Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
Name:
Date:
Directions: Please clearly circle the best answer. Questions 5, 9, 13, 14 are short answers. You may use
whatever is in your notes. 3pts each
1) When the novella opens, how long has it been since Santiago caught a fish?
a. 40 days
b. 84 days
c. 87 days
d. 120 days
2) Manolin’s parents refuse to let the old man fish because they believe he is salao. Salao means
a. crazy
b. selfish
c. washed up
d. the worst form of unlucky
3) How does Hemingway describe Santiago’s eyes?
a. full of pain
b. blank with defeat
c. betray the weariness of his soul.
d. the color of the sea
4) What kind of reception does Santiago get at the terrace café?
a. The fisherman regard him as a hero
b. Most of the fisherman mock him
c. The successful fisherman offer a portion of their day’s catch
d. The younger fishermen ignore him.
5) Who is Santiago’s hero? Write his name:______________________________
6) On the night before Santiago promises Manolin to go “far out” to sea, what does Santiago
dream of?
a. A great storm
b. a beautiful woman
c. lions on the beach
d. his wife
6) Why does Santiago not let his lines drift like the other fishermen?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He is a stubborn, old-fashioned man.
He believes it is imprecise, and he always strives
to be exact.
He believes it is dangerous, as it might become tangled with another boat.
He is no longer young and strong enough to control a drifting line.
7) What kind of fish does Santiago first catch?
a. a tuna
b. a marlin
c. a shrimp
d. a Portuguese man-of-war
8) How does the old man know immediately the size of the fish?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Soon after taking the bait, the fish jumps into the air.
Santiago encountered the fish as a young man.
He pulls and pulls on the line and nothing happens.
He doesn’t know the size of the fish until after the sharks attack.
9) During his great struggle with the Marlin, what does Santiago repeatedly wish for? Answer
below.
Santiago wishes_____________________________________________________
10) As his first day with the fish wears on, what does Santiago begin to think about his adversary?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He praises the fish because it will bring a great price at the market.
He considers the fish his brother who is joined with him far out beyond all people.
He detests the fish for its strength and endurance
He believes the fish is a test of his worth sent to him by God.
11) What happens to make Santiago curse the treachery of his own body?
a. sea sickness
b. diarrhea
c. hand cramps
d. his need to sleep
12) In order to help himself capture a fish, what does Santiago do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He promises to pay more attention to Manolin
He promises to say 10 Hail Marys and Our Fathers
He lightens the boat by throwing unnecessary weight overboard.
He ties the skiff to a buoy to keep from being pulled farther out to sea.
13) The great Joe DiMaggio suffers from ______________________________.
14) Why does the thought of selling the fish’s meat at the market disappoint the old man?
(Answer below)
15) To give himself confidence, Santiago remembers a contest with “the great Negro of
Cienfuegos”. What was the sport?
a. Fencing
b. Tennis.
c. Arm Wrestling
d. Boxing
16) What does the old man remove and eat from the belly of a dolphin fish?
a. Shrimp
b. Flying fish
c. Seaweed
17) How does Santiago finally kill the marlin?
a.
b.
c.
d.
He harpoons it through the heart
He stabs it between the eyes
He lashes it to the boat
He bashes its head with his club
d. piranha
18) How long does it take for the sharks to arrive and attack the marlin?
a. ten minutes
b. one hour
c. six hours
d. a full day
19) After the shark attack, Santiago reflects that destruction is inevitable. How does he articulate
that philosophy?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The world is such a cruel place that no death should be mourned.
Even the worthiest opponents must fall.
Out, out brief candle!
Everything in the world kills everything else in some way.
20) The old man remembers that once, when he killed a female marlin, the male marlin
a.
b.
c.
d.
Bit the tail off the female
Returned with a posse of marlins seek revenge
Made a sound like nails being driven through his fins
Swan alongside as if in mourning.
II. Short Answer 4pts each
1. Why is there so much talk in the novel about baseball, specifically Joe DiMaggio?
2. What's Hemingway's point to having Santiago say, "I may not be as strong as I think . . . . But
I know many tricks and I have resolution."
3.Give two examples of religious symbolism in the novel regarding Santiago and/or Manolin.
4. What problem did the old man have getting the fish home?
5. What of the fish was left when Santiago got back to port?
6.. The old man apologizes to the fish. ("I am sorry that I went too far out. I ruined us both.")
Why? What's the significance of this passage?