ADP.2 English An Introduction to Novel The Old Man and The Sea

 

ADP Part.2 English Novel The Old Man and the Sea

This is a thought provoking and motivational novel by a world famous novelist Ernest Hemingway. Basically is is a novella: a short formed novel. It was published in 1952 and after two years of its publication, in 1854 it got Nobel Prize. 

The major characters of the novel are:

1. Santiago: the protagonist of this novel

2. Manolin: The apprentice of Santiago

3. Marline: The great fish

4. Sharks: These attack the fish and eat its flesh

5. Sea: It acts as a living being in the novel 

Short Summary of the novel

Santiago is a Cuban fisherman who goes for fishing since the last eighty four days but he is unable to catch any fish. He is determined that one day , he would catch a big fish. He never gives up his struggle and goes on for fishing with every sunrise.

First forty days of his struggle , he is accompanied by Manolin but after these days his parents shift him to another boat declaring the old man as a salao.

On 85th day of his struggle, he hooks a big fish marline but being an unusual strong fish its tows the old man along with his small skiff to far off deep sea. After a long and tiring struggle , the old man is successful in killing it.

When he is on his way back to the shore, sharks attack the Marline one by one first and later in packs . Sharks deprive the old man of the fruit of his long struggle. When Santiago reaches the shore, there is only skeleton of the fish.

Central Philosophy of the novel

Hemingway is successful in putting his philosophy through the character of Santiago. "Man is not made for defeat, the man can be destroyed but not defeated" , are the key lines of the novel. To achieve something is not success but real success is continuous struggle.

University Trend of Questions

1. Write the major themes of the novel?

2. Man is not made for defeat-Elaborate?

3. The novel is symbolic, discuss?

4. Write the character of Santiago?

5. Discuss relationship between Manolin and Santiago?

6. Sea is a living being-Elaborate?

   Read the notes and important questions of the novel