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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is a favorite topic of conversation for Santiago and the boy?

2. What brings Santiago awake suddenly in the night?

3. When do the sharks return after Santiago loses his makeshift harpoon?

4. What does Santiago plan to do to change his luck?

5. Something brings Santiago out of his reverie. What is it?

Short Essay Questions

1. What new indication tells Santiago and the reader that this is a truly remarkable fish after the moonlight jump?

2. Why did Santiago decide he could sleep a while on the second night?

3. Discuss the conflict of resolution between the old man and the fish.

4. Identify a few passages in the story that indicate the pride of Santiago.

5. Discuss the physical infirmity that begins to plague Santiago on the second day at sea.

6. Describe the scene that shows the good nature and high character of Santiago.

7. How does Santiago compare himself to the great sea turtles that are as big as a skiff and weigh a ton?

8. Since the fish is too large to fit into the boat, how does Santiago plan on getting it back to shore?

9. Show how Hemingway uses the literary form of personification as Santiago thinks about the great fish he has hooked.

10. After Santiago manages to kill the shovel-nosed sharks that have taken about a quarter of the meat off his marlin, how does he feel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about loyalty. Use Manolin as your example.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about how people turn to religion when times are difficult.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the hardships of fishing for a living.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 808 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample