The Old Man and the Sea (Novel Study Guide)

Students become inspired by this tale of struggle and perseverance against nature.

Creative ideas are offered to enhance learning in the classroom. Students create a link between the idea of luck and the society in which Santiago lives. Put events between Manolin and Santiago in the order that they happen after Santiago's fight with the marlin. Explore the character of Santiago by indicating what he said that suggested big fish were nearby, and what this says about his experience. Become familiar with vocabulary words by using them to complete unfinished sentences. Compare this story with that of Moby Dick, imagining how the tone of the story would change if Santiago were more like Captain Ahab. Aligned to your State Standards and written to Bloom's Taxonomy, our worksheets incorporate a variety of scaffolding strategies along with additional crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key.

About the Novel:
The Old Man and the Sea is a Pulitzer Prize winning story about an old fisherman and his battle with a giant marlin. Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, has gone 84 days without catching a single fish. Hoping to end his unlucky streak, Santiago decides to sail out deep into the Gulf to fish. A few hours pass until a large marlin takes his bait. The marlin proves a worthy match for Santiago, as he struggles to keep the fish on the line. Two days and two nights pass, but the battle rages on. Santiago begins to feel appreciation for the fish, believing that no one will be worthy of eating him. On the third day, and with two exhausted parties, the battle is won. The Old Man and the Sea is a classic tale of one man's struggle with nature.