.......TheOldManandtheSeaisashortnovel(novella)aboutanelderlyCubanfishermanwhogoesoutaloneinasmallboatandhooksintoahugemarlin.TheOldManandtheSeawasfirstpublishedinLifemagazineinitsissueofSeptember1,1952.CharlesScribner's&SonspublishedthebookinNewYorkCitylaterinthesameyear.Animmediatesuccess,itwonthe1952PulitzerPrizeandhelpedHemingwaywinthe1954NobelPrizeforliterature.Onland,theactiontakesplaceinasmallvillageonthenortherncoastofCuba,belowtheTropicofCancerandnotfarfromthecapitalcityofHavana.Atsea,theactiontakesplaceintheboatofanoldman,Santiago,whoisfishingformarlinnorthofCubaintheGulfStreamoftheGulfofMexico.ThetimeisSeptemberinthelate1940's.HemingwaylivednearHavanafrom1940until1959.Hemingwaywrotethestoryinthird-personpointofview.Insomepartsofthenovel,thenarratorisanaloofobserver,seeingonlytheactionsofthemaincharacter,Santiago.Inotherpartsofthenovel,thenarratorentersthemindoftheoldmanandreportswhathesees.Inthelattercase,thenarrationbecomesomniscientthird-personpointofview........Althoughthenarratorpresentsanobjectiveaccount,attimesheexhibitssympathyfortheoldmaninhisexhaustingstruggleagainstthemarlinandtheelements.Eighty-fourdayspassandstillSantiagohasnotcaughtafishinthefamiliarwatersoftheGulfofMexiconorthofhisseacoastvillageinCuba.Hasoldagerobbedhimofhisonce-greatskill?Ishejusthavingbadluck?Willhisscarredhandseveragainpullinaprizecatch?.......Hisboatisemptynotonlyoffishbutalsoofhisfriend,Manolin.Santiagohadtaughttheboytofish,beginningwhentheboywasjustfive.HeshowedManolinallthesubtletiesoftheart,andManolinwasdeeplygrateful.Morethanthat,helovedtheoldman.Often,hewouldtakefoodtoSantiago,andtheywouldtalkbaseball,usuallydiscussingtheexploitsofthegreatYankeecenterfielder,JoeDiMaggio,whoplayedmagnificentlyevenwhenbotheredbyaphysicalailment.(DiMaggiowasoperatedonin1947toremoveabonespurfromtheheelofhisleftfoot.Healsodevelopedabonespurinhisrightfootandsometimesdislocatedhisshoulderduringgames.)WheneverSantiagowentouttofish,Manolinwouldgowithhim,happilyandexcitedly.Butafterthefirst40daysofSantiago’s84-dayslump,theboy’sparentsorderedhimtogooutwithoneoftheotherfishingboats;Santiagowasbadluck,adefeatedoldman........SoSantiago–sun-wrinkledandgaunt–wouldgooutalone,inhissingle-mastedskiff,tocatchwindand,eventually,agreatfish.ButManolinwasalwaysthereinthemorningtohelphimloadhisgearandintheeveningtogreethimandhelphimunload........Duringthenightbeforethe85thday,Santiago,sleepinginhisdirt-floorhovel,dreamsofAfrica,whichhehadoncevisitedwhileservingonaship.Inhisdream,heseesnativeboats,hearstheroarofthesurf,andwatchesyounglionsfrolickingonthebeach.ThelionsseemtorepresentSantiago’syouth,inallofitsferalvigor.Inthemorning,beforesunrise,Manolinhelpshimloadhisgearasusualandgiveshimsmallfishtouseasbait.Thentheoldmanridesthewindandthewavesintodeepwater,beyondthepaleofhisearlierexpeditions........Hecatchesasmalltunaandthinksperhapsitisanomenofgoodfortune.Later,hefeelsastrongpullonhisline,suggestingthatagreatfish,amarlin,isontheotherend.Thefishnibbles,thennibblesagain.Finally,itbitesdownandthewarison.ThemarlinhaulstheskiffeffortlesslythroughtheGulfwaterswhileSantiagoletsoutthelinewhennecessary,thenholdsfasttoit,sometimeswrappingitaroundhisshoulders.Thegiveandtakegoesonandon.Santiago’slefthandcrampsup,butheisdeterminedtostaywiththefish,whichherespectsasaworthyopponenteventhoughhehasonlythetunaandhiswat...
