is happening, so the old man starts to talk about the lions he dreams of often. The old man's thoughts start to wonder from thing to thing, not really focusing on anything in particular for very long. His day continues on and his eats a raw fish and debates about what to do with the marlin that he is still battling against. Then, the day ends and he dreams about the lions again.
Day Two Summary
As day two begins, the first thing that happens is the old man getting up to use the bathroom. Then he wakes up the boy, who's name (which is really Manolin) is finally acknowledged by the old man. However, his is still referred to as 'the boy' in the text and only referred to by name by the old man.
Their day begins with the two of them carrying the old man's 'stuff' (boat gear) out. The old man then has a cup of coffee, knowing that he probably will not eat for the rest of the day because of his misfortune. The old man and the boy are up so early that the moon is still up in the sky. The man finally gets out to his skiff and starts to row out, taking in the sights and sounds and smells around him in his environment. The old man likes to watch the flying fish, as well as the birds who are constantly 'looking but never finding', which I'm guessing the old man can easily relate to. The old man sees the birds as the only creatures that are worse off than he is.
The old man knows how cruel the ocean is, yet he continues to press on. He rows all the way out to sea and uses sardines as his bait, hoping that today will be the day that he will finally catch a fish. I think that the man is more affected by his situation than his first lets on. The way he acts while he is out to sea is very different. He pretty much tries to relate with several different elements of the sea and uses some forms of personification. He calls man of war jellyfish whores, thinks that birds are stupid, and decides he would much rather catch a no fish at all than a small fish that does not measure up to his standards.
His day progresses much the same as the day before, except for that he finally catches a tuna fish. However, this does not really count because he simply uses the tuna as bait to try and catch a bigger fish. And then finally he starts to get a little luck and a marlin starts to tug on his line. The old man holds the fish hard and tightly, and he is finally getting a little luckier and the reader hopes that the old man will finally have some success.
Their day begins with the two of them carrying the old man's 'stuff' (boat gear) out. The old man then has a cup of coffee, knowing that he probably will not eat for the rest of the day because of his misfortune. The old man and the boy are up so early that the moon is still up in the sky. The man finally gets out to his skiff and starts to row out, taking in the sights and sounds and smells around him in his environment. The old man likes to watch the flying fish, as well as the birds who are constantly 'looking but never finding', which I'm guessing the old man can easily relate to. The old man sees the birds as the only creatures that are worse off than he is.
The old man knows how cruel the ocean is, yet he continues to press on. He rows all the way out to sea and uses sardines as his bait, hoping that today will be the day that he will finally catch a fish. I think that the man is more affected by his situation than his first lets on. The way he acts while he is out to sea is very different. He pretty much tries to relate with several different elements of the sea and uses some forms of personification. He calls man of war jellyfish whores, thinks that birds are stupid, and decides he would much rather catch a no fish at all than a small fish that does not measure up to his standards.
His day progresses much the same as the day before, except for that he finally catches a tuna fish. However, this does not really count because he simply uses the tuna as bait to try and catch a bigger fish. And then finally he starts to get a little luck and a marlin starts to tug on his line. The old man holds the fish hard and tightly, and he is finally getting a little luckier and the reader hopes that the old man will finally have some success.
Day One Summary
During day one in The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago is simply referred to as 'the old man', with no capitalization. When day one starts, the old man has been trying to catch a fish for eighty four days and has not succeeded. This is especially bad for the old man, because fishing is his livelihood. Others call him 'salao' which is basically their way of calling him very, very unlucky, which is true.
There is a boy (who is really Manolin), who feels bad for the old man and helps him out, determining that the two of them need to stick together especially because of the difficulties that the old man has been experiencing. The old man's real name is not used in the text except for when the boy uses it, and the boy also provides a physical description of the old man. The only description provided is that the old man is blotchy, wrinkly, and has eyes the color of the sea.
The old man was the person who taught the boy to fish, so there is really a better reason as to why the boy wants for them to stick together and to help the old man in his difficult time. The old man has gone through fishing dry spells before and it has ended before, so he is hoping this dry spell will soon end as well. The characters sit on "The Terrace" and make fun of the old man for his misfortunes, but the old man seems to be unfazed by their ridicule.
As the day goes on the young boy still wants to help the old man, but the old man wants the boy to simply watch out for himself and take care of himself instead. The rest of the first day goes by without much happening, except for the reader being introduced to where the old man lives and reading some unimportant dialogue between the old man and the boy while they are sitting in the old man's shack.
The old man sleeps on newspaper and dreams of Africa, of the lions and the beaches.
There is a boy (who is really Manolin), who feels bad for the old man and helps him out, determining that the two of them need to stick together especially because of the difficulties that the old man has been experiencing. The old man's real name is not used in the text except for when the boy uses it, and the boy also provides a physical description of the old man. The only description provided is that the old man is blotchy, wrinkly, and has eyes the color of the sea.
The old man was the person who taught the boy to fish, so there is really a better reason as to why the boy wants for them to stick together and to help the old man in his difficult time. The old man has gone through fishing dry spells before and it has ended before, so he is hoping this dry spell will soon end as well. The characters sit on "The Terrace" and make fun of the old man for his misfortunes, but the old man seems to be unfazed by their ridicule.
As the day goes on the young boy still wants to help the old man, but the old man wants the boy to simply watch out for himself and take care of himself instead. The rest of the first day goes by without much happening, except for the reader being introduced to where the old man lives and reading some unimportant dialogue between the old man and the boy while they are sitting in the old man's shack.
The old man sleeps on newspaper and dreams of Africa, of the lions and the beaches.
Overall Summary
The novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway starts quite predictably- with an old man and the sea. He is a fishermen and he has not caught a fish in eighty four days. The old man, Santiago, is not eating much, and that is related to the fact that he has not caught any fish for a long time. There is also a boy in the story, his name is Manolin. Santiago taught Manolin how to fish when he was young, and Manolin repays Santiago by bringing him food.
Throughout the novel, Santiago and Manolin and simply referred to as 'the old man' and 'the boy'. Hemingway writes the novel in a simple form, using short and choppy sentences that manage to flow together into a story. As the story goes on the reader begins to sympathize with the character, and hopes for there to be a happy ending in the story. However, the happiness in the story peeks in the middle of the storyline, and it ends with an ending that is definitely not very happy at all.
In fact, the ending is almost extraordinarily sad. When it finally seems that the old man, Santiago, has succeeded and has actually done well for himself, everything is shattered by something that is completely surprising and something that the reader did not see coming. And the reader feels really bad for what Santiago goes through after he finally catches a large fish.
The novel is not particularly interesting, but it does invoke the sympathy of the reader. Even if the reader does not enjoy the story, Santiago's struggles make the reader want to finish the book and see what happens to him in the end. However, the novel ends on a slightly unresolved note that leaves the reader wondering what will ever happen to Santiago in the future because what transpired on his way back home from fishing that last disastrous day of him going out to sea.
Throughout the novel, Santiago and Manolin and simply referred to as 'the old man' and 'the boy'. Hemingway writes the novel in a simple form, using short and choppy sentences that manage to flow together into a story. As the story goes on the reader begins to sympathize with the character, and hopes for there to be a happy ending in the story. However, the happiness in the story peeks in the middle of the storyline, and it ends with an ending that is definitely not very happy at all.
In fact, the ending is almost extraordinarily sad. When it finally seems that the old man, Santiago, has succeeded and has actually done well for himself, everything is shattered by something that is completely surprising and something that the reader did not see coming. And the reader feels really bad for what Santiago goes through after he finally catches a large fish.
The novel is not particularly interesting, but it does invoke the sympathy of the reader. Even if the reader does not enjoy the story, Santiago's struggles make the reader want to finish the book and see what happens to him in the end. However, the novel ends on a slightly unresolved note that leaves the reader wondering what will ever happen to Santiago in the future because what transpired on his way back home from fishing that last disastrous day of him going out to sea.
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