The Old Man and the Sea — Chapter-by-Chapter Notes
Use this as you read - important points and questions for each section
📖 How to Use This Guide
- Read each section of the book, then review the corresponding notes here
- The notes highlight important plot points, themes, symbols, and questions
- Use the “Your Notes” sections to write your own observations
- Don’t read ahead in this guide - let it guide you as you read
Section 1: The Setup (Day 1 - Evening)
What Happens
- Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, has gone 84 days without catching a fish
- He’s considered “salao” (extremely unlucky) by other fishermen
- His young apprentice, Manolin, has been forced by his parents to work on another boat
- Despite this, Manolin remains devoted to Santiago, helping him with gear and bringing him food
- Santiago and Manolin discuss baseball, particularly Joe DiMaggio (Yankees player with a bone spur)
- Santiago decides to venture far into the Gulf Stream the next day
- Santiago dreams of lions playing on African beaches (a recurring dream from his youth)
Important Points
Character Introduction:
- Santiago is old, experienced, but unlucky - this sets up the central conflict
- Manolin’s loyalty shows Santiago’s worth as a person, despite his bad luck
- The relationship between old and young is central to the story
Key Symbols Introduced:
- 84 days without fish: Represents Santiago’s unlucky streak, testing his perseverance
- Joe DiMaggio: Symbol of resilience and excellence despite physical limitations (bone spur)
- The lions: Symbolize Santiago’s lost youth, strength, and vitality
- The skiff: Santiago’s simple, humble boat - his connection to the sea
Literary Techniques:
- Iceberg Theory: We learn about Santiago’s past through hints, not direct explanation
- Minimalist dialogue: Conversations are sparse but meaningful
- Third-person limited: We see through Santiago’s eyes
Questions to Consider
- What does Santiago’s relationship with Manolin reveal about his character?
- Why does Hemingway emphasize Santiago’s age and physical limitations?
- What is the significance of Santiago’s dreams about lions?
- How does the opening establish the story’s tone and themes?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 2: The Journey Out (Day 2 - Morning)
What Happens
- Santiago sets out alone before dawn on the 85th day
- He rows far into the Gulf Stream, beyond the other fishing boats
- He observes the sea, birds, and marine life with deep knowledge and respect
- He thinks about the sea as “la mar” (feminine, like a woman who gives or withholds favors)
- He baits several lines at different depths
- By late morning, he hooks something massive on one of his lines
- The fish is so large it begins towing Santiago’s skiff further out to sea
- Santiago cannot reel it in; he must wait and let the fish tire itself out
Important Points
The Hook:
- The moment Santiago hooks the marlin is the turning point
- He doesn’t know what it is yet, but knows it’s enormous
- The fish immediately takes control, towing the boat
Santiago’s Relationship with the Sea:
- He calls it “la mar” (feminine) - personifies it as a woman
- He respects and understands the sea deeply
- This relationship is central to the story
Key Symbols:
- The Gulf Stream: The deep, powerful current - represents the unknown and challenge
- The marlin (unseen): The ultimate test, the worthy adversary
- The sea (“la mar”): Nature as both provider and challenger
Literary Techniques:
- Sensory details: Precise descriptions of the sea, sky, and fishing
- Internal monologue: Santiago’s thoughts about fishing, the sea, and his past
- Suspense: We don’t know what Santiago has hooked yet
Questions to Consider
- How does Hemingway build tension in this section?
- What does Santiago’s relationship with the sea tell us about his worldview?
- Why does Hemingway delay revealing what Santiago has hooked?
- How does the setting (far out in the Gulf Stream) affect the story?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 3: The First Day of Battle (Day 2 - Afternoon to Night)
What Happens
- Santiago realizes he’s hooked a marlin of extraordinary size
- The marlin continues towing the boat, and Santiago cannot stop it
- Santiago’s hands are cut by the fishing line, but he endures the pain
- He reflects on his respect for the marlin, calling it his “brother”
- He thinks about Joe DiMaggio and whether his bone spur hurts
- He eats a tuna he caught earlier to maintain his strength
- As night falls, the marlin continues swimming, pulling the boat
- Santiago talks to the marlin, expressing both respect and determination
- He thinks about the stars and navigates by them
Important Points
The Struggle Begins:
- This is the first real test of Santiago’s endurance
- Physical pain (cut hands) is introduced
- The marlin is established as a worthy adversary
Santiago’s Respect:
- He calls the marlin his “brother” - shows respect and connection
- He admires the fish’s strength and beauty
- This respect is crucial to understanding Santiago’s character
Key Symbols:
- The fishing line: Connection between man and nature, also causing pain
- Santiago’s hands: His tools, his connection to his craft, now damaged
- The stars: Guidance, navigation, connection to something larger
- The marlin as “brother”: Respect for the adversary, recognition of shared struggle
Character Development:
- Santiago shows his experience and wisdom
- His respect for the marlin reveals his code of honor
- His endurance despite pain shows his determination
Questions to Consider
- Why does Santiago call the marlin his “brother”?
- How does Hemingway show Santiago’s physical suffering without being explicit?
- What does Santiago’s internal dialogue reveal about his character?
- How does the struggle with the marlin differ from a simple conflict?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 4: The Second Day (Day 3 - Full Day)
What Happens
- The struggle continues through the night and into the next day
- Santiago is exhausted, hungry, and in pain
- He recalls winning an arm-wrestling match in Casablanca when he was young (“The Great DiMaggio”)
- This memory gives him strength and confidence
- He continues to respect the marlin, admiring its strength and beauty
- He thinks about what the marlin is eating and where it might be going
- The marlin jumps out of the water, and Santiago sees it for the first time - it’s enormous
- Santiago is awed by the marlin’s beauty and size
- He feels a deep connection to the fish, but also knows he must kill it
- He continues to endure, eating raw fish to maintain his strength
- His left hand cramps, but he endures
Important Points
The Revelation:
- Santiago sees the marlin for the first time - it’s longer than his boat
- This moment of seeing the fish is crucial - it’s beautiful and magnificent
- Santiago’s awe and respect deepen
Memory and Past Strength:
- The arm-wrestling memory shows Santiago’s past strength
- This contrast (past vs. present) is important
- The memory gives him strength in the present
Physical Limitations:
- The cramped hand shows Santiago’s physical limitations
- But he works through it - shows his determination
- The contrast between physical weakness and spiritual strength
Key Symbols:
- The arm-wrestling memory: Past strength and glory, contrast with present
- The marlin’s jump: Revelation of the fish’s true nature and beauty
- The cramped hand: Physical limitations, but Santiago works through them
- Raw fish: Primitive survival, connection to nature’s cycle
Questions to Consider
- What is the significance of Santiago’s memory of the arm-wrestling match?
- How does seeing the marlin change Santiago’s relationship with it?
- Why does Hemingway include details about Santiago eating raw fish?
- How does the contrast between past and present strength affect the story?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 5: The Marlin Circles (Day 4 - Morning)
What Happens
- On the third day, the marlin begins to circle the boat
- This is a sign the fish is tiring
- Santiago knows the end is near and prepares himself
- He feels both triumph and sadness - he will kill this magnificent creature he respects
- He thinks about the marlin’s dignity and his own
- He prepares his harpoon and the rope
- The marlin circles closer and closer
- Santiago positions himself for the kill
- He reflects on the necessity of killing the fish - it’s his job, his purpose
- He also thinks about the waste if he doesn’t catch it
Important Points
The Turning Point:
- The marlin circling is the turning point - the struggle is ending
- But this creates a new conflict: Santiago must kill what he respects
Internal Conflict:
- Santiago feels conflicted about killing the marlin
- He respects and loves it, but must kill it
- This conflict is central to the story’s meaning
Preparation:
- Santiago prepares carefully - shows his professionalism
- He knows what he’s doing - shows his experience
- The preparation builds tension
Key Symbols:
- The circling: The end of the struggle, but also a dance of death
- The harpoon: The tool of death, but also of Santiago’s livelihood
- Santiago’s mixed emotions: The complexity of the hunter’s relationship with prey
Questions to Consider
- Why does Santiago feel conflicted about killing the marlin?
- What does the circling motion symbolize?
- How does Hemingway build tension in this section?
- What does Santiago’s preparation reveal about his character?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 6: The Kill (Day 4 - Midday)
What Happens
- The marlin comes close to the boat
- Santiago sees it clearly - it’s longer than his boat
- He positions himself and drives the harpoon into the marlin’s heart
- The marlin’s death throes are powerful and violent
- Santiago feels the fish’s life leave it
- He has killed the marlin, but feels both victory and loss
- He lashes the marlin to his boat - it’s so large it won’t fit inside
- He sets sail for home, proud of his catch but exhausted
Important Points
The Moment of Victory:
- Santiago achieves his goal - he has caught the marlin
- But the victory is complex - he feels both triumph and loss
- The killing is described in detail - it’s powerful and violent
The Burden:
- The marlin is so large it must be lashed to the boat
- This becomes a burden - it attracts the sharks
- Victory creates a new problem
Key Symbols:
- The harpoon strike: The moment of victory, but also of death
- The marlin’s size: The magnitude of Santiago’s achievement
- Lashing the marlin: The connection between victory and burden
Questions to Consider
- Is Santiago’s victory complete at this moment?
- Why does Hemingway describe the marlin’s death in such detail?
- What does the marlin’s size relative to the boat symbolize?
- How does Santiago’s mixed emotions affect your reading of this moment?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 7: The Sharks Attack (Day 4 - Afternoon)
What Happens
- As Santiago sails home, a mako shark is attracted by the marlin’s blood
- Santiago knows the shark will come - it’s inevitable
- He prepares to fight, using his harpoon
- He kills the first shark, but it takes the harpoon with it
- More blood is released, attracting more sharks
- Santiago knows he’s in trouble but continues to fight
- He makes weapons from his oar and knife
- He kills several sharks but loses more of the marlin each time
- He reflects that he “went out too far” - his pride led him beyond safety
Important Points
The Inevitability:
- Santiago knows the sharks will come - it’s the natural order
- The blood trail is like a beacon
- This creates a sense of inevitability and tragedy
The Loss of Tools:
- Santiago loses his harpoon fighting the first shark
- He must improvise with oar and knife
- Each defense costs him more
The Realization:
- Santiago realizes he “went out too far”
- This is a moment of self-awareness
- His pride led him beyond safety
Key Symbols:
- The sharks: Destructive forces, inevitability of loss
- The blood trail: Attracts destruction, the cost of the kill
- Going out too far: Pride leading to loss, the danger of ambition
- The lost harpoon: Santiago’s tools being taken, his ability to defend diminishing
Questions to Consider
- What do the sharks represent?
- Why does Santiago say he “went out too far”?
- How does Hemingway create a sense of inevitability about the sharks?
- Is Santiago’s struggle against the sharks futile, or meaningful?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 8: The Final Attacks (Day 4 - Evening)
What Happens
- More sharks continue to attack
- Santiago fights them with whatever he has - oar, knife, club
- He kills many sharks but they keep coming
- The marlin is being eaten away
- Santiago is exhausted and knows he’s losing
- He reflects on what he’s lost but also on what he’s proven
- By the time he reaches the harbor, only the skeleton, head, and tail remain
- He’s defeated in terms of the catch, but not in spirit
Important Points
The Continued Defense:
- Santiago won’t give up, even when the battle is clearly lost
- He fights with whatever he has
- This shows his character - he won’t surrender
The Loss:
- The marlin is reduced to skeleton
- Santiago has lost the material prize
- But he hasn’t lost everything
The Skeleton:
- The skeleton remains - proof of the struggle
- It’s what’s left, what endures
- This is important for the ending
Key Symbols:
- The skeleton: What remains, the proof of the struggle
- Santiago’s continued fighting: Refusal to give up, even in defeat
- The harbor: Safety, but also the end of the journey
Questions to Consider
- Is Santiago truly defeated?
- What is the significance of the skeleton?
- How does Santiago’s attitude change as he loses the marlin?
- Why does Santiago continue fighting when the battle is clearly lost?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 9: Return Home (Day 4 - Night)
What Happens
- Santiago is exhausted and defeated
- He carries his mast up the hill to his shack (a difficult, symbolic journey)
- He collapses and sleeps
- The other fishermen see the marlin’s skeleton and are amazed
- They measure it - 18 feet from nose to tail
- The skeleton attracts tourists who don’t understand what it represents
- Santiago sleeps and dreams of the lions again
Important Points
The Journey Home:
- Carrying the mast is difficult and symbolic
- It’s reminiscent of Christ carrying the cross
- This journey is part of Santiago’s ordeal
The Recognition:
- Other fishermen see and measure the skeleton
- They recognize the achievement
- But tourists don’t understand
The Return of Dreams:
- Santiago dreams of lions again
- This suggests renewal and hope
- The connection to youth and strength returns
Key Symbols:
- Carrying the mast: The burden of the journey, also reminiscent of Christ carrying the cross
- The skeleton’s measurement: Proof of the achievement, even if the meat is gone
- The tourists: Those who don’t understand the true significance
- The lion dreams: Return of hope, connection to youth and strength
Questions to Consider
- What is the significance of Santiago carrying the mast?
- Why do the tourists not understand the skeleton’s meaning?
- What does the return of the lion dreams suggest?
- How do the other fishermen’s reactions differ from the tourists’?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
Section 10: Manolin’s Return (Day 5 - Morning)
What Happens
- Manolin finds Santiago in the morning
- He’s been worried and searching for the old man
- He sees Santiago’s injured hands and is moved to tears
- He brings Santiago coffee and food
- He tells Santiago that the fishermen are talking about him
- He says he wants to fish with Santiago again, regardless of what his parents say
- Santiago accepts this
- The story ends with Santiago sleeping, dreaming of the lions
- Manolin watches over him
Important Points
The Restoration:
- Manolin’s return restores the relationship
- The promise to fish together again suggests renewal
- This is the hopeful ending
The Care:
- Manolin cares for Santiago
- He brings food and watches over him
- This shows the depth of their bond
The Final Dream:
- Santiago dreams of lions again
- This suggests his spirit endures
- The connection to youth and strength remains
Key Symbols:
- Manolin’s return: Renewal, continuity, hope for the future
- The promise to fish together: Restoration of partnership, passing of knowledge
- The final lion dream: Enduring spirit, connection to youth and strength
- Manolin watching over Santiago: Protection, care, the cycle continuing
Questions to Consider
- What does the ending suggest about Santiago’s future?
- How does Manolin’s character develop in this final section?
- Is the ending hopeful or tragic?
- What is the significance of the final lion dream?
- How does the relationship between Santiago and Manolin complete the story’s themes?
Your Notes
Write your observations, questions, and reactions here:
📝 Overall Reflection (After Reading All Sections)
Major Themes
What themes did you notice? How did they develop?
Character Development
How did Santiago change (or not change) throughout the story?
Symbolism
What symbols stood out to you? How did they work together?
Writing Style
How did Hemingway’s style affect your reading experience?
Your Response
What was your emotional response to the story? What will you remember?
Next Step: After finishing the book, read the “03 Post-Reading Analysis” document for an in-depth exploration of the themes, symbols, and meanings.
Chapter-by-Chapter Notes created: 2025-12-24
For Great Literature 101 - Book 1 of 10