Old Man And Sea

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate October 2001

download word file, 8 pages 0.0

Essentials of the Reading (CSE095) Mr. Adrian Cornelius Marek Chrostowski Project 1. What is the ¡§Theme¡¨ (The main idea of the story)? Ernest Hemingway in the story ¡§Old man and the sea¡¨ represents us an old fisherman, down on his luck and his supreme ordeal in relentless, organizing in the battle with giant fish- marlin for out in the Gulf Stream and forces of the nature also with himself.

2. Who is the main character? The main character in the story ¡§Old man and the sea¡¨ Ernest Hemingway¡¦s is Cuban fisherman ¡V Santiago. He caught the fish in the Gulf Stream in the north Cuban coasts recently Lortly.

3. State five things about the physical appearance of the main character.

"žh Old and weak "žh Thin and gount "žh The brown clothes ran well down the sides of the face and his hands "žh His face and hands hold deep-creased scars from handing heavy fish on the cords "žh His had the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefected 4.

State and explain five qualities of the main Character? "žh Brave, bold- he foated away from gulf, where was commit only on himself. Santiago fought with sharks, which engorge with his trophy unit his last forces.

"žh Sensitive ¡V he loves nature, likes to be with it, feels a part of nature. He esteems animals, birds and fish like brothers and treats them equal to the human. He doesn¡¦t like to kill animals, but he have to do it to survive.

"žh Affectionate, loving- Santiago treats Manolin as his son "žh Stubborn, preserving ¡Vhe doesn¡¦t break up even that bad luck always harasses him ford 84 days when he always cames back without boaty. He still continues fishing.

"žh Resourceful, clever, strong- in this old age he caught giant marlin, which was admired by noone fisherman "žh Active ¡VSantiago taught Manolin fishing.

5. Describe (in your own words) how the main character behaved during the whole story. In other words, describe the changes in the behavior of the main character, from the beginning to the end of the story.

The main character in this story is shown like a poor fisherman without a livelihood. . Santiago lives in a poor shack. He does not go to pieces with the reason of adversity or failure, that he can not catch anyone fish by lost eighty-four days .He still continues fishing in the Gulf Stream. Santiago feels loneliness during whole this excursion on the big fish without his friend ¡VManolin , whose parents did not allow to float with him. When the marlin caught on a bait, the fisher keeps a cord in order to not loosing control. During the lonesome fishing, the old man talks to himself, speaks with fish, to a little bind and also with sick parts of his body. Santiago becomes powerless and weak. However, he is still gritty and resistant on hunger and pain and still persuades himself to good fettle .He wants to overcome and survive. HE does not complain on his dramatic situation, he does not accept bad thoughts about the end of his life. When the marlin is towing his skiff, Santiago finds an excuse to the considerations from his past. He begins herding with the nature and himself. Santiago gives animals features of the people and ability to thinking. He sympathizes with a little Bird which sits on the bow of the skiff. He feels common doom with the caught marlin and speaks softly to it. During all this fight with the big fish his respect and esteem to the fish rises to its greatness and dignity. By all this time, he wants to share his doom with the fish and promises to be with it until fish¡¦s death. In heroic battle, he becomes a victim of sharks, in result the marlin becomes eaten. Then, Santiago does not care any more about his trophy. In this moment, he just wants to come back to the harbor. After homecoming, Santiago does not complain and does not want anybody¡¦s pity and compassion. He only gives his great experiences to Manolin, who very missed for him.

6. What were the physical and psychological goals of the main character "žh He wanted to prove that he could do a lot, neverless he is old.

"žh Santiago dreamed about a big fish which brings him a lot of money and let him get better his social situation "žh He does not want to be perceived by others as the useless and unwanted person. So, he decided to continue his occupation neverless that, he had plenty failures.

"žh He wanted to accomplish his life goal-catch a big fish and do the task, which he dreamed about.

"žh He wanted to do his task as well as he can, because it will be related with his dignity and splendor "žh The old fisherman thought that the struggle is destiny of the human .He seemed that without struggle world could disappear in dull , sleepy lethargy 7. State five problems that the main character had and explain how he overcomes those problems.

"žh He won in the battle with a big fish ,with sea and also with himself "žh He defeated his own weaknesses, he endured loneliness and agony "žh Santiago reasoned and urged himself that he is still strong enough to won the battle. He put forth all his energy and did not at all give up.

"žh He talked to the fish, to sick parts of his body and himself. However, he overcome this problem also and all the fishers and people from the city wanted to know Santiago and his experiences.

8. What do you think about the relationship between Mandolin and Santiago? Write at least five ideas that you have about this relationship and explain each idea.

"žh .Santiago treated Manolin as own son- "žh they talked always about baseball "žh Santiago did not have money and Manolin brought him food "žh Although a big difference in age between them , they kept great friendship "žh They helped themselves in difficult moments "žh Santiago thought him how to cough fish "žh Manolin was for him strong support 9. Describe the setting of the story: place and time and other details, such as the weather, etc.

Time: first half of 19 century, end of 1940¡¦ s The actions of the story is going from 84 day of fishing (the afternoon) to 88 day of fishing (the morning) Places: banks of the Gulf Stream ¡V Santiago and Manolin dreamed the bout From where the skiff was hauled up.

-The terrace in Havana ¡VManolin offers share a beer for Santiago -The old mans shack located near the coasts the Gulf Stream in Havana-was made of the tough lendshields of royal palm.

There was a bed, a table, one chair, and a place on the dirt floor to cook with charcoal. On the brown walls of the flattered, overlopping leaves of sturdy fibered glans there was a picture in color of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and another of the Virgin of Cobre. There were relics of his life. One there had been a tinted photograph of his life on the wall but he had taken it down because it made him too lovely to see it and it was on the shelf in the corner under his clear shirt.

Manolin¡¦s shack ¡VSantiago came there to wake up the boy 10. .In a one-page composition ,write the sequence of actions (plot) of the story: how it began, how it developed and how it ended In the beginning of the story, the author represents us the main character, who is Santiago and a boy, his friend Manolin. Santiago is an old Cuban fisher and widower. He lives alone in poor shack in Havana. He does not have money on basic needs. From eighty-four days he did not catch anyone fish. By first forty days the boy had been with him, but later without fish Manolin¡¦s parents had told him that Santiago was ¡§unlucky¡¨, and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat. In eighty-five-day the old man wakes up the boy, who helps him take gears on a skiff. Santiago rows away from the Gulf Stream. On his way he meets a shoal of dolphins, and tuna which he eats and uses later as bait. Finally, he caught a giant marlin. This fish is as big that is towing the boat by four hours non-stop. During that time, Santiago becomes injuring by jerking marlin. He begins to ruminate and observes a small bird on his boat and speaks to it. Later, he talks to himself and recalls memories from the past in Casablanca, about the hand game with the strongest man on the docks. Next, he fishes delphin and talks to the marlin, which is still towing the boat.

On the third day, he is very tired and prays to the God. However Santiago gains his whole energy when the marlin approaches to his skiff and throws a harpoon in the big fish. In this moment he looses consciousness. When he comes back to consciousness the fish is dead. He has to tow the marlin, because fish is too big. The sharks on the way to home attack Santiago¡¦s trophy. He fights hard and kills it of them. Finally he looses last tools to fight with sharks and comes back only with the skeleton of the fish.

On the end of the story Santiago is already at home .All the fisher admiring with the respect to the marlin long skeleton in the Gulf Stream. He speaks only with Manolin about his experiences from last fishing. Santiago gets to know that he was searched with coast guard and planes. In that moment Manolin promises to Santiago fishing always together. The old man suddenly gets in the sleep and dreams about the lions.

11.What do you think was the purpose of the writer? The purpose of the writer was teaching a lesson.

12.Why do you think was the purpose of the writer? Explain ¡V write at least 5 sentences.

Ernest Hemingway writing this story made allegory to human life. The view of struggling man with the nature forces symbolizes the picture of lonely fighting person with fate. The purpose of the author was teach the lesson and inform people. He is going to tell us that we are convinced on fight and should not give up. The main idea is it, that we have to constantly realize our plans and projects. We have to fight, like Santiago with weaknesses and failings in our life, and overcome them.

13.What is your personal opinion about the story and about the events in the this story and the events of the story with life and how people feel about life story? Describe how this story impacts you? Try to compare the theme of and live their lives. Think about such things as: having goals in life, struggling to achieve goals, coping with adversity, being successful, what gives meaning to a person¡¦s life, etc. Write at least one page.

In my opinion, Ernest Hemingway in the story ¡§Old man and the sea¡¨ shows us parable to human life. The occurrences represented in this book are the picture of the lonely struggling man with adversities in the life.

This creation has a colossal and very important factor on the reader. This Story teaches us how acts in the life, that should not be shiftless and resigned. It tell us that we create new goals and aspirate ourselves to realize them until last our days. A human being can be very strong and independent regardless on an age and public appurtenance.

In this story author appears us lonely battle of the old fisherman on the sea with a giant fish ¡Vthe marlin and with the nature forces and also with himself. Santiago doubts sometimes and wonders in his strengths, but still has a hope and fights to the end.

This story makes us closer to human life ¡V people doubts in themselves, They do not esteem their values and power. Some of them achieve their goals and allot a new. Others live so those outlive from one day to another And do not care about their future.

This novelette represents us and also teaches us how we should live through proudly our life that we should believe in ourselves and going to realize our goals.

This story is a key which help us understand sense of life, it makes us lucky and happier It gives people encourage and faith in ourselves, what is the beginning of the success