1. Ernest Hemingway's
The Old Man and the Sea

2. Novella
Set in Cuba, near Havana, about 1950
Originally published 1952 in LIFE magazine
Pulitzer Prize – 1953
Hemingway’s last book in his life
Santiago – the old man
Manolin – the boy
Martin – owner of the Terrace
Pedrico – a fisherman from the village
Rogelio—a fisherman from the village
2 tourists & the waiter at the Terrace
Who was Gregorio Fuentes?
What was the Pilar ?

3. About the Old Man
Based on Gregorio Fuentes (EH’s Cuban fishing companion)
Very old (specific age is not specified)
84 days of very bad luck (salao)
A Catholic widower
Penniless fisherman
Lives in a dirt-floored shack made of palm fronds (guano)
Fishes alone; taught Manolin how to fish
Resolves to go out very, very far
Brings only water w/him on the skiff
At noon (the 1st day) Santiago hooks the marlin
Over 1600 pounds & 18 feet long
An epic battle: Santiago vs. the sharks
Does the old man die at the end?

4. More about the Old Man What does the old man eat for sustenance?
Why does he worry so much about his fishing line? (Catalan cardel)
Which creature is the old man’s #1 friend at sea?
What is Sargasso seaweed? Plankton? Phosphorescence?
Which fish is called the “golden one” (dorado) ?
In addition to the boy, name 2 things the old man wishes he had w/him.
Describe the hand injuries that the old man sustains.
Give several important facts about Mako sharks.
# of shark attacks?
Any meat left on the marlin?
# of days & nights the old man is gone?

5. More about the Old Man How does the old man feel about prayer?
Why does he like to read American newspapers?
Which baseball team is his favorite? And which player?
At the end, how many times does the old man have to sit down while he’s carrying the mast to his shack?
Who will get the fish’s head for bait?
Why does he dream of the lions in Africa at the end?
Do you think the old man will go fishing again?
If you think he will, will he fish alone or w/Manolin?
Does he die at the end?
Explain the 2 tourists & waiter near end
What does that “digression” mean?

6. About Manolin
Manolin’s name means “little man”
At 5 he learned how to fish from the old man
Used to fish w/the old man & loved it
Manolin’s parents insist that he fishes w/another fisherman
Many acts of kindness for the old man
Loves the old man as if Santiago were his father
The old man’s “caretaker” and “son”
Manolin gets the spear (rapier) of the marlin as a keepsake
Weeps at the end for what the old man has suffered
Unanswered question: does the old man die at the end?

7. Looking Back: 1. Does Santiago get well and go fishing w/Manolin?
2. Does Santiago wake up from his dream of the lions?
3. Why did EH include the vignette w/the tourists? What does it add to the ending?
4. What has Santiago learned from his experience?
5. Agree/disagree w/Santiago’s ideas about Luck.
6. Summarize the shark attacks.
7. How do the shark attacks affect the book’s theme?
8. How is the “chain of being” part of the book’s theme?
9. Give 5 key facts about the writing STYLE in this book.
10. How important are “interior monologues” in this book?
11. Is the narrative technique of “stream of consciousness” used in this book? Explain.
12. What is your favorite passage? Why?

8. Some of the Spanish Words in the Book:
salao
espuela de hueso
juegos
brisa
guano
dentuso
galanos
bodega
dorado