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84 unlucky days of catch
For 84 days, the old fisherman Santiago has caught nothing -
Manolin must leave Santiagos fishing boat
After 40 days without a catch, Manolin's father has insisted that Manolin, the young man Santiago taught to fish from the age of five, fish in another boat. -
The Old Man goes out to sea on the 85th day
Santiago wakes the young boy who fetches him sardines so he can catch fish for the day. The old man wishes Manolin good luck and rows away. -
The Old Man paddles far out to sea
Santiago goes farther than he has ever gone before, in hopes to come back that night with a skiff load of fish. -
The Old Man and the Sea
With every "thrust of the blades in the water," Santiago cuts himself off from the land and the human community ashore. Santiago begins his solitary quest for the big fish that will once again affirm his identity as a great fisherman, restore the respect of his community, and solidify his relationship with Manolin in a way that will last beyond his death. -
Santiago encounters his first battle with the great marlin
Santiago thinks about how big this fish must be, this far out and in this month, and desperately tries to coax or will the fish to eat the bait. When he feels the fish eat the bait, he prepares the reserve coils of line, allows the fish to eat a bit more, and then sets the hook. He takes the weight of the taut line against his back, bracing himself against the boat and leaning back against the fish's pull on the line -
Santiago allows the fish to tow him out to sea
When he realizes he can no longer see anything of the land, he reminds himself that he can always sail back by following the glow coming from Havana at night. He then begins to pity the marlin, which is stronger and stranger than any fish he has ever hooked, regarding it as a brother and worthy opponent. -
The second day at sea
In the light of the second morning, the marlin and the current are still pulling the skiff to the north-northeast, but Santiago sees the fish is swimming at a shallower depth. Santiago tells the fish, "I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends." -
The Old Man endures the tug-o-war with the marlin
He wishes he could also feed the marlin, because it is his brother, but he realizes he must keep strong to kill the fish. As he encounters pain and trial, he believes the fish feels the same. -
Santiago sees his worthy advisary for the first time.
Santiago is jerked suddenly awake by the line racing out, and then the fish jumps several times. His hand and back are cut and burned, but he works very hard to make the marlin pay for every inch it drags out. He sees the 18-foot Marlin, harpoons it and ties it to the side of the skiff and attempts to make his way home. -
Santiago makes his return back home
After three days and two nights at sea battling an enormous fish, he finally makes it back to shore where he struggles to walk home beaten and bruised. He sleeps for the remainder of the night and through the morning while other fishermen and tourists are in awe of his enormous catch, securing his skill and status as a skilled fisherman