The Old Man and the Sea #1

The Old Man and the Sea was an enjoyable book to read. I liked it because it was not only short, but it was simple and straight to the point. I like books where you don't have to over analyse everything, but you just read it and understand what its saying. Well, in the story, Santiago loses his luck in catching fish. He goes out to sea everyday for hours and hours and still catches nothing. Many of the other fisherman make fun of him and give him trouble because he continues to waste his time fishing. The only one who really believes in him is his friend Manolin. Manolin is a young boy who also fishes. Manolin loves fishing with the old man because he learns alot. Santiago however, wants him to stick with a lucky fishing boat so that he will not get in trouble and he will continue to catch fish. So day after day the man fishes, when finally one day he hooks a big fish. The fish and him continue to fight for hours, and the hours lead to days. Finally Santiago catches the fish and hooks him to the side of his boat. But Santiago's troubles don't stop there. Smelling the fishes blood sharks start to surface and after beating one off, others come. Santiago finally returns back to shore with nothing left but a skeleton on the side of his boat. Tired and weary he still returns with no fish. Manolin takes care of him and says he must get better so that they can continue fishing together.

The author's values and attitudes in this book I believe, are courage, strength, and patience. Santiago was courageous because he would fish even though people laughed at him and he would go far out to sea, knowing that it probably wasn't the safest thing to do. This book also portrays strength. It portrays strength because even after hours of fighting with the fish, the old man would keep going, despite his cramping hands and back.(Hemingway, 58) Last but not least, this teaches patience. Santiago ends up still without a fish to show off in the end. Even though he has no fish, he always keeps a good attitude and doesn't ever get mad or frustrated. Santiago decides he will still continue to fish with Manolin. (Hemingway, 126) This book is written in third person because the readers know what the characters are feeling and what is happening in the book.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scibner Paperback

Fiction, 1995. Print.