The Old Man and the Sea short summary & analysis

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea Analysis

The Old Man and the Sea was written as a rather short and plain novel, that describes no matter what happens you should not feel hopeless, you should fight and hope. Though, it leaves a wondering effect that makes you think.

The Old Man and the Sea Short Summary

A man with a face that is making clear of his age, his neck filled with wrinkles could not catch a fish for whole 84 days. He was sailing every day but every time he was coming back empty handed. But other fisherman had an abundance of luck apparently. All of them were coming with loads of fish. When the old man was sailing, he had a boy with him. He was helping him in the boat and was handling the necessary things. He was his helper of a kind. When they come back from the sea, he was helping the old man to carry the stuff in the boat, he was bringing the old man food and newspaper and then he would go back. The old man was waking him up every morning, very early. Though the family of the boy was thinking that the old man’s luck has come to an end. So, they gave the boy to another fisherman. But the boy was still wanted to help the old man.

One morning, the fisherman woke the boy up early again but this time, he did not bring him along. He was thinking that him being with another fisherman was probably better for him. He went all alone, but he went further than others. Now the shore was not even in eye sight and the water turned darker. Old man prepared his fishing rod and he released six ropes in to the water. There was still no fish around. The fishing rod was not moving. Suddenly, there were movement on the road. Fisherman was excited and was pulling the rope, but it was too heavy. With his experience, he understands that this fish was really big, and he decided to fight it. First, he thought that fish must get tired, and let the fish control his boat. The fish was slowly steering the boat. But now it was dark and everywhere was dark. Fisherman understood that he was going to spend the rest of the night there. Though rope was so heavy that he could not feel his hand anymore. He started to pray. If he could catch this fish, he could earn so much money and his reputation would be better again. Fisherman got tired, but the fish did not. Until the first light of the morning hit, the fish still steered the boat. With sun being out now, the fish got out of the water a couple of times. Fisherman could see the fish now. He thought the fish would weigh like 600-700 kilos and got excited. He started to pull the rope again but when it looked like it was going to break, he let go. In the beginning of night two, fisherman is now tired. He thought that he should make a move and when boat stayed still, he hurt the fish right in its heart with his spear. Fish dies immediately. Fisherman bound the fish with spear ropes from its head, tail and body. He started heading back to the shore. But a shark got in front of him. When the shark bite off a piece of from the big fish’s tail, fisherman shoot the shark with his last spear. In the way back, even though there were a lot of sharks in his way, he fought them off. Though from the big fish, there was only a head left.

He came back home, and he had to get rid of this long and tiring sea trip with a long sleep. He left the fish, bound to the boat. Everyone was looking at it and discussing the size of the fish. So, the fisherman fought without giving up hope, he succeeded and managed to be talked about again.

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