old man of the what does the fishes course tell about its strength

by Prof. Jennifer Mraz II 7 min read

Why does the old man keep looking at the fish?

What does the fish’s course tell about its strength? 3. Why does Santiago want the fish to jump? 4. Describe Santiago’s left and right hands. 5. In which direction does the fish turn? What does the turn tell Santiago? 6. What things does Santiago think of while the fish pulls?

How is the old man a hero in the old man and sea?

However, in his epic struggle with the marlin, the old man makes up for that loss of vitality and strength with superior knowledge and skill. He knows how to read nature, he knows how to handle the line to gauge the movement of the fish, and he knows how to interpret these movements.

Why does the old man think the sea is beautiful and cruel?

Mar 07, 2020 · He does not know how to compromise. In short, he is a man of extraordinary determination and will. Santiago is poor but compassionate. He has very tender feelings about the fish, the bird, his fellow fishermen and the sea. He calls the fish his brother. He loves it and admires its beauty, its strength and its nobleness. He compares with turtle.

What moral lessons can be drawn from the old man and the sea?

Santiago knows that he must keep pressure on the line so the fish doesn't run it out and that he must never let the fish learn its own strength. Santiago thinks that if he were the fish, he would pour everything into a run until something broke; but he thanks God that fish aren't as intelligent as those who kill them, though the fish are "more noble and more able."

How does Santiago show strength in his old age out at sea?

Lesson Summary He shows courage in his battle against the big fish as he fights with inner doubt, physical ailments, and elemental forces. Finally, he shows courage in battle using anything in his boat as a weapon as he faces a number of sharks that attack him in pursuit of his prize fish.

How does Santiago show mental strength throughout the story?

Mental Skill Helps Santiago Conserve His Physical Strength ' His mental resolve makes him strong despite the weakness that his body is showing from old age. Santiago's mental strength surfaces as superior to his physical strength again in the story when he's rowing his skiff out to sea.

What does the fish symbolize in the Old Man and the Sea?

The Old Man and the Sea is rife with religious symbolism. The marlin is no exception. In addition to symbolizing redemption for Santiago's unlucky stretch of fishing, it also symbolizes redemption in a religious context. The marlin is a symbol for Christ and Communion, the symbolic ritual of The Last Supper.Jan 5, 2022

What does the old man eat to keep up his strength?

To keep himself strong, Santiago eats a piece of the marlin, whom he has said no one is "worthy of eating." Several critics have seen this act as a kind of communion. As Santiago partakes of the great fish, he becomes one with it.

What does Santiago do to help keep his strength after the marlin surges and the line cuts his hand?

Just then the marlin surges, nearly pulling Santiago overboard, and the bird departs. Santiago notices that his hand is bleeding from where the line has cut it. Aware that he will need to keep his strength, the old man makes himself eat the tuna he caught the day before, which he had expected to use as bait.

What does Santiago learn in The Old Man and the Sea?

The marlin has its powerful virtues, and he has his. Santiago understands that out in the wilds of nature, all life is equal. The sea does not pick favorites. The noble fisherman refuses to designate himself as a righteous overlord over the animals, instead recognizing his grand fraternity with all around him.Sep 1, 2015

What does fishing symbolize?

Being a positive omen, it was chosen as a symbol of prosperity and good luck. Also, associated with fertility and femininity, the fish's meaning is motherhood. The fishing meaning for Christians is related to Jesus Christ, and thus ultimately, the fish symbolizes love.Sep 24, 2021

What does Big fish marlin symbolize in the novel?

Magnificent and glorious, the marlin symbolizes the ideal opponent. In a world in which “everything kills everything else in some way,” Santiago feels genuinely lucky to find himself matched against a creature that brings out the best in him: his strength, courage, love, and respect.

What does the old man symbolize in The Old Man and the Sea?

Santiago, the Old Man The old man is compared to Christ in a religious manner, in terms of stamina and endurance. He is a teacher like Christ who teaches Manolin to fish, and the way he is humble. Repeatedly, it is demonstrated that the old man is a symbol of Christ with the way he fights the marlin.Sep 30, 2020

What problem did the old man have getting the fish home?

What problem did the old man have getting the fish home? sin? (What arguments does he make for and against it being a sin?) way." The old man apologizes to the big fish.

Why does Santiago want the fish to jump?

Santiago hopes that the fish will jump, because its air sacs would fill and prevent the fish from going too deep into the water, which would make it easier to pull out.

What happens to your body at age 70?

What's happening With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter. Muscles generally lose strength, endurance and flexibility — factors that can affect your coordination, stability and balance.

What does the old man and the sea symbolize?

The Old Man and the Sea is the story of a man's epic journey to defeat a larger than life foe--a giant marlin. By respecting the marlin as a worthy...

What is the main theme of the Old Man and the Sea?

The main theme of The Old Man and the Sea is how perseverance and dignity can help one battle through struggles in life. Religion helps give streng...

What is the plot summary of The Old Man and the Sea?

Santiago, an old and once great fisherman, has gone 84 days without catching a fish. His only friend, a loyal boy, takes care of him. To break his...

What is the meaning behind the Old Man and the Sea?

The meaning behind The Old Man and the Sea is that humans will journey through struggles throughout their lives. Perseverance will bring dignity an...

What does the old man and the sea teach us?

Santiago's journey and struggle to catch the marlin teaches us that perseverance through trials can bring dignity and redemption, even when others...

How does the old man and the sea illustrate perseverance?

The Old Man and the Sea illustrates the theme of perseverance in different ways and on different levels. First, although the old man has not caught a fish in 84 days, he does not bemoan his fate or rage against his detractors. Instead, defying his streak of bad luck, the old man keeps going out to fish, trying even harder by fishing farther out in the open sea than anyone else. Second, like the old man himself, the marlin does not surrender and go belly-up but uses its size and strength to pull the old man's skiff even farther out to sea, thus making it a formidable adversary. Third, seemingly dwarfed by the marlin's size and strength, Santiago defeats the mighty fish after all because he is willing to endure exhaustion, hunger, thirst, and pain. The same willpower that enabled the old man's hero, Joe DiMaggio, to play a flawless game despite painful injuries enables the old man to wait out his opponent's strength. Finally, when the sharks attack and feed on the marlin until nothing is left, the old man kills or fends them off one by one, despite losing a weapon with each confrontation until he has nothing left but his bare fists.

What is the theme of the Old Man and the Sea?

Life and death are prominent themes in The Old Man and the Sea. The old man muses that the sea, a symbol for nature itself, is simultaneously beautiful and cruel because it gives life and takes it away. Sea turtles swallow jellyfish, hawks hunt warblers, sharks devour marlins, and men catch fish. Each creature has its place in the food chain ...

What is the theme of the story "No pain no gain"?

The theme of pain and suffering is intricately connected to that of perseverance and appears in several ways. Pain is the price a fisherman must pay for a bountiful catch. The old man's hands are marred with scars, speaking to a lifelong history of struggles with opponents out at sea. In the course of the story, it becomes clear that while these scars are indeed a sign of age, hardship, and suffering, they are also a sign of strength, willpower, and victory. No pain, no gain: in the context of this story, the phrase means any worthwhile catch comes with painful physical injuries—cuts to the hands, arms, face, and back of a fisherman as he tries to hold and reel in the fish. To be a fisherman means enduring pain.

What does "no pain no gain" mean?

No pain, no gain: in the context of this story, the phrase means any worthwhile catch comes with painful physical injuries —cuts to the hands, arms, face, and back of a fisherman as he tries to hold and reel in the fish. To be a fisherman means enduring pain. However, the theme of pain and suffering goes deeper.

What animals are in the food chain?

Sea turtles swallow jellyfish, hawks hunt warblers, sharks devour marlins, and men catch fish. Each creature has its place in the food chain that keeps the circle of life going. The death of one creature provides life for another. The seemingly opposing forces of life and death are in fact in perfect balance.

Who is the hero of The Old Man and the Sea?

The Old Man and the Sea is a masterpiece of literary art and craft by Ernest Hemingway. Here he has selected a common man as his hero – Santiago, an old fisherman. He is the most honourable and finest example of the code hero. This central figure has specified characteristics. This ordinary man is invested with the qualities of bravery, resolution and endurance. We are moved by his solitary, dignified and self-sufficient valour. The story of the novel is the study of the mind and temperament of Santiago ’s mind.

How long did Santiago stay without a fish?

But when Santiago remains without a fish for forty days, his parents withdrew him from Santiago. Santiago remains without a fish for another forty four days. Like a superstitious fellow he believes that eighty fifth day will be lucky for him.

What is the story of Santiago?

We are moved by his solitary, dignified and self-sufficient valour. The story of the novel is the study of the mind and temperament of Santiago’s mind. Santiago is an old fisherman. He is lean and thin. There are deep wrinkles in the back of his neck.

What does the name Santiago mean?

The old man’s name has specific meaning. In Spanish Santiago means Saint James. Saint James was originally a fisherman who ultimately became martyred. Thus the name of the protagonist of this novel has mythological touch. He is a lonely person. He is poor and unfortunate. Though he is an able fisherman but he is not lucky.

What does the dip in one of the green sticks mean?

Holding the line gently between thumb and forefinger, Santiago somehow knows that a hundred fathoms down a great marlin is eating the sardines covering the hook that projects from the head of the small tuna. Santiago unleashes the line from the stick and lets the line run through his fingers, careful not to put any tension on it.

What does Santiago want?

What Santiago desperately wants is one epic catch — not just to survive, but to prove once more his skill, reassert his identity as a fisherman, secure his reputation in the community, and ensure for all time that Manolin will indeed become his successor in what matters most in life.

What is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Orion?

Rigel a supergiant, multiple star, usually the brightest star in the constellation Orion. dentuso (Spanish) big-toothed; (in Cuba) a particularly voracious and frightening species of shark with rows of large, sharp teeth; here, a descriptive term for the mako shark.

What is The Old Man and the Sea About?

The Old Man and the Sea was renowned American novelist Ernest Hemingway's last novel published during his lifetime. One of his most famous works, The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel focused on an epic battle of an old man and his quest to catch a massive marlin.

The Old Man and the Sea Characters

A short and very simply crafted novel, The Old Man and the Sea has few characters.

The Old Man and the Sea Analysis

This short, less than 27,000-word novel is written in third person omniscient narration. This allows the reader to know what Santiago, Manolin, and the villagers think. Because readers have this insight into Santiago's thoughts, they are able to experience the struggle, obsession, pain, and triumph over the fish.

What is the title of the book 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... Latest answer posted June 17, 2017 1:00 pm UTC.

What are the three levels of 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...

What is the relationship between Manolin and Santiago?

The relationship between Manolin and Santiago is one of apprentice and teacher that grows into a deeper, meaningful friendship. Manolin looks up to Santiago and respects him as a once successful...

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... Latest answer posted April 17, 2018 4:36 pm UTC. 2 educator answers. The Old Man and the Sea.

Who is Santiago in the novella?

Santiago is a Cuban fisherman older than Hemingway (age 52) when he wrote the novella. Santiago's wife has died, and he has a daughter who fears he is too old to fish or even live alone much...

Is Santiago a religious man?

Santiago mentions God many times throughout The Old Man and the Sea in the context of "Thank God," "God knows" or "God help me." Santiago is not a religious man, although whether he means that he...

What does the marlin symbolize?

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... Latest answer posted May 25, 2020 5:30 am UTC. 4 educator answers. The Old Man and the Sea.

What does Santiago tell Manolin?

Santiago tells Manolin that tomorrow he will go out far in the Gulf to fish. The two gather Santiago's things from his boat and go to the old man's house. His house is very simple with a bed, table, and chair on a dirt floor. The two friends speak for a while, then Manolin leaves briefly to get food.

Who is Manolin's friend?

He has a single friend, a boy named Manolin, who helped him during the first forty days of his dryspell. After forty days, though, Manolin's parents decided the old man was unlucky and ordered their son to join another boat. Despite this, the boy helps the old man to bring in his empty boat every day.

How long has Santiago gone without a catch?

Buy Study Guide. There is an old fisherman in Cuba, Santiago, who has gone eighty-four days without a catch. He is "thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck,...and his hands had deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh.

What does Manolin bring to Santiago?

When Manolin returns, he wakes Santiago. The two eat the food the boy has brought. During the course of the meal, the boy realizes the squalor in which the old man lives and reminds himself to bring the old man a shirt, shoes, a jacket, and a blanket for the coming winter.

What did Santiago dream about?

Santiago dreams of Africa, where he traveled as a shipmate in his youth. "He lived along that coast now every night and in his dreams he heard the surf roar and saw the native boats come riding through it....He dreamed of places now and lions on the beach" (24). The old man wakes and retrieves the boy from his house.