The Old Man and the Sea Questions and Answers
The Old Man and the Sea
What are the moral lessons of The Old Man and the Sea?
There are plenty of moral lessons that can be drawn from The Old Man and the Sea. Some of the more obvious ones include the following: Persistence is a virtue: The entire story is based on the old...
The Old Man and the Sea
Describe the relationship between the man and the boy in The Old Man and the Sea.
Ernest Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, and his battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf of Mexico. Santiago (the old man) serves...
The Old Man and the Sea
A Man Can Be Destroyed But Not Defeated
This statement by Santiago means that a man is defined by how faces what life throws at him, not by what happens to him. What is most important in life is living to the fullest extent of one's...
The Old Man and the Sea
Hemingway said about symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea: "There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old...
I think that people might find symbolism even if the author does not want them to look for it. Tolkien insisted that The Lord of the Rings was not allegorical. I guess the question is whether or...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the irony at the end of The Old Man and the Sea?
Truth be told, Santiago's seen better days as a fisherman. While younger competitors regularly bring their impressive catches into harbor, he's stuck in the middle of a long losing streak that's...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the conclusion of the story The Old Man and the Sea?
In a novella like The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the conclusion, also known as the resolution, is the final part of the story, where the writer resolves conflicts and ties up loose...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, what is Santiago's relationship with the sea?
For Santiago, the sea isn't just a large body of water. It isn't just his place of work, a place where he makes a living. It's so much more than that: it's an extension of his soul. Whereas others...
The Old Man and the Sea
How did Hemingway reflect modernism? What are some modernist themes in The Old Man and the Sea?
Ernest Hemingway was both a modernist and a realist and was a leading figure in both movements. His laconic style presents the reader with minimal description and dialogue, eschewing commentary,...
The Old Man and the Sea
What does the marlin symbolize in The Old Man and the Sea?
The marlin symbolizes both a dream come true and a massive hurdle that must be overcome. Having not caught any fish in 84 days, Santiago was desperate for his luck to change. With fishing being his...
The Old Man and the Sea
"Every day is a new day," Santiago says in The Old Man and the Sea. Why?
On page 11, Hemingway writes: But, he thought, I keep them [the fishing lines] with precision. Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be...
The Old Man and the Sea
How is Santiago a hero in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea?
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, the protagonist, fulfills the definition of the Hemingway code hero since he possesses honor, courage, and endurance in an existence of misfortune, stress,...
The Old Man and the Sea
How are Santiago and the sea turtles symbolic of each other in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway?
Santiago feels a kinship with the turtles because his hands and feet are like theirs, horny and hard. The turtles are tough and impervious to the stings of the treacherous jellyfish, just as...
The Old Man and the Sea
When Santiago says that the ocean is feminine, how does that characterize Santiago and the ocean?
Santiago describes the ocean as feminine. But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favors, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the relationship between the old man and the boy?
The boy recognizes the courage of the old man becomes fond of him for his spirit; however, this admiration would not be as uncommon in the culture of the boy. Then, through their love of fishing...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the major conflict of The Old Man and the Sea?
While at first it may appear that the type of conflict in this story is strictly man vs. nature, the true conflict is much deeper. Santiago, a lifelong fisherman, is growing old, and feels the need...
The Old Man and the Sea
Did Santiago die in The Old Man and the Sea?
The old man in this novella by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago, is defined by his great age. Everything about him is old, readers are told, except for his eyes. Hemingway describes him as being...
The Old Man and the Sea
"Everything about him was old except his eyes, and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and...
This is a powerful quote from this story because of what it does in terms of direct and indirect characterization of Santiago. We are directly told that he is old and his eyes are the same color...
The Old Man and the Sea
Compare the old man and the fish in The Old Man and the Sea.
The fish is both a competitor and a companion for the old man, Santiago. The old man, a skilled and knowledgeable fisherman, has been competing all of his life. As a young man, he competed in a...
The Old Man and the Sea
What does Santiago dream about in The Old Man and the Sea?
Santiago dreams about his boyhood, and the time he served on a ship that sailed the coast of Africa. Specifically, he dreams of Africa when he was a boy and the long golden beaches and the white...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why does Santiago address the marlin as "brother"?
Santiago calls the giant marlin "brother" because he realizes that it is a kindred spirit to him, a noble animal who will fight the good fight with everything that it has. He is glad it is not a...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, what is the meaning of the line "They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert"?
The simile is trying to get us to visualize Santiago's wizened old hands and what they represent. He's an old man, a fisherman who's been out to sea goodness knows how many times over the course of...
The Old Man and the Sea
What literary devices does Hemingway use in the book The Old Man and the Sea?
The literary devices (elements and techniques) that Ernest Hemingway uses in the novella The Old Man and The Sea include: A distinct protagonist In this story the protagonist is Santiago. He is an...
The Old Man and the Sea
How does Hemingway describe Santiago’s eyes in The Old Man and the Sea?
In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway describes the old man Santiago’s eyes as the only parts of his body that remain young. He writes, Everything about him was old except his eyes and they...
The Old Man and the Sea
What do the lions at the end of the story symbolize in The Old Man and the Sea?
I have had many students interpret this ending as the Santiago dying. By dreaming of the lions, they say, he is being returned to the days of his greatest strength. They argue that the boy is...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the author's purpose in the book The Old Man and the Sea?
The Old Man and the Sea is a short fictional novel. Nowhere in the story does Hemingway tell readers why he wrote it, and thus all critics can do is speculate about his motivations and examine...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why does Santiago talk to himself in The Old Man and the Sea?
Santiago first realizes that he has developed a tendency to speak his thoughts aloud after "the boy" (meaning, Manolin) left. After that, he has not had anybody else to talk to and, as he is poor,...
The Old Man and the Sea
Justify the title of the novella The Old Man and the Sea.
The Old Man and the Sea is about Santiago, an aged man who has made his living fishing but who now contends with bad luck as he has not caught a fish in 84 days. The story is about his battle with...
The Old Man and the Sea
Describe the setting in The Old Man and the Sea.
In The Old Man and the Sea, there are three levels to the setting: land, air, and sea. The time is in the present (1952). 1. The novella begin begins on land in a fishing village on the island of...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is wrong with Santiago's hand in The Old Man and the Sea?
Santiago has always had difficulties with his left hand, which he says has always been a "traitor" to the other. It sometimes cramps at inopportune times. Early in the story, he sustains a mild...
The Old Man and the Sea
Is Santiago a prideful man?
Santiago is not a prideful man, but he is a proud man. The word prideful carries a strong negative connotation of having too high an opinion of oneself and feeling superior to others. Pride can...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, how does Santiago view sin and his own sinfulness?
In The Old Man and the Sea, catching the marlin is usually discussed in terms of Santiago's success and failure. But there is a significant moment when Santiago does delve into notions about sin...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the significance of the title in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea?
I think that you could go a variety of directions with this answer. On one hand, you could say that the title is significant because it quite succinctly tells readers what this story is going to be...
The Old Man and the Sea
Where is the climax in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea?
The climax of a story is when the action reaches the highest point of tension. In The Old Man and the Sea, the climax occurs when Santiago kills the marlin and ties it to his boat as he heads to...
The Old Man and the Sea
On page 75 of The Old Man and the Sea, what is the meaning of Santiago's words, "I'm glad we do not have to kill the...
Santiago’s words “I’m glad we do not have to kill the stars” pertain to the complex relationship between man and nature. Just before he utters the quote, Santiago kills a marlin. As he struggles...
The Old Man and the Sea
The opening page of The Old Man and the Sea introduces the concept of "salao." Explain its meaning and relevance in...
The word is Spanish slang, meaning, in the context of Cuban Spanish, someone who is unlucky, or, perhaps, jinxed. (It is interesting to note than in Spain, the word means something completely...
The Old Man and the Sea
Where does The Old Man and the Sea take place?
The Old Man and the Sea takes place in Cuba, likely somewhere off the coast of Havana. Santiago lives in a small fishing village off the coast, though while the novella starts and ends in this...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, the young fishermen make fun of Santiago, but he is not angry with them. What does this...
Age and experience dictates much of the behavior of both the young fishermen in this story and the old fishermen. The young fishermen are making fun of Santiago because they see his 84-day streak...
The Old Man and the Sea
What significance do the lions on the beach have in The Old Man and the Sea?
That he yet dreams of the lions is symbolic that Santiago looks to his past for strength and inspiration, rather than focusing on the future which is, perhaps, bleaker. The lion is often symbolic...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the point of view in The Old Man and the Sea?
The point of view in The Old Man and the Sea is third-person omniscient. What that means for an analysis of the novel is that the reader need not have the same concerns they might have about...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is Hemingway's philosophy in this book?
Hemingway believed that no matter what comes of our efforts, our nobility comes from the way we perform (with honor and dignity) rather than whether we win (achieve whatever it is we set out to...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, what does Santiago think about the pair of marlin he had hooked before?
As Santiago remembers hooking the marlin, he recalls how male marlin always let the female marlin eat first, and so the female marlin had been hooked. The male marlin stayed right by her, and even...
The Old Man and the Sea
What is the attitude of the other people towards Santiago before he sets sail on the 84th day of no catches?
On the 84th day without catching any fish, Santiago sets out once again. He and Manolin, his young friend, walk to the docks to set out separately. Here, in the very beginning of the book, is where...
The Old Man and the Sea
As Santiago dozes in the boat, what do his three dreams symbolize/mean?
Santiago's dreams as he lightly sleeps in the bow of his boat having secured his line so that he will awaken if the fish pulls on it. As he sleeps with his weight upon his right hand, Santiago's...
The Old Man and the Sea
Identify some examples of personification in The Old Man and the Sea and explain the effect of these.
In The Old Man and the Sea, the old fisherman, Santiago, personifies the fish that he catches on his reel, imagining it has human feelings and thoughts, which make the struggle between them seem...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why does Santiago dream of lions in The Old Man and the Sea?
One potential meaning behind the dream of the lions is connected to an idea of the afterlife or heaven. An old man, Santiago no longer dreams of success and strife in life. Instead, he dreams of a...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why is the baseball player Joe DiMaggio so important in The Old Man and the Sea? Why does the Old Man love and admire...
Joe DiMaggio is always the "great" Joe DiMaggio to Santiago. DiMaggio is the person who, Santiago states, "does all things perfectly." Santiago emulates DiMaggio in also wanting to be the perfect...
The Old Man and the Sea
What kind of monologue has been used for the main character in The Old Man and the Sea: interior monologue,...
Hemingway uses much interior monologue for Santiago as he ventures out alone on the sea to battle the marlin and the sharks. Santiago talks directly to the fish, as if they are brothers, in the...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why was the boy crying at the end of The Old Man and the Sea?
Santiago is Manolin’s mentor. Manolin idolizes him and pities him at the same time. To Manolin, Santiago is a father-figure. Father-figures and mentors are initially perceived by their admirers as...
The Old Man and the Sea
Why is the old man considered unlucky? What does this tell us about the culture he lives in?
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago is considered unlucky because he has failed to catch either the big fish. Part I of the novella is called "The Unlucky Boat" because he has gone 84 days without...
The Old Man and the Sea
In The Old Man and the Sea, how does Hemingway reveal the old man's attitude toward Joe DiMaggio and what does his...
Santiago and the boy live in a world of great poverty, but support each other through participation in shared fantasy. Take, for example, their daily ritual of asking about dinner and the cast...
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