The Old Man and
the Sea
By: Ernest Hemingway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=oX9esXzzO7w
Author Background
1898-1961
Was born to an
affluent family in
Chicago
Began writing in high
school
Became an
ambulance driver
during World War I in
Italy
Author Background
Moved to Paris to
pursue a writing
career
Lived in Paris and
met Gertrude Stein
and Ezra Pound,
two famous writers
who influenced him
greatly
Hemingway Revealed
Hemingway loved
adventure and his
stories reflect this
Was an avid hunter
and sportsman
Known for his to-the-
point, non-
descriptive form of
writing: minimalist
http://www.hemingwayhome.com/in
dex.php/videos/comcast_newsmake
rs_-_hemingway/
He loved Key West!
And cats!
According to Hemingway
According to Hemingway, in order to be
satisfied with one’s self:
one must learn
To be a friend
To have a friend
To endure physical pain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plvKlnguJVE
To handle the death of a loved one
To pass knowledge on to others
According to Hemingway
To respect greatness in others
To win with humility
To lose with dignity
To struggle with something bigger than
yourself
To handle adversity
To resist being discouraged by failure
According to Hemingway
To appreciate and love nature
To master a skill
To resist following the crowd
To be able to be alone with yourself
To love an adversary even if you must kill
him
To resist worrying about what others think of
you
Old Man and the Sea
He lived in Cuba while
writing The Old Man
and the Sea
The Old Man and the
Sea was published in
full by Life magazine
and sold all 5.3 million
copies within 48 hours
**Twilight sold 1.3
million
Hemingway’s Accolades
May 1953: Hemingway
wins a Pulitzer Prize for
writing The Old man and
the Sea
October 1954:
Hemingway wins the
Nobel Prize in Literature
He is known for his Code
Hero, a man who is stoic
and stays strong against
sometimes unbeatable
odds.
Literary Elements
Setting (time and place)
– A Cuban village near Havana
– Mostly set on the sea in the Gulf Stream
– Modern times
Characters
1. Santiago—Old Cuban fisherman
2. Manolin—The boy who is Santiago’s friend
Hemingway’s Code Hero
A hero…..
must be courageous but must avoid death at
all costs
does not have self-pity, but he does have self
discipline and control
realizes death is in all things, therefore, he
tries to live life fully
is a person of action
practices humility—doesn’t discuss his
achievements
faces his greatest trial alone and tests himself
to his limit.
• (n) A flatbottom Skiff
open boat of
shallow draft,
having a pointed
bow and a square
stern and
propelled by oars,
sail, or motor
• (n) Nautical A tall
Mast vertical spar,
sometimes
sectioned, that rises
from the keel or deck
of a sailing vessel to
support the sails and
the standing and
running rigging.
Harpoon
• (n) A spear like
weapon with a
barbed head
used in hunting
whales and
large fish.
Marlin
Marlin…something smells fishy!
• The larger species include
the Atlantic blue marlin,
Makaira nigricans, which
can reach 5.968 metres
(19.58 ft) in length and
818 kilograms (1,800 lb) in
weight, and the
Black marlin, Makaira
indica, which can reach in
excess of 5 metres (16 ft)
in length and
670 kilograms (1,500 lb) in
weight.
STOP
Copy the following thematic
statements into your notes.
Life is a series of struggles.
– Do you believe this is true?
– What are some of the daily struggles people
must face?
– Do people struggle to achieve goals in life?
How?
– Do life’s struggles become easier or more
difficult as a person grows older? Give
examples.
Copy the following thematic
statements.
The personal qualities of determination,
pride, and endurance can triumph over
adversity.
– How would you define each trait?
– Why are these traits important? How are
these traits related to life’s struggles?
– Can you give examples of successful
people who have these traits?
Copy the following thematic
statements.
Pushing beyond the normal limits in life is important
regardless of whether you win or lose.
– What does pushing beyond the limits mean?
– What are the limitations that can be placed on a
person? What are some of the limits age places on a
person?
– Give some examples of people from sports or other
areas who have had great successes because they
have not been content with operating within normal
limits. What are the dangers of pushing limits too far.
Copy the following thematic
statements.
Suffering makes the human spirit strong.
– Do you agree or disagree?
– Can you think of people whose lives prove
this statement?
– What are some of the effects of great or
prolonged suffering?
– Can great suffering turn out to be a great
blessing?
