Approach
I have utilized Plot Summary to analyze The Old Man and The Sea. A plot summary is a short description of the occasions in a story which improve the narrative thrust of the story or extensively upload to the knowledge of primary characters in direct relation to the story. It helps me to understand how the events are connected and driven by the characters in the story. Furthermore, I choose Literary Sociogram as another tool to analyze the story. It is a visual analysis that presents relationships among characters in the story, which the main character will be placed at the center, and others will be linked alongside. When reading texts. It helps me to think more deeply about how the other characters affect the main one.
Theme Development
Pride stands as a theme in the story. Santiago’s 84 days run of awful fortune is an attack to his pride, so his try to bear out his abilities by cruising far away into the waters. To him, pride leads men to significance. Since the old man recognizes that he murdered the powerful marlin generally out of pride, and since his capture of the marlin leads in turn to his courageous transcendence of overcome. Without a sense of pride, that fight would never have been battled, or it would have been surrendered sometime prior to the end. Therefore, pride gets to be the source of the old man’s most prominent strength. No matter how bad his circumstances ended up, the old man shows his willingness to catch the marlin and bring it to shore. Santiago’s pride also leads him to challenge the damaging powers of nature. When the primary shark arrives, Santiago’s decision is specified twice within a few passages. We are told that the old man “was full of determination but he had small hope.” and sentences afterward says, “He hit [the shark] without hope but with resolution.” The old man meets each challenge with the same assurance: he is willing to pass on in arrange to bring in the marlin, and he is willing to pass on in arrange to fight the sharks. It is the choice to act, to battle, and to never stop that empowers Santiago not to defeat. In spite of the fact that he returns to Havana without the trophy of his long fight, he returns with the fact that he has cleared himself gladly and manfully.
Critical Events
The critical event in this story occurs when Santiago decides to go out to the ocean by himself without the boy. While sailing along the ocean, the marlin takes the trap, but the old man is incapable to reel him in, which leads to a three-day battle between the old man and the fish. In this manner, it causes the old man to confront with unpredictable occasions. For case, the old man has got to murder the marlin with a spear, so sharks come by scent and blood. At last, the old man comes back to the shore with the skeleton.
Insight
The creator needed to suggest around personification within the story as the old man continuously regards and gives characteristics to oceanic creatures. To clarify, the old man looked at the ocean as a lady, and birds and turtles as his companions. Moreover, the old man called the ocean as “she”, and the fish as “he”. In addition, in my viewpoint, the creator needed to imply the characteristic of the old man as a lion. To clarify, the creator utilize the lion as a covered up meaning of the solid and powerful.
Question
After reading the story, I have questions about whether the old man is afraid of death, since he decides to out to the sea alone, with a small boat. He must prepare himself whether he can come back to the boy or not. Also, is it really possible that the small boat is sufficient enough to go out and catch fish?. He must know that sailing in the sea, there must be many unexpected and dangerous things, but his boat looks so easy to break down and frown, especially when sharks attack.
Reflective Coda
The analysis tools, Plot summary, helps me to quickly know the main events, and understand what is going on in the story better. At the same time, Literary Sociogram helps me to understand the connection between the main characters, and the others.
After reading the Old Man and The Sea, I have learned many things. I compare the old man’s life to the reality. People always look at success and the end destination, meaning that no matter how hard you try or how many times you fail behind the scene, there is no one knows or cares, they only admire you when you succeed, just like the parents of the boy that force the boy to go with the other masterful fisherman. Also, only endurance can get you to success. If you really want something, you have to keep doing for it. Do not give up your afford, so you will meet success. Just like the old man that he keep sailing for fish, and fight for it, so he gets it. Moreover, life and hard times are like partners. You will face difficulties in your life sometimes; however, if you pass through it, you will be stronger and experienced person. Just like the old man who faces with sharks when returning home.