A Great Battle on the Blue Water!
Get ready for a powerful story about never giving up! Written in 1952 by Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman who goes 84 days without catching a fish. When he finally hooks the biggest fish he has ever seen, a giant Marlin, the real adventure begins. It is a story about strength, respect for nature, and the hero inside everyone.
Skiff
Marlin
Determined
Harpoon
Endurance
Solitude
Majestic
Exhausted
Santiago was an old fisherman who sailed a small skiff alone in the Gulf Stream. Though he was thin and had deep wrinkles, his eyes were as blue as the sea and unconquered. For eighty-four days, he had caught nothing, but he remained determined. On the eighty-fifth day, he sailed far out into the deep water where he felt a strong tug on his line. It was a majestic marlin, purple and silver, longer than his own boat!
The great fish pulled the boat for three days and nights. Santiago felt the weight of the fish in his back and hands, but he showed incredible endurance. In the deep solitude of the ocean, he began to talk to the fish, calling it his brother. Finally, although he was completely exhausted, he pulled the fish close and used his harpoon to finish the battle.
Santiago tied the giant fish to the side of his boat and began the long journey home. However, the smell of blood in the water soon brought hungry sharks. Santiago fought them bravely, but by the time he reached the shore, only the skeleton of the great marlin remained. Though the fish was gone, the village people saw the massive bones and knew Santiago was a true hero who never gave up.
"The sail was like the flag of permanent defeat."
Comparing the sail to a flag using the word "like".
"The sea is kind and very beautiful. But she can be cruel."
Giving human feelings (being kind or cruel) to the Sea.
"The clouds were like friendly white mountains in the sky."
Adjectives are describing words! They tell us more about a noun (person, place, or thing).
1. How many days did Santiago go without catching a fish?
2. What type of fish did Santiago catch?
3. What happened to the fish on the way home?