The Old Man and the Sea—Study Guide
Themes and Motifs of the Novel:
Themes:










Age
Failure
Courage
Mentoring
Nature
Awe
Humility
Despair
Dreams
Determination
Motifs (a recurring subject, theme, dominate idea, or feature):





Coping with a string of bad luck
Learning to fish in the Atlantic Ocean
Studying weather and cloud signs
Fighting inevitable loss
Accepting the outcome of challenge
From the Perma-Bound Literature Learning Series
Section 1
1. How long has the old man gone without catching a fish?
2. Why did the boy’s parents tell him he couldn’t fish with the old man anymore?
3. What does the old man look like?
4. What can you tell about the boy’s parents from his conversation with the old man?
5. Why does the boy care so much about the old man?
6. Although the young fishermen make fun of Santiago, he is not angry with them. What does this
reveal about him? Why do you suppose the old men don’t make fun of him?
1
7. Explain the statement, “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.”
8. What are Santiago’s living conditions like?
9. What small lie does the old man tell the boy? Why doesn’t the boy confront Santiago and make
him admit he is in dire straits?
10. The boy assures the old man that he 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
technique? What might it predict?
Section 2
11. In what way is Santiago technically superior to other fishermen?
12. How does the man-of-war bird help the old man? What does this reveal about his relationship
with nature?
13. 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?
14. What is Santiago’s reaction to the Portugese-Man-of-War? How is his reaction different from
any we have seen so far?
15. Why do you think Santiago talks to himself?
16. Why does Santiago wish Manolin was with him?
17. The sun sets and it begins to get cold. What might happen to Santiago during the night?
2
18. Santiago says on page 46, “tried not to think but only to endure.” What does this mean?
19. 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?
20. What vow does Santiago make regarding the fish?
21. Why was the slight injury to the old man’s right hand important?
22. What does Santiago call the fish on page 59?
Section 3
23. On page 61, the old man says the light will make better weather for him than the fish. What do
you think he means by this?
24. Santiago was finally able to see the fish. Describe what he saw.
25. Why do you think Santiago likes to sleep and dream about the lions?
26. Could the line, “Unless the sharks come, God pity him and me,” be foreshadowing? What would
happen if the sharks came?
27. Compare the great arm wrestling match described on page 69 with the match between Santiago
and the fish. How are the two matches similar?
28. How does Santiago know the fish is getting tired?
3
29. What do you think Santiago means by his comment on page 75, “I’m glad we do not have to kill
the starts”?
30. Why couldn’t Santiago ever really get comfortable in the boat?
31. On page 84, why didn’t Santiago’s pain matter?
32. Summarize Santiago’s plan for harpooning the fish.
33. As Santiago dozes in the boat, he has three dreams. What are they, and what do you think they
mean to Santiago and/or symbolize in this novel?
34. Santiago often expresses pity for the fish and calls it his friend. Why then, does he want to kill it
so badly?
Section 4
35. 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 novel?
36. Notice the contrast in the sentence on page 94, “Then the fish came alive, with his death in him.”
How can someone or something coma alive as it is dying?
37. Consider the image on page 99 of Santiago side by side with the fish. What does this represent?
38. On page 101, the author says, “He was full of resolution but he had little hope.” What does this
mean?
39. Discuss Santiago’s statement on page 103, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” How can
this be true?
4
40. Hemingway describes the shovelnose shark attacking the fish, “He came like a pig to the
trough.” What makes this simile effective?
41. On page 119, Santiago knows finally that he is beaten. Is his reaction one of despair?
42. What is Manolin’s reaction when he finds Santiago asleep in the morning?
43. How does Manolin comfort Santiago?
44. Most critics feel that Santiago is a hero. Define “hero” and explain whether or not you think
Santiago is one.
45. “Grace under pressure” and “fighting the good fight” are themes found in most of Hemingway’s
novels and stories. Explain how these themes are treated in The OldMan and the Sea.
http://www.pennsville.k12.nj.us/PDF%20files/Th%20Old%20Man%20an%20the%20Sea%20study%20guide.pdf
MEANING STUDY
Below are words, phrases, sentences, or thought units that have a particular meaning in this novel.
Explain each.
1. “I may not be as strong as I think,” the old man said. “But I know many tricks and I have
resolution.” (p. 23)
2. He always thought of the seas as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they
lover her. (p. 29)
3. No one should be alone in their old age, he thought. But it is unavoidable. (p. 48)
5
4. “Fish,” he said, “I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day
ends.” (p. 54)
5. But, thank God, they are not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and
more able. (p. 63)
6. “It is not bad,” he said. “And pain does not matter to a man.” (p. 84)
7. With his mouth shut and his tail straight up and down we sail like brothers. (p. 99)
8. “But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (p. 103)
9. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. (p. 105)
10. They were hateful sharks, bad smelling, scavengers as well as killers, and when they were
hungry they would bite at an oar or the rudder of a boat. (pp. 107-108)
COMPREHENSION STUDY
Answer the following questions in your own words. There is not always a right answer.
1. How does Santiago describe the marlin he has caught?
2. What happens to the marlin after it is lashed to the skiff?
3. Why does Santiago fail to bring in the marlin?
4. How does Santiago prove his skill?
6
5. How does Santiago relate to Manolin?
6. Why does the old man dream of lions?
7. Why does Santiago talk to himself?
8. What is the meaning of the conclusion?
9. Is Santiago religious? Explain your answer.
10. How does Hemingway describe suffering?
From the Perma-Bound Literature Learning Series
7
OLD MAN AND THE SEA—Vocabulary
Page 9
1. skiff
2. salao
3. gaff
4. furled
5. gaunt
6. benevolent
Page 10
7. erosions
Page 12
8. thwart
Page 13
9. attained
10. humility
Page 15
11. guano
Page 16
12. dressed out
Page 17
13. terminal
Page 23
14. resolution
Page 25
15. oakum
16. Canary Islands
Page 28
17. phosphorescence
18. fathoms
8
19. congregated
Page 29
20. la mar
21. buoys
Page 30
22. bonito
23. albacore
Page 31
24. plummets
Page 33
25. man-of-war bird
Page 35
26. plankton
27. iridescent
28. gelatinous
Page 36
29. carapaced
30. loggerheads
Page 37
31. mysticism
32. grippes
Page 39
33. virtue
Page 40
34. prisms
35. myriad
36. annulled
Page 41
37. bight
38. shank
39. hand-forged
9
Page 43
40. imperceptible
Page 44
41. pivoted
Page 45
42. bitt
Page 47
43. intolerable
Page 49
44. scythe
45. gaffed
46. rapier
47. hoisted
Page 50
48. treachery
Page 51
49. gunwale
Page 52
50. surge
51. coagulated
Page 60
52. accord
53. undulation
Page 62
54. ptomaine
Page 76
55. comparatively
Page 78
56. maw
57. leprous
10
Page 79
58. astern
Page 83
59. ceding
60. friction
Page 90
61. placid
Page 94
62. shoal
Page 97
63. boom
Page 99
64. cumulus
65. cirrus
Page 101
66. resolution
Page 102
67. malignancy
Page 107
68. pectoral
Page 109
69. cartilage
Page 117
70. perceptible
Page 125
71. lance
11