In this video, I’ll summarize the plot of The Old Man and the Sea in about four minutes and give you an analysis of the story.
1. The Old Man’s Struggles
Santiago, an aging fisherman in Cuba, has gone 84 days without catching a fish. His young apprentice, Manolin, who deeply admires him, has been forced by his parents to fish with more successful fishermen. Despite this, Manolin still cares for Santiago, bringing him food and talking to him about baseball, particularly his hero Joe DiMaggio. Determined to break his streak of bad luck, Santiago sets out alone into the Gulf Stream, venturing farther than usual in hopes of a great catch.
2. The Marlin Takes the Bait
On the eighty-fifth day, Santiago hooks a massive marlin, a fish so strong that it begins towing his small skiff farther out to sea. Unable to reel it in, Santiago holds onto the line with all his strength, enduring exhaustion and pain as the marlin drags him for two days and nights. He respects the fish for its strength and dignity, seeing it as both a worthy opponent and a reflection of his own struggle. As he waits for the marlin to tire, he recalls his past strength, including a legendary arm-wrestling match he once won against a strong man in his youth.
3. The Hard-Won Victory
On the third day fighting the marlin, it finally begins to weaken. Summoning the last of his strength, Santiago pulls it close and harpoons it, killing it after an exhausting battle. He lashes the enormous fish to the side of his skiff, proud of his accomplishment. However, he is too far from shore, and the real struggle has just begun. As he begins his journey back, Santiago feels both triumph and a deep sense of respect for the marlin, believing they are connected by their shared endurance.
4. The Sharks Attack
As Santiago sails home, sharks are drawn to the marlin’s blood in the water. A mako shark attacks first, tearing a large chunk from the fish, and though Santiago kills it with his harpoon, he loses the weapon in the process. More sharks arrive, and he fights them off with makeshift weapons, including an oar and a knife. Despite his relentless efforts, the sharks devour more and more of the marlin, reducing it to little more than a skeleton. Santiago, exhausted and defeated, realizes he cannot stop them.
5. Return to Shore
By the time Santiago reaches the shore, nothing remains of the marlin but its massive skeleton. He stumbles back to his hut, exhausted and heartbroken, and falls into a deep sleep. The next morning, villagers marvel at the skeleton, measuring over eighteen feet, proving that Santiago had indeed caught an extraordinary fish. Manolin, seeing his mentor’s suffering, promises to fish with him again, regardless of what his parents say. As Santiago sleeps, he dreams of lions on the African beaches, a memory from his youth that symbolizes strength, endurance, and lost greatness.
Theme 1: Perseverance
Santiago’s struggle against the marlin and the sharks reflects the theme of perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite his old age and streak of bad luck, he refuses to give up, proving that true success is found in effort rather than outcome. His battle with the marlin is not just about survival but about proving his own resilience and dignity. Even when the sharks take his prize, his determination remains unbroken. Hemingway presents Santiago as a symbol of the human spirit—unwavering, determined, and willing to fight, no matter the odds.
Theme 2: Pride and Defeat
Santiago’s pride drives him to go farther than other fishermen and to fight a battle he knows may destroy him. While his victory over the marlin is a testament to his skill, his pride also leads to his eventual downfall, as he ventures too far and loses the fish to forces beyond his control. However, Hemingway suggests that defeat does not erase the value of the struggle. Though Santiago returns with nothing material, he retains his personal honor, and the respect he earns from Manolin and the villagers reinforces that true worth is not measured by external success but by the strength of one’s character.