If you find yourself on a tight schedule and need a quality essay on Ernest Hemingway’s classic, “The Old Man and the Sea,” StudyMoose offers a fast and reliable academic writing service to meet your specific needs. Known for their extensive array of specialized writing services, StudyMoose employs a team of experienced writers proficient in literary analysis, capable of delivering a thoughtful and well-crafted essay on the novel’s themes, symbolism, and characters.
About the Old Man and the Sea Book
This book was written by one of the greatest American novelists, Ernest Hemingway, in 1951 and published in 1952. It was his last major work during his lifetime, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
The Old Man and the Sea summary is simply about an aging Cuban fisherman who engages in a legendary fight to catch a giant marlin on the Gulf Stream, far off the coast of Cuba. The old man, Santiago, had not caught a fish in 84 days, and people were starting to lose faith in him.
The book contains many themes that reflect Ernest Hemingway’s life in a Cuban fishing village. Ernest carefully described the fragility of Santiago, who has age and luck against him but must beat the odds to prove who he is.
Book Summary
Santiago is an aging fisherman who hasn’t caught fish in 84 days. The family of his apprentice, Manolin, forces the young man to leave Santiago to work in a luckier boat. However, Manolin loves the old man and sneaks back to his boat at night to bring him food. On this fateful day, Santiago told Manolin that he would set off the next day into the Gulf Stream to end his unlucky streak.
True to his words, Santiago sets out the next day. By noon, he hooked a big fish that he was sure was a Marlin but could not haul it in. He held the line for two days with his back, shoulders, and hands. On the third day, he musters enough strength and kills the Marlin.
However, blood from the fish trails the boat as he goes home, attracting a school of sharks, each one taking a bite of his Marlin. By the time he reaches home, he is only left with the skeleton of the fish.
The Old Man and the Sea Quotes
Santiago: “But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”
Santiago: “Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”
Santiago: “Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes, you are ready.”
Santiago: “Fish, I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”
Santiago: “First you borrow, then you beg.”
Narrator: “He was too simple to wonder when he had attained humility. But he knew he had attained it; he knew it was not disgraceful and carried no loss of true pride.”
Narrator: “He no longer dreamed of storms, nor women…nor of great fish …He only dreamed of places now.”
Essay Structure on The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a timeless novel that students in colleges and high schools receive as essay tasks. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here, as known with all the other great novels adapted in school syllabuses or curriculums. To get started with the Old Man and the Sea summary, you have to learn how to structure your essay. Here is how it’s done:
Introduction
Your introduction must grab the reader’s attention; otherwise, the reader will not read to the end. As a college or high school task, you already know that the reader has a lot of other essays to read, so if yours is not compelling enough, there is no getting through it. Here are a few ways to make your introduction stand out and catch attention:
- Start with a compelling hook. The first few sentences of your introduction are what will prompt your reader to follow through with your essay, so you have to make your words count. Your hook could be in the form of The old man and the sea quotes or questions. Regardless, you must ensure it is powerful enough to leave a statement.
- Describe your ideas to the reader briefly. In the introduction, show the reader what they are getting into. Explain the topic and why you have chosen your perspective. You must do this, so the reader can relate as they read
- Thesis statement. This is the last inclusion in your introduction. It is a brief The Old Man and the Sea summary that explains in detail the outline of your essay and what it will be about.
Body
This is the main body of work. All your research goes into this section. Here, you speak extensively on the idea you mentioned in the introduction. Each claim should be separated into different paragraphs and backed up with evidence or facts on why it is so. The standard body consists of three paragraphs, which could be longer depending on the word length.
Conclusion
This is also an important section to consider when writing. Your conclusion is the highlight of your The Old man and the Sea summary and should be treated as such. Restate your thesis and include a moral lesson to make it stand out.
6 Tips to Consider While Writing An essay about The Old Man and The Sea
Writing any form of literary work requires a lot of effort and commitment. It is a different form of writing with certain structures and formats that must be met. Here are a few tips to guide you through your The Old Man and the Sea essay:
Read the Book
This is one piece of advice we give to every student. Whenever you are required to write an essay on any book, you should read the book first. No amount of summaries can amount to the information you will get by reading the book itself. Thankfully, it only has 127 pages, so you won’t have to read for hours.
Choose an Interesting Topic
We already mentioned that you must keep the readers interested at every point in the book. You can start by using a catchy topic. This way, they are already interested even before reading the first line. You can choose from hundreds of The Old Man and the Sea summary essay titles online. Just make sure it is a topic that piques your interest so you will be enthusiastic enough for the extensive research.
Create an Outline
This is the perfect guide to writing the best Old Man and the Sea summary essay. It is an effective strategy that is used to keep your writing focused. It will also help you maximize your word count and work within the guidelines. A good outline must consist of: Introduction, body, and conclusion.
Another thing to note is that you need to have the first draft. We always advise that students never submit the first draft without working on it first.
Write your Thesis
We follow Santiago’s story through months of bad luck. When he could no longer take the teasing, he went to sea and eventually caught a fish. This could be a great thesis statement about bravery, determination, or even tenacity. Your thesis statement should be concise, simple, and coherent.
Include a Moral Lesson
When you analyze this book, you will discover that there are so many moral lessons to be learned from the story. Firstly, just like Santiago, a man must not give up trying to prove himself to the best of his abilities. It is important that no matter the discouragement, your spirit should remain undefeated.
Proofread your Work
After writing The Old Man and the Sea summary, make sure you go through proper edits before submitting it. Do this by running your essay through esteemed grammar and spelling checks online. Even after this, endure to manually read your work so you can pick out the minor errors yourself.
Writing an essay is work, and you must dedicate time to it. Please send us a message if you are too busy to take on these assignments. We are an academic platform with professional writers who are always ready to assist students to get the best in their essays.
FAQs
What is the main point of The Old Man and the Sea?
It was written to prove the great acts humans can undertake once they set their hearts and minds to a particular task. It is a universal theme and advice to never give up on your dreams, no matter what. It also speaks of bravery and compassion.
Is The Old Man and the Sea worth reading?
Yes, it is. The Old Man and the Sea is a good book and is universally rated for kids and adults of all ages. Not only for the entertainment value but for the many life lessons embedded in the story. The book is a masterpiece and deserving of its fame.
Is the Old Man and the Sea a true story?
No, it is not a true story. Ernest Hemingway denied it being true or related to any person he knew. However, people like to believe it was about his friend Gregorio Fuentes, who was fishing buddies with Hemingway in Cuba for the longest time.
What does the ending of the old man and the sea mean?
It highlights the ignorance of people and society at large when man attains the pinnacle of success. When the Old Man brought the fish skeleton to the shore, others saw beauty or money. No one knew what he went through to get it.
