The Old Man And The Sea - Structure

Breakdown of:

The Old Man And The Sea

By Ernest Hemingway

First Scribner Class/Collier Edition 1986

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

The Narrator introduces the salao old man, and tells of the boy who worked with the old man, but then was called away by his parents to another boat. But the boy still helps the old man as he returns, his unlucky streak unbroken.

The narrator describes the old man: worn and tired. But his eyes are “undefeated.”

Then the boy offers to re-join The Old Man, and The Old Man says it’s better for the boy to stay on the other boat.

Turns: The Narrator describes the man’s eyes

Values: DEFEAT + ENDURANCE

Purpose:  The first turn might be a stretch for a turn. Also, you might wonder why the mention of the boy helping the old man isn’t a turn (Well, if it is, it’s even weaker).

I call the old man’s description a turn, because up until that point, even the boy’s pity was in the frame of defeat. The man’s eyes are telling the audience that this guy is pathetic, but there is a hint of something heroic within. This is important, as the old man won’t have many victories ahead, and his coming big victory is ironic and complicated. Essentially, a big part of this character is his indomitable, faithful spirit, and it’s being revealed right in the beginning (as a juxtaposition against his failure no less) for good reason.   

SCENE TWO

The boy comes to Santiago, offering to go out with him again. Santiago refuses, but is talked into a beer at the terrace.

At the terrace, we see how the other fisherman think of Santiago, and the boy and Santiago converse.

Turns: NONE

Values: LOVE

Purpose: I really struggled with this scene. Not just whether or not there was a turn, but equally with where the scene began or ended. Was it two scenes without a turn in a row, or effectively one?

This scene begins page 6 in my edition, and ends page 15. It has two locations, and the value in both is really LOVE, but never really turns.

When I first read this story, I found my mind wandering, and commented “Either my attention span is gone, or this starts a little slow.” We’re not supposed to talk bad about the masters, but that’s the kind of thought that stunts new thought, so I’m going to say that Hemingway could have started this stronger. These scenes might serve some set-up purpose, but I’m not sure how necessary they were.

It sets up the relationship with the boy, the Old Man’s world, how he is seen by other fisherman and the fishing industry, but there is little conflict, and the conflict doesn’t change.

His desired purposes could have been achieved in other ways, possibly deleting these scenes altogether. 

SCENE THREE

The boy and the old man return to the old man’s house. The Old man pretends to have a meal, and the boy sees through it. They discuss baseball, and the lottery. The boy makes a reference to the Old Man having a great eighty-seven day losing streak break. The Old Man dismisses it, and the boy leaves for sardines.

Turns: The boy sees through the old man’s lie, the boy mentions eighty-seven days.

VALUES: LOVE – SELF-DECEPTION + TALENT

Purpose: Showing how the man lives is an interesting juxtaposition to his brewing, heroic ability to hook huge fish.

This scene’s turns are subtle, but significant. The first is prose-dependant: the narrator reveals through the boy’s thoughts, and gives us insight into the dance of their relationship: the old man seeks to maximize his appearance of paternal stability, while the boy plays along as he takes care of the old man.

The second is a revelation that despite the Old Man’s pitiful life, he has broken through before. This is the first of several signs that the old man is hardly helpless. In one sense, he has a superhuman will.

SCENE FOUR

The boy leaves, but returns with food and wakes the old man. They talk, and then the boy leaves, the Old Man saying he will wake the boy tomorrow morning.

Turns: NONE

Values: LOVE

Purpose: There’s a lot of information in this scene, and juxtaposition, and irony…an academic perspective could find a lot here, but a yarn-teller like me thinks it’s a big pace-killer. There are no real turns – is it really necessary?

SCENE FIVE

The Old man sleeps, and dreams of lions. He wakes, cold, takes a leak then goes off to wake the boy.

Turns: NONE

Values: PEACE

Purpose: This scene almost turns – when the man wakes up cold, and expects to shiver himself warm. The turn might’ve been peace to agony or discomfort. But this doesn’t reveal much we don’t already know.

SCENE SIX – SEQUENCE CLIMAX (or just sequence end)

The Old Man enters and wakes the boy. They talk and have coffee. Then the boy fetches Santiago sardines. The boy sees Santiago off in his skiff, and the old man is at sea.

Turns: NONE

Values: LOVE 

Purpose: Well, the Old Man’s journey on the sea is more meaningful with context. But how much context is really needed?

But I offer this question: Could this story have started with one scene, then the man pushes out to sea? Could it have started with him already out at sea?

SCENE SEVEN

The narrator describes the sea and the Old Man’s thoughts as he moves away from shore. The Old  Man plans where he will set his baits, then sets them. The Old Man watches other fishermen setting their baits, and he contrasts his practices versus theirs – which he considers better.

Turns: NONE

Values: ?

Purpose: Is this a distinct scene? Does it go with others? Is it necessary? I don’t know on all accounts.

SCENE EIGHT

The Old man notices a bird flying by – and realizes the bird is after fish. He follows the bird, and they are both after a school of flying fish being chased by dolphin. But the old man realizes first both he and the bird will miss out.

Turns: Santiago notices that the bird sees something, Santiago sees that the school of fish is too fast.

Values: PEACE + OPPORTUNITY – DEFEAT

SCENE NINE

Santiago sees a man of war, and contemplates sea life. Then, he notices the bird finding fish again. The Old Man follows, and soon catches himself an albacore tuna.

Turns: Old Man notices the bird has something again, Santiago catches a tuna

Values: DEFEAT + OPPORTUNITY + SUCCESS

Purpose: This is a repeat of the beats of scene nine – but the final turn is a second positive, not defeat. This is Hemingway slightly jacking us up, getting us ready for the inciting incident, and also proving that Santiago, while “salao,” may in fact be quite skilled. What then makes him so unlucky? When he catches the ten pound tuna, he doesn’t consider the price – he considers it just bait for the real prize.

At this point, Santiago’s problem is made clearer – he’s unlucky because in his little skiff he only goes after legendary fish. 

SCENE TEN – INCITING INCIDENT

Santiago contemplates how he talks to himself, but how he is a way better than those who have radios to keep them company. He notices how far he is from shore. And then he contemplates just tying the line to his foot and resting – but decides against it. Just then, his line tugs. He immediately knows it is a marlin, and holds the line. But then the pulls go away, and the old man has nothing on the line.

Turns: The Old Man feels a mighty fish on his line, Santiago loses the feel of the fish.

Values: BOREDOM + VICTORY – DEFEAT

Purpose: Now things are getting dramatic.

SCENE ELEVEN – ACT ONE CLIMAX

The Old Man feels the pull again – the fish is still hooked. He prepares to pull, and drag the fish upwards. He makes several hard strikes upward with the line, but the fish doesn’t budge. The Old Man uses his body to hold the line taught – but now the boat is being carried away by the undaunted fish.

Turns: Santiago feels the fish again, Santiago can’t move the fish.

Values: DEFEAT + OPPORTUNITY - POWERLESSNESS

Purpose: This is more drama, ending with an ironic negative – the fish is hooked beyond Santiago’s power to move. But, he does have a mighty fish on the hook. This is exactly what he wants, but he seems almost as far from it as if the fish weren’t hooked.

ACT TWO

SCENE ONE

The Old man worries about the fish and his chances of actually catching it. He longs for the boy. But the fish tows him for four hours, and then Santiago notices that he is losing sight of land.

Turns: Santiago can no longer see land

Values: POWERLESSNESS - DANGER

Purpose: Santiago’s will begins to show itself – he goes from doubting to faithful when the threat of his death at sea rears itself.

SCENE TWO

Santiago gets into position for the night, and is alone with his persistent thoughts. Then porpoises appear, filling Santiago with some joy. Santiago then considers his kinship with the fish he hunts.

Turns: Porpoises appear

Values: RESTLESSNESS + COMPANIONSHIP

SCENE THREE

Santiago recalls a Marlin catch he made with the boy – he hooked and clubbed the female of the pair, and a male marlin stayed with the boat, even leaping from the water to see what happened to its mate.

Turns: The male marlin jumps to check on its mate

Values: MASTERY - GUILT

Purpose: This is a device Hemingway uses twice- he relates stories of Santiago’s past as story breaks within the story. 

SCENE FOUR

Santiago mulls through his chattering brain further, when one of his lines is taken by a fish. Santiago has a dilemma, but chooses quickly.  He cuts the line – he would rather eliminate the risk of cutting the marlin’s line than take another fish. He soon regrets this, wondering if he just gave up a larger marlin.

Turns: Fish takes the line, Santiago cuts it loose

VALUES: GUILT +/- SUCCESS +/- SACRIFICE

Purpose: A great deal of irony in these two turns that come back to back.

SCENE FIVE

Cutting lines, the boat jerks forward, and Santiago hits the boat, his face cut open. Santiago ignores it, and keeps working.

Turns: Santiago gets back up after falling

Values: SUFFERING + ENDURANCE

Purpose: Further proof that Santiago is a touch son of a bitch. This is necessary for the upcoming Act Climax to have its full impact. There will be more support for the idea that Santiago is a tough SOB, and the Act 2 Climax depends on such an idea being credible.

SCENE SIX

Santiago considers the fish’s pain versus his, and where the fish is headed. Then Santiago notices that the fish is swimming hire – a sign that he might jump, which would progress it closer to the harpoon. Santiago considers tightening the line as he waits.

Turns: Santiago sees the fish ascending

Values: ENDURANCE ++ PROGRESS

SCENE SEVEN

Santiago is dragged by the fish, when a bird lands on the skiff, then on Santiago’s line. Santiago’s converses with the bird, enjoying the company. Then the fish jerks Santiago forward. Santiago gts up, noticing his hand bleeding, and the bird is gone.

Turns: The bird lands, Santiago is lurched forward

Values: PROGRESS + COMPANIONSHIP – CHAOS

SCENE EIGHT

Santiago wishes for the bird, then the boy, and washes his hand in the water. But when he removes his hand, he realizes that the cut is over the working part of his hand – he will not get full use of it.

Turns: Santiago notices that his cut is in the working part of the hand

Values: RECOVERY - DEBILITATION

SCENE NINE

Santiago eats the bonito. As the line pulls, his left hand cramps. He considers the marlin, thinking of feeding him, and curses his cramping left hand for being the weak hand.

Turns: Santiago’s left hand cramps

Values: DEBILITATION - - DOUBLE HANDICAP

Purpose: This is giving Santiago more depths to his test of physical and mental endurance.

SCENE TEN

Santiago considers the possibility of weather, or even a hurricane, but convinces himself that there is little chance of that. Santiago thinks of the boy, when he realizes that the fish is ascending and about to jump.

The fish breaks the water, and the old man is in awe of the fish’s majesty – and size.

Turns: The fish jumps from the water, revealing itself.

Values: DOUBLE HANDICAP +/- AWE

SCENE ELEVEN

Back in the water, the fish immediately begins to race away at full speed. Santiago is concerned with the possibility of the fish breaking the line without him showing enough resistance. Santiago then remembers the huge fish he has caught before, and realizes he is facing one bigger than all, and totally alone. He wonders why the fish jumped – perhaps it was a battle of physical presentation and intimidation.

Turns: The fish races away

Values: AWE – POWERLESSNESS

SCENE TWELVE

Santiago rides the line, and notices his hand uncramping. He says prayers, feeling better for his upcoming battle.

Turns: Santiago’s hand uncramps

Values: POWERLESSNESS + CAPABILITY

SCENE THIRTEEN

Santiago’s mind runs, planning his strategy and considering food, then seeking to make good on his statement to the boy that he is a “strange old man.” The narrator cuts in to make a thematically important statement: Santiago has proved it many times, but must re-prove it every time.

Santiago then drifts on to baseball, and hopes sharks will not come.

Turns: NONE (one could stretch the narrator’s line into a turn, but unlikely)

Values: CAPABILITY (carry-over)

Purpose: Santiago is like a superhero. But his superpower is will, and the need to strive against limitation and endure hardship to prove things: symbolic things over practical things. This scene has the narrator make this clearer for us.

SCENE FOURTEEN

Santiago tells himself a story to jazz himself up: the story of how he defeated a mighty negro in arm wrestling.

Turns: Blood comes from their fingernails, The Negro brings Santiago down, Santiago recovers, Santiago defeats the Negro

Values: PRIDE – INJURY - - DEFEAT + RECOVERY ++ VICTORY

Purpose: The second story Santiago tells himself. This reinforces Santiago’s great strength – not to be mighty, but to endure.  

SCENE FIFTEEN

Santiago sees an airplane, then considers the ocean – the lack of dolphin, and how it must look from an airplane. Then, his line is taken, and Santiago pulls up a dolphin (dorado).

Turns: Santiago catches a dorado/dolphin fish

Values: PEACE + SUSTINENCE

SCENE SIXTEEN

Santiago re-baits the line, but then notices that his marlin is slowing. Santiago considers using the oars to create drag, and takes encouragement in the fact that he has eaten better than the Marlin. But then Santiago feels that the pain in his back from the line is becoming dullness – suggesting real damage.

Turns: The marlin slows, Santiago perceives the dullness in his back

Values: SUSTINENCE + PROGRESS – DEBILITATION

SCENE SEVENTEEN

It grows dark. Santiago contemplates further, particularly the cruely of struggle, and the plight and honor of the marlin. Santiago decides to rest.

Turns: NONE

Values: TRAGEDY(?)

SCENE EIGHTEEN

[Not much happens here, until-]

Santiago falls asleep, and has several dreams. But he is awoken to the line cutting through his hand, and pulled forward into the bow of the skiff. Santiago fights against the line rushing away, cut even more. Then the marlin begins to jump again and again. Santiago rights himself, taking comfort that more line in the water meant more friction the marlin must fight.

Turns: Santiago wakes to his right hand being cut away again

Values: SLEEP - BATTLE

SCENE TWENTY

Santiago considers what moved the fish to jump. Santiago cleans his hand and considers eating, taking notice of his injuries and convincing himself he can beat the fish. Then the fish begins to circle.

Turns: The marlin begins to circle

Values: WAITING + PROGRESS

SCENE TWENTY ONE

Santiago pulls in as much line as he can as the fish circles. But Santiago is getting dizzy, as his exhaustion threatens to beat him before he can beat the fish. Then Santiago feels a sharp pull on the line: the marlin is hitting the line with its sword. Santiago feared a jump at this point, the fish throwing the hook. But the marlin stops beating the line, and circles again. Santiago battles deepening exhaustion in the final part of the battle.

Turns: Santiago feels exhaustion fight him, Santiago feels the fish beating the line, marlin stops attacking the line

Values: PROGRESS – FATIGUE - - DEFEAT + BATTLE

SCENE TWENTY TWO – ACT TWO CLIMAX

Santiago gets a sight of the fish as it grows close to the surface. Santiago pulls on the fish, and moves it slightly. Then Santiago pulls with great effort to draw the fish into harpoon range- and the fish completely shrugs him off.

Santiago is on the verge of giving up as his body gives up on him, but he forces him self to make one more attempt, then one more attempt, and then finally gives everything he has into one pull, which brings the fish alongside him. Santiago goes for the harpoon, and stabs the fish. It struggles, then dies.

Turns: The marlin defeats Santiago’s concentrated pull, Santiago makes one superhuman push and brings in the marlin

Values: BATTLE – DEFEAT + VICTORY

ACT THREE   

SCENE ONE

The Old Man is exhausted, delirious, and can barely believe that he has one. He gets to the work of tying the massive fish to his skiff, and sets sail. He drinks water and pulls shrimp from seaweed, but he begins to become confused. He wonders if he is brining in the fish, or the fish is bringing him in. Santiago feels nothing but kinship for the fish.

Turns: Santiago becomes confused

Values: VICTORY – SORROW

Purpose: Interestingly, the fight is what has meaning for Santiago. Now that he has won, there is as much anxiety as joy.

SCENE TWO

They sail together, but then a shark bites into the fish. The shark finds their path, and bites in again. But the old man readies a harpoon, and when the shek is close, buries into the shark’s brain. The shark convulses, and skips off, dead. But the harpoon goes with the shark, and more blood is in the water.

Turns: Shark appears, Santiago stabs the shark and kills it, Santiago loses his harpoon.

Values: CALM + THREAT – VICTORY - HELPLESSNESS

Purpose:

SCENE THREE

Santiago obsess over his plight – more sharks will come as he approaches the inside of the current. He feels helpless and pities himself, but then gets an idea. He ties a knife to an oar, and has a weapon again.

Turns: Santiago gets the idea to tie a knife to an oar

Values: HELPLESSNESS + CAPACITY

Purpose: Santiago cannot give up. He cannot stop fighting while he is alive. He will see his quest through to the end.

SCENE FOUR

Santiago considers the morality of his actions, of fishing, and killing the shark. Then he realizes that he would be dead without the boy, though he doesn’t entirely face the absurdity of his perpetual noble quest.

Turns: Santiago realizes the boy is his source of life

Values: CAPACITY -/+ ABSURDITY

SCENE FIVE

Santiago tastes the meat of the marlin, and it is sweet and exquisite. Santiago observes the weather. But then two sharks arrive to feed on the marlin. Santiago fights the pain in his hands to raise the oar. He kills the first shark, and with great effort and multiple blows kills the second.

Turns: Sharks appear, Santiago kills one of them, the second shark takes multiple blows and does not die, Santiago kills the second shark

Values: ABSURDITY – THREAT + VICTORY – FUTILITY + VICTORY

Purpose: Santiago has again won through resilience, but the repetitive turns suggest that he can only repeat this victory, and his victories have minimal meaning.

SCENE SIX

Santiago sees that a quarter of the fish is gone to the jaws of dead sharks. Santiago thinks of all the ways he could have better prepared. He does what he can to prepare for more, but soon is depressed by the waste of the shark’s feeding, and the loss of the fish’s beauty.

Then another shark comes, and Santiago slays it – but his knife breaks off. Santiago is depressed, realizing he can now only attempt to club any further sharks. He will try it, but his strength is almost gone.

Turns: Santiago sees the meat missing from the marlin, his knife breaks

Values: VICTORY – LOSS + POWERLESSNESS

SCENE SEVEN

Sharks come again just before sunset. The old Man clubs at them wildly, discouraging but not killing them. Soon the sharks are swimming away slowly.

Turns: Santiago hits the second shark and sends them away

Values: POWERLESSNESS + DELAY

SCENE EIGHT

Santiago wonders if the other fisherman have thought of him, missing. He then laments the half eaten fish, and talks to it, apologizing, and wondering if it ever killed sharks. He contemplates luck, when He sees the lights of Havana. He is almost home, but the edge of the current is ahead, where the sharks are common. Santiago hopes he will not have to fight again.

Turns: Santiago sees the lights of Havana

Values: DELAY -/+ IMMINENCE

SCENE NINE - CLIMAX

In the dark, Santiago clubs at noises. But something pulls away his club. He removes the rudder, in a fit of desperation, and continues clubbing. But soon the last shark swims away, as the marlin has been picked clean. Snatiago knows his body is all but broken from the effort, and he is defeated.

Turns: Santiago loses his club, Santiago takes out the rudder, the last shark leaves

Values: IMMINENCE – DEFEAT + PERSISTENCE - - FINAL DEFEAT

Purpose: Santiago is defeated by forces beyond his control – a stinging loss because Santiago is resourceful and enduring to an almost superhuman level. Santiago’s unrealistic, ideal aspirations are supported by everything he can control – and it is not enough.   

SCENE 10

Santiago steers the boat in the dark. One or two sharks pick at scraps, but Santiago does not bother with them. He briefly considers that his boat still works, staying on the bright side and looking on to his next quest – all to hold back the crushing defeat. Santiago asks himself what beat him. Nothing he says – I went out too far.

Turns: Santiago answers his question of what beat him

Values: FINAL DEFEAT + UNDERSTANDING

Purpose: The ending of this story is highly ironic – it is both a profound defeat, and a profound victory. This scene helps to

Santiago knows he only lost because he aimed so high. He is his true enemy. And inside he knows he will do it again.  

SCENE 11

Santiago pulls ashore, and exhausted lugs his equipment to his shack. He falls, and cannot get up for some time. Eventually he gets up, then picks up his equipment. He reaches home, and falls asleep.

Turns: Santiago falls, Santiago gets up

Values: SECRECY – RESIGNATION + PERSISTENCE

Purpose: This is a turn of events that demonstrates Santiago’s inner strength. Though his greatest defeat, he has been defeated many times before. As he said in the boat earlier, “a man can be killed, but never defeated. “

SCENE 12

The boy sees Santiago sleeping with his wounds. Crying, he rushes off to get Santiago coffee. He rushes past fishermen measuring Santiago’s fish, in awe of its size. They ask the boy how Santiago is, and say the fish was eighteen feet long. The boy gets coffee at the store, and the owner passes his sympathies to Santiago.

Turns: The boy sees Santiago and cries, fishermen are in awe of Santiago’s achievement

Values: PERSISTENCE – SORROW + AWE

SCENE THIRTEEN

The boy gives the awoken Santiago his coffee. The boy wants to fish with Santiago again – and now he agrees. Santiago admits to the boy that he is seriously injured, but the boy says he will take care of Santiago. When the boy leaves, he is crying again.

Turns: Santiago agrees to take the boy out again, The boy cries away from Santiago’s sight.

Values: AWE + LOVE – DEATH

Purpose: While not certain, there is a good chance Santiago will never fish again, or even die. Even if he boy isn’t crying because he thinks Santiago will die, he recognizes the beautiful sorrow of Santiago’s achievement.

SCENE FOURTEEN

Tourists see the skeleton, and ask about it. The waiters says, “eshark,” meaning what happened – but the tourists think the waiter is too dumb to understand. The old man sleeps, and dreams.

Turns: The tourists misunderstand

Values: ACHIEVEMENT – DECAY

Purpose: This adds a negative final turn, to reinforce the meaning of Santiago’s journey. No trophy or specific fish skeleton is the point. Santiago’s triumph is the yearning and striving – all specific victories or losses will fade, perhaps very quickly.