Location:
The story takes place primarily in Cuba, specifically in a small fishing village near Havana, and out on the Gulf Stream in the Caribbean Sea.
Time Period:
The events occur in the late 1940s or early 1950s, though no exact year is given. Context clues and Hemingwayโs own life suggest a post-WWII Cuba.
Santiago (The Old Man):
An aged Cuban fisherman who lives a modest life in a shack. He is skilled and experienced, though lately considered "unlucky" due to a long streak without catching a fish.
Manolin (The Boy):
A young boy and apprentice fisherman who formerly fished with Santiago. His parents have forced him to join another boat due to Santiago's bad luck, but he remains devoted to the old man.
Skiff:
Santiago fishes from a wooden skiff, a small, open, single-person rowboat with a simple mast and sail made of patched cloth. It is typical of poor, independent coastal fishermen.
Marlin (likely Atlantic blue marlin):
Santiago hooks an enormous marlin, possibly over 1,500 pounds, and battles it for three days. Marlins are prized game fish in deep-sea fishing and known for their strength and endurance.
Sharks (Mako and Galanos):
After Santiago kills the marlin and lashes it to the side of his skiff, he is attacked by sharks โ notably a mako shark, followed by a group of scavenging galanos (generic Cuban term for shovel-nosed sharks, possibly dusky or sandbar sharks).
Fishing lines, harpoon, knife, club, and his bare hands.
As he loses tools during the shark attacks, he becomes increasingly reliant on improvised weapons and sheer willpower.
Shack made of palm leaves (guano):
A humble, one-room structure with few possessions: a bed, a table, a chair, and religious pictures (the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Virgin of Cobre, Cubaโs patron saint).
Cuba under Batista (pre-Revolution):
The book was published in 1952, the same year Fulgencio Batista returned to power in Cuba. Though politics are not directly addressed, the economic hardship of ordinary Cubans like Santiago reflects real tensions of the time.
Post-WWII American Influence:
The novel reflects a time when American tourists and economic interests heavily influenced Cuban life. Baseball references (e.g., Joe DiMaggio) and American-style capitalism were widespread.
Catholicism and Folk Spirituality:
Santiago prays (Hail Marys and Our Fathers) during his ordeal. He refers to saints and shows quiet faith, though not in a showy way. He also respects nature with near-spiritual reverence.
While heavily symbolic, the novel is grounded in real-world detail:
The struggle between man and nature is depicted through real fishing techniques and the ecology of the sea.
Santiagoโs hardship reflects a universal human experienceโyet his tools, actions, and surroundings are all physically plausible and authentic.
Subsistence Fishing:
Santiago represents traditional, low-income fishermen who fish to survive, not for sport. His lack of modern gear reflects the limits of his economic condition.
Community Views:
Santiago is respected by some but pitied or mocked by others. His isolation highlights the individual struggle within a small, tightly knit community.
Google Earth Tour of Cuba
Explore Cubaโs coastline and fishing villages virtually.
๐ https://earth.google.com
National Geographic: Gulf Stream Ocean Currents
Short articles and visuals about the Gulf Streamโs impact on marine life and weather.
๐ https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/gulf-stream
History.com: Cuba Timeline
Offers a timeline and overview of Cuba's 20th-century history.
๐ https://www.history.com/topics/latin-america/history-of-cuba
NOAA Voices: Oral Histories of Fishermen
Real-life interviews with aging fishermen, sharing their struggles and knowledge.
๐ https://voices.nmfs.noaa.gov/
"What Is a Skiff?" (Fishermenโs Forum)
Overview of small fishing boats, especially in traditional communities.
๐ https://www.boats.com/resources/types-of-skiffs/
Smithsonian Ocean Portal โ Fishing Gear Through Time
Learn how traditional fishing tools (like lines and harpoons) were used.
๐ https://ocean.si.edu/ โ Search: Traditional fishing methods
NOAA Fisheries: Atlantic Blue Marlin Profile
Background on the species Santiago catches.
๐ https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-blue-marlin
Florida Museum: Shark Species Database
Student-accessible profiles of mako and other shark species.
๐ https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/types-of-sharks/
Monterey Bay Aquarium: Sharks Overview
Great visuals and brief facts about shark types and their roles in ecosystems.
๐ https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/sharks
BBC Bitesize: Tools Used by Fishermen
Interactive explanations of tools similar to what Santiago would use.
๐ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize โ Search: Fishing tools
Catholic Online: Saints and Prayers
Explore Santiagoโs references to saints and common Catholic prayers.
๐ https://www.catholic.org/saints/
Library of Congress: Cuban Culture in the 20th Century
Insight into post-WWII life, traditions, and U.S.-Cuba relationships.
๐ https://www.loc.gov/ โ Search: Cuba 1950s
Baseball and the American Dream in Cuba โ Smithsonian Magazine
Background on why Santiago idolizes Joe DiMaggio.
๐ https://www.smithsonianmag.com โ Search: Cuba baseball DiMaggio
LitCharts Summary & Analysis of The Old Man and the Sea
Combines plot, themes, and symbolism in a student-accessible format.
๐ https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-old-man-and-the-sea
PBS Learning Media: Man vs Nature
Concepts related to human struggle and survival in literature.
๐ https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/ โ Search: Man vs nature literature
FAO: Traditional Coastal Fishing Communities
Describes the daily life, income, and resilience of traditional fishers like Santiago.
๐ https://www.fao.org โ Search: small-scale fisheries Cuba
National Geographic Kids: Life in Cuba
Age-appropriate introduction to daily life in Cuban villages.
๐ https://kids.nationalgeographic.com โ Search: Cuba