LITERATURE PACKET
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Ernest Hemingway
Novella-
Allegory-
1
Havana
Mosquito Coast
Virgin de Cobre
Joe DiMaggio
Dick Sisler
John J. McGraw
Leo Durocher
Canary Islands
Catalan
Cienfuegos
Rigel
1
Spanish Words:
salao
guano
bodega
brisa
calambre
El Campeon
dorado
galanos
San Pedro
tiburon
Que va
agua malla
SECTION 1: PAGES 9-30 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What can you tell about the boy's parents from his conversations with the old man?
2. List some adjectives to describe the old man.
3. Why does the boy care so much for the old man?
4. Although the young fisherman made fun of Santiago, he is not angry with them. What does this reveal about him?
5. Discuss the statement on page 13, “He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride."
6. Discuss the qualities of humility and pride. Give examples of situations when you might feel each one. Can humility be a good as well as a bad quality? Can pride?
7. What are Santiago's living conditions like?
8. What small lies does the old man tell the boy? Why doesn't the boy confront Santiago and make him admit he is in dire straits?
9. They boy assures the old man that his is the greatest fisherman, but the old man says, "I hope no fish will come along so great that he will prove us wrong." This is an example of what literary technique.
10. What do you think the lions symbolized in the old man’s recurring dream?
SECTION ONE CONTINUED … (PAGES 9-30)
11. In what ways was the old man a part of the rhythm of nature and the environment in which he lived?
LITERARY DEVICES: Simile
Simile-___________________________________________________________________
Find two examples of this literary device in pages 9-30 and describe what is being compared.
EXAMPLE #1 _________________________________________________________________
EXAMPLE #2 ________________________________________________________________
SECTION TWO: PAGES 30-60 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Find the line on page 31 indicating that Santiago intended to catch the big fish today and write it down.
2. In what way is Santiago technically superior to other fisherman?
3. How does the man-of-war bird help the old man? What does this reveal about his relationship with nature?
4. Hemingway's style has been criticized and even satirized because it is simple and direct. How does the style of the long paragraph on page 35 differ from his usual style?
5. What is Santiago's reaction to the Portuguese Man-of-War? How is his reaction different than we have seen so far?
SECTION TWO CONTINUED… (PAGES 30-60)
6. Why does Santiago wish Manolin was with him?
7. On page 46, Santiago "tried not to think but only to edure." What does this mean?
8. Santiago says no one should be alone in their old age, but it is unavoidable. Do you think this is true? What can be done for people who are alone and lonely?
9. Santiago begins to pity the fish, and he remembers a sad time when he killed a female marlin in front of her mate. What does this tell you about him?
10 What vow does Santiago make regarding the fish? (page 52)
11. Why was the slight injury to the old man's right hand important
SECTION THREE: PAGES 60-90 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. On page 61, the old man says the light will make better weather for him and the fish. What do you think he means by this?
2. Santiago was finally able to see the fish. Describe what he saw.
3. What do you think Santiago likes to dream about the lions?
4. On page 68, Santiago once again reveals his great admiration of nature: “Man is not much beside the great birds and beasts.” Do you think this is a true statement? Why?
SECTION THREE CONTINUED… (PAGES 60-90)
5. Compare the great arm wrestling match described on page 69 with the match between Santiago and the fish. How are the two similar?
6. How does Santiago know the fish is getting tired?
7. Why couldn’t Santiago ever really get comfortable in the boat?
8. On page 84, why didn’t Santiago’s pain matter?
9. Summarize Santiago’s plan for harpooning the fish.
SECTION FOUR: PAGES 90-127 DISCUSSION QUESTION
1. On PAGE 91, Santiago pleads, “Last for me, head. Last for me. You never went.” Is this true as far as you know? Has Santiago been clear-headed throughout the story?
2. Notice the contrast in the sentence 94, “Then the fish came alive, with his death in him.” How can someone or something come alive as it is dying?
3. If Santiago’s estimates are right, how much is the fish worth? Is that a lot of money to Santiago?
4. Consider the image on page 99 of Santiago sailing side by side with the fish. What does this represent?
5. On page 101, the author says, “He was full of resolution but he had little hope.” What does this mean?
SECTION 4 CONTINUED… (PAGES 90-127)
6. Discuss Santiago’s statement on page 103, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” Give examples of this from you own experience or knowledge.
7. Hemingway describes the shovelnose shark attacking the fish: “He came like a pig to the trough.” What makes this simile effective?
8. On page 119, Santiago knows finally that he is beaten. Is his reaction one of despair?
9. What is Manolin’s reaction when he finds Santiago asleep in the morning?
10. How does Manolin comfort Santiago?
1