Conversation Between the Old Man and a Reporter

*R=Reporter
*OM=Old Man

R: Hello! My name is Pheme and I would like to interview you today.
OM: Hola!
R: I heard your favorite sport is baseball?
OM: Sí! My favorite team will always be the Yankees, they have the great DiMaggio, so they will not loose.
R: I heard you taught the boy, Manolin, to fish?
OM: Sí, he was with me since he was five and I have taught him everything I know. He is with a lucky boat now and can catch fish everyday.
R: But you haven't caught a fish for eight-four days right? How do you feel about that?
OM: You must be patient and not give up. The great DiMaggio had a bone spur and he kept on playing baseball, even though I don't know what a bone spur is, it must have hurt.
R: But then you caught the marlin didn't you? Can you tell to me about that?
OM: Sí, he was a magnificent fish and worthy brother. But my hand got a calambre, and it betrayed me. My head felt faint and dizzy when i was trying to catch him, he tried to escape, but I got him.
R: What sustained you through this?
OM: Well, if the great DiMaggio can still play baseball with bone spurs, then I can stay strong and endure to catch the fish.
R: But the sharks later ate, um, him. How do you feel about that? It took you so much effort to catch him and he just got eaten by the sharks.
OM: It was my pride that ruined him, my magnificent brother. I feel sorrow for him, but I couldn't have done anything for him.
R: Well, I hope you can catch more fish of this size and be able to fish with Manolin. Thanks for your cooperation!
OM: De Nada, I do hope I can fish with him again.

Important Themes

One of the most important themes in "The Old Man and the Sea" is life from death. Death is very prominent in the novella, and Hemingway frequently suggests there is life from death. In the novella, the old man felt rejuvenated after the battle that could have killed him if the fish had fought harder and the boy that he taught how to fish will also be able to pass on his teachings after he dies. This theme also relates to the crucifixion imagery theme. Hemingway's use of imagery and descriptions that relate the old man to Christ such as connecting the old man's cut hands to the wounds Christ suffered during crucifixion suggests how Hemingway wants to say that the old man, like Christ, will turn death into renewed life and defeat into triumph.

Some other major themes would be pride being a source of greatness and determination and the honor in struggle, defeat, and death. Unlike many archetypal stories were pride, or hubris, is a fatal flaw, in "The Old Man and the Sea", it is pride that drove the old man to be able to go eighty-four days without catching a fish to set sail again, to sail further than anyone else, and to follow the fish for three days. Then there is the struggle

If

by: Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!

This poem clearly relates to the theme honor in struggle, defeat, and death, it kind of tells the story of the old man's struggle. In the first highlighted paragraph, it's about how the old man is still confident while all the others except the boy believed he is unlucky and how he is patient even after eighty-four days without catching a fish. Then in the second highlighted paragraph, it's about how the old man used his will to hang on to the marlin even when his hand is all cut up and his back is all stiff and sore. Lastly, in the end, the equivalent of "you'll be a Man" for the old man would be he caught the marlin.

All That is Gold Does Not Glitter

by: John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

This poem relates to the theme life from death. The first highlighted sentence just says even though the old man is old, he was still able to catch the eighteen feet marlin and fight away all those sharks. But the second highlighted paragraph is more about the theme. In "From the ashes a fire shall be woken", it symbolizes life from death because a new fire is coming from the ashes of the one that had "died". "The crownless again shall be king" symbolizes the triumph and honor the old man earns from his catch because it would take a while for his achievement to be surpassed and he is again revered by fellow fisherman.     

Important Passage That Relates

"Then the fish came alive, with his death in him, and rose high out of the water showing all his great length and width and all his power and his beauty. He seemed to hang in the air above the old man in the skiff. Then he fell into the water with a crash that sent spray over the old man and over all of the skiff"

                                                                                   -----"The Old Man and the Sea"

I chose this passage because it contains the climax, which is the most important and interesting part of the novella. This is where everything happens. The ending of the marlin's life when the old man harpoons it is the most crucial of moments as the marlin comes alive “with his death in him” and displays all its strength and magnificence before the old man. The marlin seems to transcend his own death, which is mentioned in the previous sentence. This is very important because the marlin's story is reflected in the old man's. Like the marlin, the old man experiences something of death on his way back. His prize catch have been eaten by the sharks and it is very unlikely that he will ever be able to catch a fish of that size every again due to his old age and physical condition. Nonetheless, he returns to the village revitalized and with a restored reputation that will live long after his death.

Symbols Used

"But I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel. What is a bone spur? Can it be as painful as the spur of a fighting cock in one's heel? I do not think I  could  endure that or the loss of the eye and of both eyes and continue to fight as the fighting cocks do."

One of the symbols used in "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway is Joe DiMaggio. He represents the pertinacious will of the human spirit. As it is said in the book, DiMaggio is suffering from a bone spur and still prostrated his opponents, much in the same way the old man overcomes his despite his injuries.



"But what a great fish he is and what will he bring in the market if the flesh is good. He took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male and his fight has no panic in it......I wish I could feed the fish, he thought. He is my brother. But I must kill him and keep strong to do it."

Another symbol used by the Hemingway would be the marlin. It represents the ideal opponent, one that brings out the best of the old man: his love, courage, strength, and respect.


Lastly, the sea would be another symbol used in the novella by Hemingway. According to Hemingway, man can only achieve true greatness in isolation, so the sea represents the old man's isolation. It is as sea, without any support that the old man faces his empyrean challenge.

Quotes that Epitomize the Character

• “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.”

This quote shows how the old man reflects on the universe, nature, and his role in it. He views the marlin as a worthy opponent because he said the marlin "'took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male'". He also views the marlin as a brother and loved and respected him.But even though he admires the marlin, he is stilled determined to kill it.

• “I wish I had the boy.”

The quote shows how the old man is reflecting on his old age and wishes he could be young again. This can also be seen when his hand cramps and he says his hand betrayed him. During the few times he said he wished he had the boy, he is mocking his old age and how even his own body is starting to betray him.

Strongest Dialogue

"' Fish,' he said, 'I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.'"

                                                                              ----"The Old Man and the Sea"

There isn't many dialogue in this novella, drama class even used this novella as an example of no dialogue. But I chose this little piece of dialogue from the few choices I have in the novella because it represents the old man's character. He have gone eighty-four days without a catch and yet still remained undefeated. He is a fisherman but he respects his prey and calls the ones he deems worthy "brothers". He have pride, not necessarily a flaw in this novella, which drove him to sail further than any other fisherman and to try take this monster of a fish by himself even in his old age. This piece of dialogue between the old man and the fish incorporates all that represent the old man.

Internal and External Conflicts The Old Man and the Sea

Internal Conflicts:

1. Old man vs. Guilt for catching the marlin - The old man respects the marlin like a brother, but he still killed it.
2. Old man vs. Time/Age - The old man is old but his pride drives him on to keep on fishing and to still try to catch fish after having gone eighty-four days without a catch.

External Conflicts:

1. Old man vs. The Marlin - The old man is try to catch the marlin but the marlin is fighting back pretty hard.
2. Old man vs. His village - Everyone in the old man's village except the boy thinks he had ran out of luck because he had gone eight-four days without a fish, but the old man is still determined to catch a fish.

Passage: "'Fish,' he said, 'I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.'"


This passage shows the most important conflict in this novella, the external conflict old man vs. the marlin. Most of this novella is talking about the old man hooking the marlin and tailing it for three days and what happened those three days. So the majority of the book is talking about the course of events of this conflict. Even the climax is around this conflict, when the marlin is circling and the old man is trying to harpoon it.