Literature Analysis #2

Old Man and the Sea

The story starts with an old man named Santiago who loved fishing and there was also a boy who was is apprentice named Manolin. When the time for the big fish and they still had not caught anything by the 85th day. The old man said that he had gone to 87 days before but there was no way that could happen again. The man and the boy talked  about baseball. Manolin’s parents put him on another boat but he still cared for the old man so he would come back and help him out. The old man describes how the birds have it worse than him, because they are "looking and almost never finding". The man fishes for many years and becomes very good at it.  He uses the tuna he catches to catch bigger fish. Then finally he caught a marlin. He wishes the boy was there to help him. A little before sunrise the next day while he is fighting with the marlin, he caught another fish and wished for the boy to be there again after he cut it loose. Hours into the fight with the marlin, the marlin cuts the old man below the eye with the fishing line, and the old man thinks "to death do us part". The old man seems crazy because he just talks to the fish and the birds. He catches a dolphin on another line and clubs it in the head, and is still battling with the huge marlin. The fish jumps out of the water repeatedly and cuts the old man's hands which once again makes him wish that the boy were there. Then on the third day he finally catches the marlin. On the way back to land sharks eat all of the marlin that he caught. The old man says that a man can be defeated but not destroyed. When he returns home Manolin is horrified by Santiago’s hand and he cries for him.  The boy cries and cries when he sees his hands. The old man and the boy begin to fish together again.

• The theme of this story is perseverance. The old man spent so much time fishing and he never gave up no matter how long it took to finally hook that fish. He continued to persevere when he fought with the fish for many hours. 

• The authors tone is calm and sad but still hopeful. Santiago is an lonely old man and lives a sad life but the boy and fishing gives him hope and allows him to make the best of his situation. 

1. "I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put a bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty-five days and I should fish the day well."  

2. If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.”

3. “Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so.”

1. Direct Characterization:

• "Thank you," the old man said. He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it and he knew it was not disgraceful and it carried no loss of true pride."
• "The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him."

Indirect Characterization:

• "And the best fisherman is you." "No. I know others better."' 
• "After he judged that his right hand had been in the water long enough he took it out and looked at it.  "It is not bad," he said. "And pain does not matter to a man." 

Explanation:

• The author uses both styles of characterization because it allows the author to show different perspectives. It show how the old man viewed himself and how other characters viewed him. As a result of using both styles the reader can see the characters personality like how the old man was humble but at the same time we can see that other people think he is great. The old man could not say that he was great without us thinking the old man was not humble.

1. The author uses syntax and that does not change throughout the story. As Santiago’s feelings change the syntax still remains the same. Hemingway merely describes how Santiago felt.
2. Santiago is definitely a static protagonist. Although static I think he is a round character because he maintains a positive spirit and shares deep emotions throughout the book.
3. I felt as though I met a new person after reading this book. Hemingway really makes Santiago’s character relatable and I found his thoughts and actions intriguing.