Name
The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American writer and journalist.
He was part of the 1920s expatriate community in Paris, and one of the veterans of World War I
later known as "the Lost Generation." He received the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 for The Old Man and
the Sea, and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Other famous novels include For Whom the Bell
Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, and A Moveable Feast. Hemingway’s short stories are among the best
written in the 20th century.
Hemingway's distinctive writing style is characterized by economy and understatement, and had a
significant influence on the development of twentieth-century fiction writing. His protagonists are
typically stoical men who exhibit an ideal described as "grace under pressure." Many of his works
are now considered classics of American literature. In 1961, likely due to depression caused by the
effects of a genetic blood disorder, Hemingway committed suicide.
The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a tender, small novel that tells of a very simple journey that stylistically
is similar to myth. As such, the story connects directly to human experience, and extends seamlessly
into allegory without much interpretation. Although some of the symbols used stem from the
Christian tradition, the message is a universal one.
The plot is minimal: Santiago, an old fisherman goes far out into the Caribbean Sea from his home
port in Cuba. He goes out alone, leaving behind the boy who looks up to him, looks after him, and
wants to learn from him. Fishing hasn’t been good, and Santiago feels that he hasn’t been lucky. But
this time is different. He catches a huge fish, a leviathan, and is pulled far away from land. He
struggles with the fish for three days…Really, there isn’t much to give away…except the end  But
during his voyage, Santiago contemplates his world and his life. The thematic richness of the story
is revealed in the character of Santiago himself, the symbolic meaning of elements of his journey,
and the journey itself.
CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS USED IN THE NOVEL
1. The name of Santiago (Saint James) as a “fisherman”
2. A journey that lasts three days
3. The name of “Manolin,” diminutive for “Emmanuel” for the boy
HOMEWORK: On a separate sheet of paper, respond to all questions below.
A. PLOT
For each day, 1) begin with a short quote from the text that says something important about
the particular events of the day or thoughts that Santiago has. 2) Interpret the quote and
explain what Santiago reveals or learns about himself and his outlook on life. 3) Explain what
happens in the course of each day of Santiago’s journey.
Since he rarely sleeps, measure one full day from dawn to dawn.
1. First Day (begins on page 43)
2. Second Day (begins on page 53)
3. Third Day (begins on page 86)
B. SYMBOLS
For each item below, 1) find a quote from the text that seems to say something important
about how Santiago views these things. 2) Interpret the quote, and other things he says to
assess what the item means symbolically to Santiago. 3) What does he learn about himself or
life, in contemplating these?
1. The Boy
2. Animals: Birds, Turtles, or Lions
3. Himself / His Hands, His Back (His Physical Existence in the World)
4. The Large Fish He Catches (a marlin) and Fish in General
5. The Sea
6. The Sky: Moon, Stars, Sun or Weather
C. THEMATIC STATEMENT: (300 Words)
Explain what you believe is the theme of this novel. That is, what does Santiago, and the rest
of use, learn about life and life’s struggles from his journey? Explain in a paragraph, using
details you’ve gathered while doing this homework, and from your reading.
Make a map of Santiago’s voyage. Note at least five important events that happen to him. What
realizations or observations does he have at each of these points along his journey? What keeps him
going?
At the end of his journey write down how he feels. In the end, what has he come to realize about
striving in life, when life ultimately results in death?
Essay
How does Hemingway use Christian symbolism to get across his message about the meaning of life
in his novella, The Old Man and the Sea? If all our strivings result in death, then what is the
purpose of striving? Explain that the story is allegorical, and interpret the symbols of the old man,
Santiago; the journey he takes on the ocean; and the mighty fish that he struggles to capture.
Before your write the essay, identify these symbols of Christianity:
Identify the following symbols or people in Christianity:
Who is Santiago? What do fishermen symbolize?
Someone who preaches the word to others and leads by good example. How is he related to James
the fisherman in the Bible? Whom might he be influencing? What does he tell the boy? What are
the similarities in how he lives his life to how Christians should live? What does he teach the boy
about pride? About struggles and defeats, and about the journey of life?
What does a journey or pilgrimage symbolize?
The pilgrimage of life is the journey we all take in our effort to get back to heaven, or “home.” It
isn’t always easy, and there are challenges along the way. How is his journey symbolic of the
journey of Christ and the apostles? (Three days out, bone spurs in his heel, cuts on hands, left hand
v. right hand, falling asleep when he should stay awake, eating the flesh of the fish to sustain life)
His is following a great fish, and although the fish’s body is consumed by sharks, what remains of
the spiritual aspects of the fish, when Santiago “comes home.” His journey is on water, the symbol
of life and the passage between earth and heaven. (When you look out over the horizon at the shore,
you’ll understand….sail far enough out and it seems that the sky is right there…)
What is the symbolic meaning of a fish in Christianity?
The fish was a symbol used by early Christians to direct them to Christian worship while they were
being persecuted by Romans. It was likely chosen as a symbol because it was already a Jewish
symbol of the coming of the Messiah, when everyone would partake of a feast, which was a fish,
that would determine who would be resurrected or not. The fish is a symbol of resurrection because
it travels in the water, a symbol of life, and also the road between earth and heaven. The fish also
represent the Eucharist, the body of Christ and the church of Christ. What has this fish – and all fish
– taught Santiago about the meaning of life, love, respect, and struggles? Why might this simple
fisherman be at peace with his life, and go to his death in peace, even though the boy might mourn
him. What will he have accomplished?
Can these symbols apply to the meaning or theme of the book, The Old Man and the Sea?
Three days out
ocean, woman/fruit of womb
boy wants to go, but can’t yet
last supper
right hand/left hand: “Let the line cut him off”
lions/shark/turtle
eating flesh of the fish to sustain life, the messianic mean “glad don’t have to hunt the sun”
seeing—good eyes
sleeping (Gethsemane) fear fish feel
dream of fish, mother/pieta/ lion
mandolin=Emmanuel, St. Peter
father and son
hands cut / cut on forehead and harpoon in heart
mortal body separate sin and pride
fish and brother fish leading him home
bone spurs in heel/sting ray
pride
St. James is a fisherman, a fisher of men, who is one of the twelve apostles
He is also an evangelist who spreads the word…
Dear Bianca,
Hey, where’s the map?
In the opening paragraph of your essay, explain that the story is an allegory that teaches aspects of
Christianity, represented by Santiago, the fisherman, his journey, and the fish and what it teaches him,
ultimately about the struggles in life, and death. (Write your own idea about what he learns, which is the
book’s theme, in your opinion.) The essay can be divided into the following “list of three.” DON’T
FORGET TO FIND EVIDENCE FROM THE BOOK! USE AT LEAST ONE QUOTE PER
PARAGRAPH!