The main storyline of "The Old Man and the Sea" follows an aging Cuban fisherman named Santiago who has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish. Accompanied by the devotion of a young boy named Manolin, Santiago decides to sail far out into the Gulf Stream to break his streak of bad luck.




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The Hook: Far out at sea, Santiago hooks a giant marlin that is so large it begins to tow his small skiff.



The Battle: For three days and nights, the old man endures extreme physical pain and exhaustion as he refuses to let the fish go. He develops a deep respect and a sense of brotherhood for the noble creature even as he prepares to kill it.





The Catch: Santiago eventually manages to pull the marlin alongside his boat and kills it with a harpoon.

The Sharks: On the journey back to shore, the blood from the marlin attracts several sharks. Despite Santiago’s desperate attempts to defend his prize with a harpoon, a knife, and a club, the sharks devour all the meat, leaving only a skeleton.





The Resolution: Santiago returns home defeated in the physical sense but with his spirit intact. The massive skeleton left behind proves his strength and skill to the other fishermen, and Manolin vows to fish with him once again.