The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Page 7.

‘the noise of you clubbing him…and the sweet blood smell all over me’ – This describes Manolin’s first day in the boat with Santiago when Manolin was only five years old ! This quotation, therefore, is a blunt reminder of the cruelty and bloodiness of the life of the fishermen. Part of Santiago, in his old age, would like to move on from this eternal and bloody struggle.

Page 8.

[Santiago’s] ‘confident, loving eyes’ – The two great characteristics of Santiago (hope and love) seen in his ‘sea-like’ eyes.

‘He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility…it carried no loss of true pride’ – Yet the story is really about the further humbling of Santiago. He must accept that he went out too far, and that he relies totally on Manolin and needs him and other people.

Page 9.

‘”I am a strange old man”’ – words repeated later. Santiago feels, and is proud of the fact, that he is exceptional. He truly is, but can only experience this fully through his failure.

‘The old man carried the mast on his shoulder’ – The first of a number of references to this act, which refers to Christ’s carrying of his cross.

Page 10.

[Santiago has taken down the picture of his wife] ‘it made him too lonely to see it’ – This emphasises his solitude; his love for his wife (otherwise not mentioned), but also his determination to continue his life after her death. Compare the marlin’s similar relationship to his female later in the story.


Page 11.

‘Perico gave [the old paper] to me at the bodega ’ – an example of how the whole community looks after Santiago – though only through the activities of Manolin.