BOOK REPORT

__THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA__ TITLE OF THE BOOK TYPE OF THE BOOK: AUTHOR: Novelette Ernest Hemingway

VOCABULARY (UNFAMILIAR WORDS AND MEANING): 1. Apprentice o Trainee: somebody being trained by a skilled professional in an art, craft, or trade. o Inexperienced person: a novice or amateur. Skiff o Small flat bottom boat: a small flat bottom boat of shallow draft that can be propelled with oars, a sail, or a motor. Albacore o Large tuna: a large tuna with a long pectoral fin. Native to: warm waters of the Atlantic and Pacific. Harpoon o Weapon similar to spear: a long pointed piece of metal attached to a cord and thrown or fired from a gun in order to capture whales and other large sea animals. Lurch o Move violently: to lean or pitched suddenly to one side. o Move unsteadily: to move along unsteadily, swaying from side to side

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SETTING: THE SEA The story mainly took place in the sea (a sea off the coast of Havana, Cuba). The time aspect of the setting is quite interesting to track down. Santiago fishes with the same method and equipment as generations before him did. Some definite references to a more recent time are Santiagos mention of beer in cans and the airplane which fly over him on their way to Miami. Another reference was the mention of Joe DiMaggio. His career lasted from 1936 1951. Other specific data, the old man set off on September and lasted three days on the sea. The setting of the story contributed greatly to the conflict of the plot. The sea is perfectly suited for this, Santiagos single battle with the fish together with the interventions of the sharks. The setting is on the sea because the author wanted to emphasize how Santiago faced the fish and sharks alone without anyones help. The time aspect of the story was set that way because he, the author wanted to create his characters just like people at our present society. CHARACTERS: SANTIAGO He is the central character in the novel. When he risked his life away from his home, he learned many lessons and realized the importance of having a companion and thought the true meaning of success and sacrifices. After he returned to Havana, his way of thinking had changed therefore, he is a dynamic character. He is an old Cuban fisherman and loves the sea turtles. Blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. His shirt had been patched many times and was faded to many different shades by the sun. MANOLIN While the old man was away from the village, he was the only one who cared for the man. He worried a lot while the old man was away. He is static character. He was a little boy. He has worked with Santiago as an apprentice since he was five. Perhaps more than either he or the old man knew he was Santiagos support. The old man needs him. His age at the time of the story is never given but we can guess that hes in his early to mid teens. Despite the age gap between them he was comfortable with the man.

MARLIN, the fish It was the fish, two feet longer than Santiagos skiff which Santiago caught in his deepest line. It was the reason why Santiagos back injured and why his hand got cuts and cramped. It symbolizes an ideal opponent for Santiago. Santiago felt the pride catching a magnificent and glorious fish which displayed his prowess. It also symbolizes things which we desire most and tempts us to do anything just to get it. The fish motif in the story is to show off Santiagos might and strength. The fish served as Santiagos trophy beca use of his patience and perseverance although, he didnt successfully brought it home. SHARKS They were the carnivorous fish which were the reason why Santiago didnt able to catch the marlin. Because of them, Santiago went home tired and restless. The sharks were little more than moving appetites who thoughtlessly and gracelessly attack the marlin. They did not deserve to eat Santiago's catch through his effort and strength. As opponents for the old man, they stand in bold contrast to the marlin, which is worthy of Santiago's effort and strength. They symbolize and embody the destructive laws of the universe and attest to the fact that those laws can only be transcended when equals to fight to the death. Because they are predators, Santiago wins the glory from battling them. Their motif in the story is for Santiago to realize that destruction results when we disobey. Because of Santiagos disobedience to the normal fishing water, he got injured from the sharks and received nothing. They also made him realize the importance of having a companion. SUMMARY OF THE STORY: Santiago, the old man has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish. He met the boy, Manolin his apprentice. Manolin has worked with Santiago since he was still five. Santiago told him not to work on his boat because the old man believed that he has a bad luck. But the boy still insisted to help him a little. On the 85th day before sunrise, the old man with the boys help prepared his food, water and weapons of fishing for an attempt to catch a big one. He rowed the skiff steadily out of from the Havana harbour far beyond the normal fishing water. He set his lines with different depths, and used fresh small tunas or albacore as bait that the boy gave him. He carefully observed the surrounding. He also followed the circling bird to locate where the fishes are. The old man talked many times to himself since he was alone. After many hours, he felt the weight of the fish and pressure to his fingers. He sensed that theres a very large fish at his deepest line. The fish pulled slowly Santiagos skiff toward the northwest. The fish never changed its course or direction all night but he knew the current carried them eastward. The fish was a prisoner and he began to pity for the great catch, but he stayed to hold it until his death. When the sun had risen further, he remembered to give himself more confidence and realized that the fish was not tired but did not go swimming at a lesser depth. He increased the tension on the line to the breaking point, attempting to make the fish jump. The line has been stretched over his back for hours now. He started to feel intense pain. At an unexpected lurch from the great fish, the line sliced his right hand. His left hand happened to cramp like the gripped of an eagle. The fish surfaced for the first time. Santiago hooked a marlin two feet longer than his skiff. By noon they were far beyond sight of the shore. Because of nothing to entertain himself, he recalled the time when he hooked a marlin, he became a champion in a daylong arm wrestling, and the baseball particularly his idol the great DiMaggio of the Yankees. He ate a small fish he had caught from one of his line and slept for the first time. Then, furious jerk of the lines woke him and cut his hand badly. The marlin was jumping and filled its air sacs as a result; the fish wont sink at the bottom and die. The great marlin, desperate to escape from the line began to circle the boat. The old man watched the first light came before sunrise and the fish was tired and moved with the current. He put as much tension on the line as possible to shorten the circle. After several turn of the fish, the fish was close enough for Santiago to see it well. Using the harpoon, he killed the fish and lashed it on the side of the boat. The fish was enormous beyond belief. He set the mast and sailed to the southwest, back toward Havana. He only needed to feel the trade wind and the drawing of the sail to tell where southwest was. They sailed well and the old man soaked his hands in the water and tried to keep his head clear due to his lack of sleep. But a mako shark came up so fast and without precaution tore off forty pounds of flesh of the marlin before Santiago killed it. Then, he lost his harpoon and the trail of blood and scent was dispersed in the water attracting other sharks. While Santiago was trying to rest to be strong, two shovel nosed scavenger sharks or galanos arrived. He killed them with his knife which was lashed to an oar. Later, he killed a third galano, which destroyed even more of the marlin, and the knife blade snapped into process. As sunset came, he was unable to kill two more but seriously injured them with a club. Santiago began to see the reflected glare of Havana lights but the galanos came in pack. He fought them with a club and even the skiffs tiller, but they stripped the remaining flesh from the marlin. He did not expect to kill them but to hurt them badly. He was sorry for the marlin and didnt want to look at the fish. So

now, he steered his small craft home, bringing only a skeleton. He arrived in the middle of the night, placed his skiff on the shoreline, carried his mast to his shack, and fell into a drained sleep. Manolin found him in a deep sleep. Many fishermen were around the skiff looking at what was lashed beside it and measured the skeleton. After the old man woke, the boy spent time with him, drank coffee, read the sports article at the newspapers, and promised to fish with him again. II. CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING 1. What impression do the characters leave to the reader? I like the attitude of the old man where he did not care because he was not crazy. I remember how Clytemnestra revealed her cruel character to the people of Argos in her line: I bid you to rejoice, if such your will; rejoice or not, I care not. I realize how not to care if youre not affected becomes a virtue of self -restraint and of being yourself. It also surprised me because I realized that in the world it is natural for people to talk to themselves for once in a while. I learned that Im not a differe nt individual among others. Sometimes, I talk by myself asking lots of questions then answering these questions. I also talk to myself if I like to decide whether something is the right or wrong thing to do. 2. What positive characteristics do the characters possess? Santiago He was cheerful and undefeated. When he had begun something, he will hang on it until he had achieved it. This show how strange the old man was. He was filled with determination and pride. He is a simple and a plain looking man because his shirt does not bother him. He is a philosopher and a nature lover. Sometimes, he thinks very deep but at other times he dismisses his deep thinking without any result. Manolin He is loyal to Santiago given his long relationship to him. Above all he is exceptionally sensitive; sensitive to Santiagos feelings and sensitive to the tragedy of the situation. And although he was forbidden to sail with Santiago, he remained dedicated. Manolin is definitely a thoughtful companion and friend to the old man. 3. What insights of life did you gain from the book? Friendship In the novel mandolin became very sensitive to Santiagos feelings and emotions. He knows what the old man needs. One thing that Manolin gave to the old man is he. Santiago. It is said that one of the most needed by the elderly people is attention from other people. Just like the old man, he needed support. I learned from the novel that we should be sensitive enough to what other people feel just like mandolin that had stayed with the old man until the end of the story. Success In the novel, the success of the old man was not directly shown. He may not have been very blessed to have a great catch but for me he was already blessed when he got home alive with all of his senses working. He was a man of triumph. Santiago went back to shore with only the skeleton of his fish, but he has not truly been defeated. He has achieved a spiritual victory, something far more meaningful than having fifteen hundred pounds of marlin meat to bring to market. Against great odds, and inspite of intense personal suffering, he conquered the fish itself and survived the gruelling three days on the sea. There may be nothing to sell at market, but the massive skeleton itself stands as proof of his heroic accomplishment. 4. What is the theme of the story? Pride as the Source of Greatness and Determination A human like Santiago experienced separation from society, suffering, victory and defeat. Because of the extraordinary strength he had shown, many parallels exist between Santiago and the classic heroes of the ancient world. In addition to exhibiting terrific strength, bravery, and moral certainty, those heroes usually possess a tragic flaw- a quality that, though admirable, leads to their eventual downfall. If pride was Santiagos fatal flaw, he is keenly aware of it. After sharks have destroyed the marlin, the old man apologizes again and again to his worthy opponent- a symbol to prove how kind Santiago was to care for creatures God created. He has ruined them both, he concedes, by sailing beyond the usual boundaries of fishermen. Indeed, his last word on the subject comes when he asked himself the reason for his undoing and decides, Nothing I went out too far. Pride of having a big catch was the reason for Santiagos greatness and determination but having pride as his source of strength didnt do good things to him and to the fish. His sailing beyond the usual fishing water was useless because he end up with nothing. But he was not truly defeated. He achieved an

immaterial victory, far more meaningful than having the meat of the marlin and sells it in the market. He conquered the powerful fish and survived the serious anguish for three days on the sea and it is the true success. 5. If you would create a different ending of the story, what would it be? Since the ending of the story was too surprising and somehow awful, Id rather create an ending wherein it will end at a light and dramatic way. In that way, other readers especially the young will have it more satisfying and agreeable. I would let the story end with Santiago as a great fisherman for he had caught a big catch, the marlin. But before he was able to catch the marlin, they will first have a horrible fight. Santiago will stay tracked with the marlin causing both of them got exhausted. Then, later the marlin will be routeing the skiff to somewhere. But fortunately to a safer place for Santiago, in the seashore. As people began to gather seeing the old man together with a big catch lets the old man be the center of the crowd. 6. Why is the book worth reading? Hemingway is as famous for how he wrote as for what he wrote. Hemingways style in my own opinion is simplicity and precision. His style is very much effective for the readers to understand better. His simplicity in writing gave him his own distinction from that of other works by other authors. Unlike most novels, the Old Man and the Sea has no chapter divisions which is the reason for sometimes it is classified under novelettes rather than novel. From the beginning to end, we are given a continuous account, almost a motion picture of Santiagos three day ordeal. The story was very interesting even the time span is short but yet each page was filled with lessons and portions of life. Each situation was fully learned and understood better and faster through its simplicity, precision of word choice and it has no chapter division. All characters (Santiago, Manolin, the marlin, the sharks, the jelly fish, the turtles the birds and the flying fish) inside the novel were alive as well as entertaining, believable, and extraordinary. I recommend this book to all but most especially to the men. The novel for me is more on the strength, bravery and courage possessed by man. No matter what situation we are on, men can always survive as long as we will trust God and we are determined. So to all of my highschool colleagues, I want you to be inspired by the book of Ernest Hemingway entitled The Old Man and the Sea. I promised that it would be very interesting to read.

Prepared by:
Tribenson A. Azupardo

III-Euclid

"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." - Kahil Gibran