Reflection Blog: Bradstreet and Rowlandson

 In the writings of the authors Bradstreet and Rowlandson, it greatly reflects the qualities of Puritan writing. Puritan writing is the writing of the Europeans that came over to the new world to start a new life. A few of the basic characteristics of the Puritan people are very religious and single and closed minded. They thought their way of life was the way it should be everywhere.

The first way that Upon the Burning of our House, by Anne Bradstreet, and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, by Mary Rowlandson, show the way of Puritan writing in their pieces is through their very straight forward writing. Much like Ernest Hemingway, the two female authors do not use figures of speech, or other techniques similar. They do not beat around the bush with their point. This writing makes it easier to get a sense of how the author really felt during the experience written about in the piece.  In Mary Rowlandson, she describes in great detail the nine days she sat on her tired, bloody knees holding her dying child, and the physical and mental pain that came with it (Rowlandson 83). She makes you feel as though you know exactly the feelings she was going through and in turn how it affected the rest of the time being held captive. She does not sugar coat it or anything like that, she tells it exactly how it is, which is characteristic of Puritan writing.

The major way that these pieces reflect the characteristics of Puritan writing is its impact from religion. The Puritans were very religious people, and believed that God had a specific plan for each and every individual person. This is shown in Upon the Burning of Our House, because Bradstreet feels that the burning of her home was God’s way of telling her that the material things are not as important as the things that nature has to offer that will always be there (Bradstreet 91). Along with this theme of religion, the Puritans also believed that through their writing, they could show how God impacts their inner and outer self. In Mary Rowlandson, Mary believes that she was meant to be captured, so she could see that although the Native Americans are perceived as bad and dangerous people, and did capture her, they were truly kind and generous people. When her youngest child dies, she comes back to see him after having to leave him, and sees that they have buried the body, which makes her realize that these people are not bad as she thought they were (Rowlandson 84).God was trying to show her that we are all human, and the way we perceive people is not always right, as Mary and the Puritans did with the Native Americans (Rowlandson 84).

Overall, the Puritan beliefs and writing style is greatly shown through these works. Although they are greatly influenced by religion, everyone can learn lessons through Rowlandson and Bradstreet’s stories.

Rowlandson, Mary. “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.” Life in the New World. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 82-85.

Bradstreet, Anne. “Upon the Burning of Our Home.” American Literature. Columbus, OH:  McGraw-Hill, 2009. 91. Digital.

Journal #2

           There once was an old lion in the jungle. The lion was at one point a great ruler of the jungle and all of the animals loved and respected him. In his old age, the lion fell very ill and it did not seem as though he was going to get better. When he fell ill, his younger nephew took over to let the lion rest. The other animals in the kingdom gradually stopped taking care of the lion, and left him alone. When the lion could no longer care for himself, he asked for help. The animals that were once so loyal to their ruler, told him he should go leave the jungle so he did not bother the other animals. There he would eventually die. Giving up hope in his fellow animals, the lion decided to leave the jungle. As the lion was leaving the jungle, he had to pass through the outskirt. The outskirt of the jungle was notorious for being very sparse and much poorer than the center where the lion lived. When he arrived at the outskirt, the parrot saw him approaching and went to spread the word to the other animals. As word got around, the old lion was greeted with love and a warm welcome. When they asked what the lion was doing in the outskirt, he explained to them that he had gotten ill and the animals stopped caring for him, so he decided to leave the jungle. When the animals heard this they immediately said they would take care of him, and made him a comfy bed and got him food and water. The lion stayed there until he miraculously got better. When word of the old lion’s wellness got back to the center of the jungle, they told him he could come back. The lion replied that he was not and would not leave the outskirts even if they wanted him to.Even though they had a bad reputation, the outskirt animals were the ones who were truly caring and kind, unlike the others. The old lion stayed there and helped build up the outskirts until his death many years later. 

Journal #1

How the dog got his wet nose. The dog had arrived in a town after a long day of traveling, and was very thirsty and dirty from all his running. He decided to walk around town, and  search for some water. As he walked into town, he saw the cat sitting on the stairs of the library cleaning her paws and approached her.

The dog said, “Could I ask a favor?”

“No, I’m busy,” replied the cat and continued to lick her paws.

The dog sighed and continued down the road. Next he saw the raccoon, digging through garbage in the ally.

The dog said, “Could I ask a favor.”

The raccoon looked up annoyed and stared at the dog. “Why would I do something for you? Do you have something for me? Then I would do something for you, if it was worth it.”

 “I do not have anything,” replied the dog, “but I could repay you somehow.”

“The only way you are getting anything from me is if I get something from you. So I guess you will have to find someone else to bug, but not the horse,” the raccoon snapped returning to the garbage.

The dog was exhausted and getting more and thirstier from his long journey, but continued on until he spotted a bird, perched in her nest with three young baby birds.

“Good morning ma’am,” said the dog hopefully. “Could I ask you for a favor?”

“Why hello there,” Said the bird, “I cannot possibly leave my babies right now. You will have to ask someone else, but not the horse.”

Disappointed the dog did not know who else to ask. Everyone said to not ask the horse, because he had a reputation for being very mean, but the dog was desperate.

He approached the horse and said, “Sorry to bother you, but can I ask a favor?”

“Well of course you can,” replied the horse surprised.

“Wow,” Said the dog.”Thank you! Everyone said to not ask you. All I need is some water.

‘Of course you can! Everyone assumes because I look intimidating that I am mean, but I am really not. The water is over there; help yourself to all you want.”

The dog drank all of the water he could, and when he was done his nose was very wet, and he and the horse laughed and talked all night, and eventually became close friends.

The Moon is Down: Question 8

            The Moon is Down very accurately reflects history. The novel is set in a small town, which can be assumed is in Norway. The unnamed town is invaded by a large country, Germany. The novel takes place in the late 1930’s and the early 1940's. We know at that time Germany was in the war fighting against England, Russia, and the rest of the Allied countries. They mention England and Russia in the novel (Steinbeck).

            In the novel, Steinbeck writes about some interesting relationships. The main one that stuck out to me is the respect of the town to Mayor Orden. The way Steinbeck describes it, the people all think very highly of their mayor, and want to be protected by him as much as they want him to stay protected and safe from the invaders. This loyalty seems that it is typical of a town and their mayor in the time period in which the novel takes place (Steinbeck). Another relationship he describes is the relationship between the townspeople. They all seem to respect and have great trust in each other. I think this is true because of the way they act when they find out George Corell, the town storekeeper, was spying on them and leaking the information to the invaders, so they could invade the town with much ease. This hurt them so much because they befriended them, and thought that he was one of them and never expected something like that to happen (Steinbeck). The final relationship described is the relationship of the invaders and townspeople. This relationship would be typical of any situation such as this where one place is being invaded by another. The townspeople hate the invaders, and just wish they would leave so they could have their freedom back. This relationship is typical, because no one wants to be controlled by someone else, and told what to do. It is human nature, and remains true in the novel (Steinbeck).

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 7

            In The Moon is Down, Steinbeck uses several techniques to keep the reader engaged. The first technique used by Steinbeck is suspense. Suspense is always a good way to keep a reader engaged, because it keeps them guessing. When someone is left guessing, they want to keep reading more and more. This was true for me in this novel because I read it very quickly and really enjoyed it. In the novel, he uses suspense on several occasions, especially when Molly Morden kills Lieutenant Tonder. “Molly went to the center lamp, and her burden was heavy on her. She looked down at the lamp. She looked at the table, and she saw the big scissors lying besides her knitting. She picked them up wonderingly by the blades. The blades slipped through her fingers until she held the long shears and she was holding them like a knife, and her eyes were horrified. She looked down into the lamp and the light flooded up in her face. Slowly she raised the shears and placed them inside her dress" (Steinbeck 1532). This quote, although long, shows an example of how much Steinbeck builds up suspense in the novel. We are now wondering and guessing what she is going to do. Is she going to kill him, or is she going to use them as protection in case he tries to attack her or rape her.

            Another thing that Steinbeck uses to engage the audience is mystery. We can assume, or read the introduction, that the novel is a World War II novel. Although it is labeled fiction, it could very well have happened, or something very similar to this plot. The way Steinbeck uses mystery is not typical. He uses it in that we are never directly told what the name of the town is, and that the invaders are the Nazis from Germany and the Leader is Hitler (Steinbeck). This kind of mystery lets the reader imagine their own picture of what the plot is.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 6

          Why do we still read this book?  What is so timeless about its message and characters?  What can we learn from reading this novel? We still read The Moon is Down, because although it is an old novel, we can still learn from the messages within. The characters in the novel are part of what makes the novel so timeless. Although the invaders are not people to look at for inspiration and respect, but they are humans. That is what makes it so good; everyone is human, no matter how good or bad. The Nazis are obviously terrible people. We have been taught this in school for many years. What makes this novel different is that Steinbeck gives them these characteristics that make them seem like real people, rather than monsters. The townspeople represent strength and persistence. They never stop trying to resist the invaders. This persistence makes them admirable, because it teaches the reader that if you want something done, never stops trying (Steinbeck).  

            In the novel, we can learn several things. We can learn persistence, as I mentioned earlier, and we can also learn about unity. Unity makes everything better. If we can work together in peace, we can accomplish anything. If an entire town can work together to save up dynamite and put away their differences for the time being, then it makes things so much easier to get things done (Steinbeck). Another thing we can learn in the novel is about the nature of war. In war not only the people being invaded suffer. In the novel, the invaders gradually get more and more tired of being hated. Human nature makes us want to be accepted and liked, and if every single person you deal with during the day has so much hatred, and even killed your friend, you are bound to get a little fed up and stir crazy (Steinbeck).

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 5

            The Moon is Down reflects history very accurately. The novel takes place during World War II. Although it never directly say it, the introduction and putting it together shows that the invaders are Germany and the town is a little town in Norway. The soldiers, including the Colonel, Major, Captains, and Lieutenants, we can assume are the Nazis. They also discuss that there is a leader. They say the Leader has a very specific plan, and may or may not be a kind of crazy. Based on this, we can assume this crazy leader is Hitler. This is a World War II novel, so it is set sometime in the early to mid 1940’s. Since the novel was published in 1942, it must have taken place before then. The novel also discusses that the country is at war with England and Russia. This is another fact that proves the World War II was taking the place (Steinbeck). The book gives the reader a look into a different side of the war we do not typically hear about. The small town, which remains unnamed, is invaded for their mine and forced to work. This is very accurate, because this happened frequently during the war (Steinbeck). The novel also shows betrayal that took place during the war. In the novel, George Corell lived in the town, got to know the people, and gained their trust. When the time came, he turned on them (Steinbeck 418). This reflects history, because it was a tactic used in the war to invade smaller towns such as the one in the novel.

            The novel has symbolic and thematic significance. The novel symbolizes that everyone is human. Even the people, who can seem so evil, such as Hitler and the Nazis, are human and have human qualities and characteristics. Steinbeck describes the Nazis as dog lovers, poets, and family men (Steinbeck). This just makes them seem more human and less like monsters.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 4

            The hero in The Moon is Down is Mayor Orden. I think the hero is Mayor Orden because he is so loyal to his people. He never turns on them, and always puts them first. Even when the invaders ask him if he will cooperate, he says he will have to talk to his people (Steinbeck 606). Mayor Orden is very kind also. He does all that he can to make sure his people are happy in a confusing and difficult time for them. Although he does not really accomplish much, because there was not much he could do in the situation, he helps people stay strong. He meets with Molly, and the Anders brothers, who all lost family, and discusses how to keep them safe (Steinbeck 1455). Even until the end of the novel, Orden encourages his people to keep resisting and fighting against the invaders, because eventually they will wear down. When the invaders finally realize that it is Mayor Orden that is keeping the townspeople from following the rules, they decide they must kill him. “Will you remember to pay the debt" (Steinbeck 1891)? These are some of the last words that Mayor Orden spoke, before being killed by the invaders. Although to most, it is just a reminder, but it was his way of saying to continue to resist. Orden’s last words proved how much he cared. He was not scared or saying goodbye, he was continuing to be strong for his people, and encourage them even more. In the novel, Mayor Orden represents loyalty. He never gives up on them when they need someone the most. After they discover it was George Corell that was helping the invaders, they felt betrayed and hurt. Orden was there to consol and make sure nothing would be changed by the invaders (Steinbeck). This is what made Mayor Orden the hero of the novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 3

In The Moon is Down, there are a couple of themes discussed. The first theme is unity. I have discussed this in several blogs about the novel, because it is, in my opinion, one of the major themes I got out of the novel. They know that if they stick together, they will fight on together and never stop trying. “Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We were defeated and now we attack. Defeat means nothing. Can't you understand that? Do you know what they are whispering behind doors" (Steinbeck 844)? This quote proves y point, because the townspeople know this, which is why they stay unified and fight on.

            Another theme is that in war, both sides suffer. The invaders almost suffer more than the town being invaded. The invaders gradually start to lose themselves and their point of the mission over time. They start caring more about women and going home. They lose two of their men, both to the townspeople. They tried too hard to be liked, and they ended up being hated even more. The townspeople lost many of their people, which would have been discouraging to most, but to the people it made them want to fight more. They also lost their freedom to the invaders. They could no longer do what they pleased, and had to obey the strict rules put in place by the invaders (Steinbeck).

Steinbeck understands that it is human nature to want to be liked and accepted. This is how the invaders felt, and the fact that they were trying to be liked just made the townspeople hate them more. They wanted them to accept them, because some of the men wanted to meet a girl and settle down and have a family. They obviously did not understand no girl is going to like the people that take so much away from them (Steinbeck). Steinbeck understands that so well, which is why the novel is so good.

  

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 2

            In The Moon is Down, the main conflict is that a small, unnamed town is invaded by a much larger country, which we can assume is Germany. The invaders then force the people into following their rules, and working in the mine in order to bring back the mined items back to their leader, which we can also assume is Hitler (Steinbeck).

            The cause of this conflict has to relate to things outside of the novel. In history, we know that the Hitler started the whole thing to gain power and make his perfect world. By invading the towns, he gets control and all of their valuable resources. This is why the town in the novel is invaded.

            There is not much gained from the conflict. The only people that could possibly gain from the invasion are the invaders. They get to get the products of the mine without even working in it. The townspeople only gained their unity, which I believe was always there, but they just discovered it. The struggle of the losses made them get closer and closer to one another. They work together to spread word about saving the dynamite and to have everyone save them (Steinbeck). This way of working together made them forget their differences to work together.

            The majority of things in the novel were the losses from the conflict. The invaders lost a couple of their men. They lost Captain Bentick from Alex Morden’s pick (Steinbeck 858). They also lost Lieutenant Tonder from Molly Morden stabbing him with her knitting scissors (Steinbeck 1532). The invaders suffered from the hatred of the townspeople and gradually grew further and further estranged. The townspeople lost Alex Morden, Mayor Orden, and many other townspeople (Steinbeck). The townspeople lost not only their town, but also their freedom. They could no longer go about their daily activities for fear of getting in trouble from the Nazis (Steinbeck)

           

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Question 1

           In The Moon is Down, Steinbeck’s writing reveals several things about his attitudes and values. The first thing that is revealed is that Steinbeck valued unity and sticking together. As I have discussed in a previous blog, unity is how things are won and accomplished. If people work together, we can get so many more things done. This is true in the novel because the townspeople keep getting stronger and stronger by sticking together, like when they spread word about keeping the dynamite hidden for later use (Steinbeck 1507). The invaders seem to be weakened by the townspeople’s growing unity.

            Another thing that Steinbeck’s writing reveals is that we are all human, and even people that seem that they could not be more monstrous, the Nazis, have human qualities. This is what makes human nature so interesting, because two people can be so different. We know the Nazis as awful people, but in the novel, Steinbeck gives them human characteristics. He describes them, as poets, lovers, family men, and other completely normal characteristics. This upset some people in reaction to the novel, but Steinbeck was just showing that even though these men did such terrible things, they are still human just like us (Steinbeck). Along with all being human, Steinbeck understood that everyone has a need to be accepted. We all want to have people like us because it makes us feel good inside. In the novel, even though the Nazis were invading the town they still wanted to be like among the people, and became upset and deranged when they realized the people hated them (Steinbeck).

            The Moon is Down is written in third person limited. The story is told by a narrator, which works well in this novel because the reader gets to see not only the townspeople’s perspective of the invasion, but also the invaders perspective. The narrator is limited because we are not told what the characters of the story are thinking, just what they speak.  

           

 Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Unity

            Unity is a theme in The Moon is Down. Unity is very important in any circumstance, because together, it is so much easier to accomplish things. It is why two is better than one, if you put two heads together, you have more ideas and strengths and ways to accomplish things. This is very true in the novel. The townspeople must work together if they have any hope of regaining control of their town. They understand this, and do just that. When the dynamite is dropped about the town, they quickly spread word to each other to save it and make sure they know where it is for later use (Steinbeck 1507). This kind of unity is what would make the town get things done. Although we never see what comes of the town, by history we know that Germany was eventually defeated and the town was surely put back in control of itself. When Mayor Orden is about to be killed, he say to Lanser “Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat.  Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the head men who wins the battles and the free men who win wars" (Steinbeck 1877). This quote shows that the town knows that he will not win, but the town as a whole will defeat them because they are unified by the common need to be free again. The invaders will never win because they are picking each other apart and letting their feelings overcome their mission. The unity of the town is what will keep them together and keep fighting on no matter what the invaders do to them. They are driven by the harsh treating by the Nazi soldiers and although the Nazis think it tears them apart, it just drives them more and more together each time another person is killed.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: WWII

            Although it is never directly said, The Moon is Down is a story of World War II. The small town, which is never named in the novel, is invaded by a much larger country. Many say that the two are Norway and Germany. This could be the case, or it could be any small town that was invaded by Germany. The novel depicts the captains, lieutenants, colonel, and major, whom the reader can assume Steinbeck, wanted to represent Nazis. In the novel there is a leader that is briefly mentioned. According to the Nazis, he has a very specific plan of everything he wanted done, much like Hitler (Steinbeck 815). In a rant, Tonder says he thinks that the Leader is crazy, which we can all assume Hitler had to be in order to do such awful things (Steinbeck 1289).  The novel was controversial because many thought the Nazis were described as nice and wanting to be accepted, and they thought that Steinbeck should have described them as monsters, and we know them to be. During World War II, the novel was given to guerrillas to read and be motivated to never stop fighting for the end of the war (Lombardi 3). The novel gives a message of resistance and the effects it has on both sides. On the townspeople’s side of the resistance, they lost several people because of their fighting against the invaders. On the other side, the invaders started to be beaten down by the constant fighting and hate from the townspeople (Steinbeck). Briefly in the novel it mentions that England and Russia are the ones fighting against the invaders, which also makes it more apparent that the invaders are the Nazis from Germany. Along with being distributed to the guerrillas, the novel got around to other countries. In Italy, if you were caught with the book, you would be killed. This proves what a strong novel it really was and is.

               Lombardi, Esther. "Steinbeck: Novels 1942-1952." About.com Classic Literature. New York Times Company, n.d. Web. 18 Aug. 2012. <http://classiclit.about.com/od/steinbeckjohn/fr/aa_jstein3.htm>.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Psychological Consequences

Physiological consequences greatly affect the plot in The Moon is Down. The invaders were sent into the little town with a very specific task. They were to invade and get the townspeople to mine and send it back home (Steinbeck). This plan was so specific and to the point from the leader, it was fool proof. Unfortunately the invaders that were in charge, and primarily talked about in the novel, were too caught up about other things. They let their emotions get in the way and ended up almost ruining the whole invasion. The younger of the officials, the lieutenants, seem to be more interested in meeting a girl to romance or marry than getting in and out of the little town. Everyone else seems to be semi the same way, only the older they are, the more concerned they are about going home and out of the sad town where everyone hates them. Lieutenant Tonder approaches Lanser asks about going home and the women of the town. Lanser replies, “And the girl,' Lanser continued, 'the girl, Lieutenant, you may rape her, or protect her, or marry her--that is of no importance so long as you shoot her when it is ordered" (Steinbeck 1717). This response was not the response that would have been said at the beginning of the invasion, but the invaders’ emotions took over and they got side tracked. Another physiological consequence was the invader’s constant need to be liked or accepted in the town. They would always complain to each other in the drawing room in Mayor Orden’s palace that the people hated them (Steinbeck). They should not have been worried about this, but about getting their mission done and getting out of there. These things were what caused the invaders to struggle so much during the invasion and mining project.   

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: Mayor Orden

In The Moon is Down, Mayor Orden plays a large role. Mayor Orden is the mayor of the unnamed town in which the story takes place. Some people infer that the town is supposed to represent or be Norway and the invading country is supposed to represent, or is Germany. Mayor Orden is the kind of person who is kind and understanding to all people. Even when the town is invaded, he still listens intently to the Colonel and considers what he has to say even though they want control over the town (Steinbeck 509).  Most people would not want to oblige by the invaders rule, and at least try to resist. Mayor Orden understands however that there is no way their little town could win over such a larger country. Orden was such a good mayor because he always thought of the townspeople. When the invaders asked if the town would resist or not, he said he would ask his people before answering. He never made a decision without thinking of his people, which made them have so much respect for him (Steinbeck). In the novel, Mayor Orden represented loyalty, unlike George Corell. While George Corell stood for betrayal of the town, using the town’s trust against him. Everyone in the town then turns to Mayor Orden for support and hope. They know that he would never do anything to hurt them. What made Mayor Orden a special character in the novel was that he knew that his fate would not be in his favor, but never lost hope or ran away from his people. He always encouraged his people to never stop fighting and never give up hope. At the end of the novel he knows he will be killed, and accepts that. As he goes away to meet his fate, he says to Dr. Winter a line, which meant never let them stop fighting. This just proves how much he cared (Steinbeck 1892).

 Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: The Invasion

         The Moon is Down takes place in a country which is never given an official name. Alike this, the invading country is also never given a name. Although it is never said, we can infer that the novel is a reflection of World War II, where Germany invaded Norway. The country that is invading is in a war with England and Russia, as it hints at throughout the novel. As it says in the introduction to the novel takes place during World War II, but does not directly say that the two countries are Germany and Norway. The invasion and the novel discuss the topics of war and the sacrifices and losses that come from it. Although war way seem like the only way, it almost never comes out a complete positive for wither sides. In the novel, the invaders almost seemed to lose more than the townspeople. The invaders not only lost two of their men to the townspeople, they were gradually becoming more and more tired of being in a little town where no one liked or respected them. Towards the end of the novel, Lieutenant Prackle comes in to see Colonel Lanser and says he is tired of this town, wants to go home, and meet a girl either in the town or back at home (Steinbeck 1693). Lieutenant Prackle was not the only one to do this, Lieutenant Tonder felt the same way about the girls on the town, only he decided to pursue her, and he picked the wrong girl and ended up stabbed to death (Steinbeck 1532). The other side, the townspeople, also did not really gain anything either. The invaders felt threatened by the townspeople, so they took action by cracking down on the people by killing if anything bad or threatening were to happen. At the end of the novel, even the mayor was killed because the invaders felt threatened (Steinbeck 1888).              

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: George Corell

               In The Moon is Down, a group of invaders from a large country invade a much smaller country. The town, which is never given a name, is very small and tight knit. Everyone knows everyone, and when something happens, word travels quickly. This is why when the townspeople found out that George Corell was the one helping the invaders get into the town, it makes it very shocking to them. The mayor was the first to find out that it was George that helped, and in a short period of time, everyone knew it was him (Steinbeck 418). George was a normal man about town; he was the storekeeper, so people trusted him and thought he was a genuinely good person. Little did they know, he had been plotting this for over two years and no one had a clue that he could do something like that. He had even made a list of everyone who had a firearm, and what kind it was. This way when the invasion took place, the invaders could easily confiscate them avoiding any chance of the town taking over again (Steinbeck 522).  After the town found out, George had to keep quiet and keep hidden. He did not know what the people would do if they got a hand on him. One person event threw a stone at him, but that was the least of his problems (Steinbeck 788). George went to Colonel Lanser and said he thought that if he became mayor, instead of keeping Mayor Orden in, he would be able to control the people (Steinbeck 812). He ends up being denied the position, but does not give up trying to get further and further higher in power. In the novel, George Corell represents the betrayal. He gained the town’s trust over a long period, and when no one expected it, he stabbed them in the back. This most likely made the town even more upset about the invasion.   

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: The Townspeople

In The Moon is Down, the townspeople also play a large role in the plot. All of the townspeople revolve around Mayor Orden. Mayor Orden is a very good mayor because he is truly dedicated to his people. He does not want to make decisions without their input, such as when the invaders come and they ask the mayor whether he will cooperate or not, he says he will have to see what the people of the town think and go from there (Steinbeck 606). The mayor’s wife, Sarah, plays a very small part and does not really impact the plot of the story. Dr. Winter is the town doctor and historian. Dr. Winter is a very close friend of the mayor, and goes to meetings with the invader with him (Steinbeck 506). Winter is very much concerned about the invaders, but unlike the mayor he seems to care more about the town than the people as a group. Joseph and Annie are servants and cooks for the mayor and his wife. They are rather nosey and like to be in the center of the action and know exactly what is going on. The two of them help the mayor sneak around town and contact the townspeople without getting into trouble from the invaders. Alex Morden is one of the townspeople. He was a kind, gentle man. He was assigned to work in the mine. One day while working he was very upset that one of the guards was telling him what to do and he was a free man. He got very upset and went at him with a pick and another guard stepped in front and was killed. Next thing the town knew, Alex was shot and killed by the invaders, which started the rebellion (Steinbeck  1105). Alex’s wife Molly was also a sweet, young lady. In the anger of her husband’s death she kills a lieutenant who tried to pursue her (Steinbeck 1524).

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

*Kindle page numbers

The Moon is Down: The Invaders

            In The Moon is Down, some of the major characters are the invaders. In the novel, a small town is invaded and taken control of by a Colonel, the captains, the lieutenants, the major, and the soldiers. The captains play a major part in the novel because they are in charge of making sure the townspeople are on task. Captain Loft is very into being in the military and is a stickler for the rules. Loft does not want anything to go wrong or anyone not doing anything exactly what is asked or told of him to do (Steinbeck 631). Captain Bentick was an older man compared to his fellow captains. Bentick loved his family and anything related. While finishing a shift, Alex Morden went towards Captain Loft with an ax. Bentick jumped in front of him and ended up being killed from the stab wound (Steinbeck 858).  There is only one major in the invaders. Major Hunter was the engineer of the group, and he often made sketches of things to be done around the town and in the mine. He did not have a humor, and had several wives that did not work out (Steinbeck 631). The lieutenants of the invaders are like the grunts of the group. Lieutenant Prackle was a nice, protective family man. He was a very good artist, but got involved with the army instead. Lieutenant Tonder is a lover and a poet. He often lets his emotions take over (Steinbeck 631). He falls for Molly Morden, without knowing who she was, and ends up getting himself killed (Steinbeck 1532). Both of the lieutenants are lovers and were young, so they sometimes got their priorities mixed up. The invaders played a major role in the novel, because their attitudes often got in the way of the mission. This resulted in two of their deaths and several other conflicts.   

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down, a Novel,. New York: Viking, 1942. Print.

*Kindle page numbers

The Old Man and the Sea: Worthiness

              "The thousand times he had proved it mean nothing. Now he was proving it again. Each time was a new time and he never thought about the past when he was doing it" (Hemingway 66). In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago feels he must prove himself to several people and things. The first thing he feels he must prove himself to is the boy, Manolin. He feels he must prove himself as a fisherman because he taught the boy everything he knows about fishing. He thinks that because of this he needs to prove to the boy he can still fish and the skills that he taught him as a boy were not useless and old techniques.  He does just that by catching the giant marlin and showing he can do things his way and be successful (Hemingway 119). Another thing he feels he must prove himself to is the other and his fellow fishermen. He is a rather old man as we learn throughout the novel and the other fishermen view him as just that. He feels he must prove that his ways of fishing do work and you do not need a large crew and boat to catch enough fish to provide for yourself and your family. In the end he does end up doing this. Once again he does not reach home with the fish, but the remains were enough. They knew he had been gone for a while, and were probably curious as to what he was doing, and when they saw the huge spine of the marlin, they grew their respect back for him (Hemingway). The final thing he felt he had to prove himself to has the marlin.  "I'll kill him....in all his greatness and glory. Although it is unjust. But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures" (Hemingway 66). He feels he must show the marlin he can do anything just to kill him.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Luck

            In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago brings up luck frequently. He says that he is in the middle of a bad luck streak and we learn that it is not the first one that he has had. We learn from Manolin that the old man has had an over eighty day streak without catching fish. Manolin’s parents say the old man has bad salao, or luck (Hemingway). His parents then say that Manolin can no longer work with the old man, because of his bad luck reputation. The reader has to wonder what it means to be lucky, and if this streak is bad luck or just unfortunate. Some believe that luck decides many things, and others think that things happen by chance. In the novel, Santiago believes with the people that he is unlucky and by the end of the book he remains the same. Personally I do not think he is unlucky in the end because he regains his reputation and his bad luck streak did end. He does not believe that it did end because he technically did not catch the fish and  bring it all the way home, but he did get the remains of the fish to prove he can still catch fish. Luck plays a large part of the novel, but in reality if you consider luck it seems more and more silly. Things happen if they are going to happen and we have to just live our lives like this, and not hoping our luck will reverse. “But, he thought, I keep them with precision. Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready" (Hemingway 29).

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: DiMaggio

          "I think the great DiMaggio would be proud of me today" (Hemingway 97). In The Old Man and the Sea, the old man often speaks of the great DiMaggio. Joe DiMaggio was a very famous baseball player in the 1940’s, and was a very big role model for many people. In the   novel, Santiago reads about DiMaggio’s statistics in the newspaper. This proves how big of a player he was, that his scores and statistics were in papers in Cuba and even elderly men enjoy reading about it (Hemingway 22). Throughout the rest of the novel DiMaggio’s role is reoccurring in Santiago’s story. While on his five day trip, Santiago has a lot of time to think and talk to himself. He often talks to himself, and in these conversations he speaks about what DiMaggio would do if he was put in that situation. He also ponders what DiMaggio would think about the old man in his situation and if he would be impressed. These examples show how great of an influence DiMaggio was on the people of the forties. Role models such as these can shape the way a person acts and thinks because of the way the role model acts themselves. People with influences such as these do not come along often, because today’s role models are not nearly as well behaved and respectable as the ones in the past. Famous and popular people today should take note of DiMaggio’s example because we can change children of today if they grow up seeing respectable and kind people. People like Santiago prove how much of an influential famous people can be. "But I must have the confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel" (Hemingway 68).

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Santiago and Manlolin

            Manolin and Santiago’s relationship in The Old Man and the Sea is a very special one. They have a relationship like a grandfather and grandson would have. What makes their relationship work so well is that it is based on kindness and caring. They except each other’s strength and weaknesses, and learn from one another. Manolin learned all he knows about fishing from the old man, which started his career as a fisherman off successfully. This makes Manolin respect and admire the old man. He constantly looks after him, even though his parents made him work for someone else. The boy brings the old man food and makes sure he brings all of his equipment in for the night and is well rested (Hemingway 24). In turn the old man loves him for this and admires the boy back. While the old man is on his treacherous five day journey, chasing the marlin, he repeats the same line over and over again. In this line he says he wishes the boy was there. This shows the need for the boy the old man has and wishing that he could help him in his time of need (Hemingway). When he finally does return, he gets his wish and the boy goes against his parents’ wishes and agrees to return to working with and for the old man (Hemingway 121). This will make it easier for the old man and in turn way prolong Santiago’s life so they can continue fishing together.  The relationship that the two of them have is one that should be looked at as a model. They have so much respect and admiration for each other that they do not have conflicts or someone is in charge of directing the other. This should be used as a model, because I think sometimes relationships fall into places where one person is more commanding of the other. If it is the way the men have it, people would get along much better.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Defeat

“He knew he was beaten now finally and without remedy and he went back to the stern and found the jagged end of the tiller would fit in the slot of the rudder well enough for him to steer. He settled the sack around his shoulders and put the skiff on her course. He sailed lightly now and he had no thoughts nor any feelings of any kind.   He was past everything now and he sailed the skiff to make his home port as well and as intelligently as he could. In the night sharks hit the carcass as someone might pick up crumbs from the table. The old man paid no attention to them and did not pay any attention to anything except steering. He only noticed how lightly and bow well the skiff sailed now there was no great weight beside her" (Hemingway 119). Another theme of The Old Man and the Sea is defeat. Defeat is not something anyone wants to experience, but the truth is that everyone should. We need to go through defeat because it makes you stronger and in turn better. If you win everything, you never learn to enjoy and deserve it. If you experience defeat, you learn to want to make yourself better so it does not happen again. This is what Santiago goes through in the novel. He is defeated by the sharks that eat the marlin and leave him with nothing but bones (Hemingway 114). This defeat seems unfortunate, which it is, but the old man does get some positive things out of it. He earns his reputation back along with the boy who says he will fish with the old man from then on. This is what can come out of defeat. It does not always have to be bad and disheartening, but can be eye opening and driving to one who has been defeated.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Symbols

            In The Old Man and the Sea, a couple of symbols stood out to me. The fist symbol is the marlin. The marlin represents hope and relief to the old man, Santiago. After going through an over eighty day streak of bad fishing, not catching any fish at all. This would be very discouraging to most people, but Santiago kept it very quiet and calm about the situation. Inside I am sure he was hoping and praying for something to catch in order to feed himself and make some money (Hemingway). This is when the marlin comes in and offers hope to the old man. The marlin represents hope because although he ends the old man’s bad luck streak, he does not provide any benefit in the end. The fish does not make it back from the five day journey, but does provide hope for Santiago’s future fishing trips.        

            The other symbols in the novel are the sharks. The sharks symbolize defeat and disappointment in the novel. The old man has finally caught the fish and has it strapped on the boat. Exhausted and hungry he was relieved to finally head home when the sharks come. This ends the hope of the marlin and begins the disappointment of the sharks. They attack the boat aiming for the marlin, and the old man struggles to fight them off. The sharks end up getting most of the marlin, only leaving the remains of the skeleton of the marlin (Hemingway 114). The old man has to just watch as more and more pounds of the marlin get eaten away. This is such a disappointment to the old man because he had such a large fish that could make him quite a bit of money, but all disappears when the sharks come. I believe Hemingway wanted the reader to see these two symbols as contrast of each other to add to the novel.   

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Perseverance

“I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put a bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty-five days and I should fish the day well. Just then, watching his lines, he saw one of the projecting green sticks dip sharply" (Hemingway 54). This quote reveals a major theme of The Old Man and the Sea, perseverance. Perseverance plays a large part of the novel because it is what leads Santiago, the old man, on a five day journey. Santiago has been on an eighty-five day bad luck streak, without catching a single thing (Hemingway). He could just give up go home and rest, as the he says in the quote, or he can persevere. He makes the decision to fight on, because nothing can last forever and he is bound to catch a fish sometime. He does just this, and that is exactly what happens. His perseverance continues with the chase of the fish. He could have easily just cut the line and gone home, but he kept at it and although the outcome was not what he wanted nor expected, but had a light in it. Santiago broke the streak and regained his reputation with his fellow fishermen, which in the long term got the boy to come back to fish with him (Hemingway). The reader can learn a lot from this story because in our lives, sometimes it feels as though nothing can go right, but if we just persevere through it, something positive can come from it. Even if it is not quite what you expect, like in Santiago’s case, what does not kill you makes you stronger. This can help you learn the next time, and continue to grow. This is why perseverance is a major theme of the novel. We can all either learn to preserve, or be reminded nothing comes easily.     

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Tone

            The tone of The Old Man and the Sea is very monotonous. I say monotonous not in a bad way, but the way the novel is written, a straight to the point, not beating around the bush kind of way.  Hemingway’s writing is extremely straight forward and to the point. He does not really beat around corners or use expressions. The factual tone of Hemingway’s writing makes the literature easy to read, understand, and process. The reader truly gets exactly the story Hemingway wanted, without imaging something one way or the other. I personally enjoy this writing because I can understand it well without having to go back and reread parts. It makes a book a good and quick read. The only thing that gets boring about this type of writing is the lack of humor. The very tiny bit of humor in the novel is through the very dry humor filled cracks made by Santiago on the boast while he was stranded for five days (Hemingway). This lack of humor makes the emotional rollercoaster of those five days take central stage. We really feel the highs and lows of the old man as the journey carries on and on. We feel his excitement and relief when he feels the tug of the line, then his confusion and relaxed nature as the fish drags on. We then feel his exhaustion as the fish keeps him awake in the night, his worsening hunger as he struggles to find anything other than tuna to eat for the day, his struggle as he fights to save the fish from hungry sharks, and finally his defeat as he lands ashore with only the remaining bones of the once large and great marlin (Hemingway). The way Hemingway tells this story with his dry tone gives us a very defined and detailed definition of what Hemingway pictured the old man feeling on his boat for the five days.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: The Marlin and Santiago

            The Marlin and Santiago have a love hate relationship in The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago is a very determined old man. He has been going on an eighty four day bad luck streak without catching any fish. He desperately needs to catch a fish very badly in order to provide money and food for himself. He is already living on little to no appliances and furniture. He is sleeping on a bed padded with old newspapers and cooks on a hot fire with a pot (Hemingway). On the first day of the five day journey with the marlin, Santiago catches the fish and feels the boat being drug along it(Hemingway). The old man has to make the decision to stay with the fish, or cut off the line. He makes the decision to stay with it because he does not know how long it will be until another fish comes along for him to catch. The marlin then takes him on an intense five day journey. The old man goes through periods of hating the fish for dragging it on and beating and exhausting him (Hemingway). He feels hate towards him, but loves him at the same time because he knows that if he catches him he can bring so much. The fish would also end his terrible bad luck streak. The marlin does not want to give up that easily however. He continues his fight only giving the old man slight glimpses of the massive fish. This makes the old man fight on with the fish. Even when the old man catches the fish, the fight does not end. Even from the dead the fish puts strains on Santiago, causing him to battle a dozen sharks and eventually losing the fish (Hemingway). The old man hates the fish for this, but loves him also for bringing back his reputation and ending his bad luck streak.

  Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old man and the Sea: Manolin

            Manolin is the other major character in The Old Man and the Sea. Manolin’s age is never directly said, but we can infer that he is most likely a teenager. He still lives with his parents and obeys their orders, so he is probably a teenager. Manolin is extremely kind and considerate. He cares for the old man so much he makes sure he is well fed and rested because he works so hard during the day (Hemingway 24). We learn as the book begins, Manolin started out working for Santiago and leaned all he knows about fishing and the fishing industry. Despite his wishes, his parents tell him to go to another boat. Santiago just is not bringing in enough fish for Manolin to help support his family. Manolin is then sent to work for a different fisherman, but still volunteers to help Santiago out (Hemingway). This shows how much Manolin genuinely cares for the old man and treats him as though he is his grandfather. He teaches him so many lessons and skills he can use for the rest of his life. As the five days of the old man being at sea, he repeatedly wishes that the boy, Manolin, was there with him to make it go smoothly. So Santiago feels the same way that Manolin feels about him. Mandolin was very concerned about Santiago as the days went by and was relieved when he finally came home. He makes sure no one around the town bugs the old man about the large marlin bones so he has time to recover. In the end mandolin sees the old man needs him, and goes against his parents’ wishes and rejoins Santiago’s crew (Hemingway). Santiago and Manolin’s relationship is unlike many relationships between an old and young man. This just proves how much pf a genuinely good and wholesome boy Manolin is.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Santiago

            The main character in The Old Man and the Sea is Santiago, the old man. Santiago is an old man who lives in Cuba near the Gulf of Mexico. He is a fisherman and from his stories that he has been a fisher for the majority of his life. Through Manolin’s memory of a picture, we know that the old man once had a wife who had died several years back (Hemingway 20). Santiago often speaks about baseball, and more specifically of the great DiMaggio. DiMaggio was a very popular baseball player during the forties, so Santiago followed the great player and his team in the papers and radio. Santiago was a very generous and thoughtful person. Several of the townspeople give him dinner, and he tells mandolin he must pay them pack, but mandolin knows he does not have anything to give (Hemingway). During the novel we learn that Santiago is going through an eighty- four day bad luck streak. We also learn that this is not his first extremely long bad luck streak. Throughout this streak however, Santiago never once loses hope. He has so much determination and desire to end the streak he chases one fish for five days. The average person would never take that much of a risk for such a small prize. Santiago goes through many obstacles. He goes with very little sleep, food, and energy. On top of all of that, he has to battle sharks to save the marlin, which unfortunately fails to work out in his favor (Hemingway). This shows that although he is an old man inside he has the energy of someone much younger. We can all learn about determination from Santiago. He was a very admirable old man, and never gave up, which most likely rubbed off onto his student, Manolin. Manolin will likely become as great of a fisher as him because he has learned from Santiago.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Question 8

      How accurately does this novel reflect events in history?  What responsibilities does the author believe exist between various groups in society, such as workers and bosses, men and women, blacks and whites, etc.?  What people, ideas, and events probably influenced this author? The Old Man and the Sea reflects the little history it shows very well. It takes place in Cuba in the 1940’s, and as I have discussed earlier it talks about the great DiMaggio and his baseball career, alone with the fishing industry during the 40’s (Hemingway).

            The main relationship that is discussed and shown in the novel is the relationship between elderly people and younger people. More specifically is the relationship between Santiago and Manolin. Manolin respects the old man so much he is like a father to him and vice versa. The relationship that Hemingway describes is a relationship of respect from a young man to an old one. He believes that we should treat our elders with respect because they have taught us so much and we can learn so much more. Manolin has learned all he knows about fishing from him the old man. He feels so much respect for him he makes sure he is healthy by bringing him food and volunteering to work for him for free just because he feels like he owes so much to him (Hemingway 24). Manolin admires the old man for teaching him all he knows and feels an obligation to him.

            Hemingway most likely felt that that is how this relationship should be like because that is how things were at the time the book was written. People in the forties and fifties, the time the novel was written, treated each other with more respect than the generation that is growing up now does. This shows how much relationships have changed over the years, which is most likely not for the better.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Question 7

        What techniques does the author use to engage the audience and make the story effective?  Give examples to support your analysis (mystery, humor, symbolism, suspense, etc.).  There are several techniques in The Old Man and the Sea. Ernest Hemingway uses these techniques to engage the audience. One effective technique he uses is repetition. He uses this to emphasize the importance of the part of the story being repeated. The line that Santiago repeats throughout the five days of him being stuck on the boat is wishing that the boy, Manolin, was there with him (Hemingway). This line being repeated shows the reader how much the old man loves Manolin like he was his own son. He repeats this line because he is struggling to survive the journey being beaten and using all of his strength and wished the boy was there to help him. He feels so much love for him, and Hemingway emphasizes this by using repetition (Hemingway). Another technique that Hemingway uses is suspense. He uses suspense in the events leading up to Santiago actually catching the fish. It seems as though the old man will never get the marlin, until it emerges out of the water, keeping the reader engaged. The he gradually sees him and feels him tiring. These events throughout the days at sea make the reader anxious for Santiago to actually catch the fish and bring it back. Suspense is also used as Santiago gets gradually puller farther and farther out to see. It does not seem as though he will return which keeps the reader interested also (Hemingway). When the old man finally catches him it is relieving, until the sharks come. This and many other examples are the way Hemingway uses suspense to keep the reader engaged and interested in the story as it develops. These also make the reader more likely to understand the point of the story that Hemingway was trying to get across.   

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Question 6

Why do we still read this book?  What is so timeless about its message and characters?  What can we learn from reading this novel? We still read The Old Man and the Sea because it tells a very simple story that has a message anyone can benefit from. One reason we still read the novel is because the way Ernest Hemingway writes is very straight forward and easy to understand. This makes the message of the story very easy to comprehend and point out. The message of never giving up and have great determination and desire is extremely timeless. Everyone can see through Santiago’s five day struggle just for one simple fish, how truly important it is to him (Hemingway). This is something my generation should learn from. Not all of us, but a large portion are very lazy and expect things just to turn out okay without any effort. We can learn that with a little effort, determination, and desire we can go and do anywhere. Santiago never gave up until the entire fish was gone (Hemingway). Also from the novel is the timeless message of the honor from the struggles. The novel teaches us that if you have everything given to you, you have to do something to earn respect. If you work hard for something you are bound to earn respect from others. These messages are why re still read this book. We can learn so much from such simple message which is why it is so timeless. People of all ages and all times can learn from these messages and I believe that many generations to come will continue to learn and prosper from reading this novel.

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

The Old Man and the Sea: Question 5

How does The Old Man and the Sea reflect the history, behavior and social issues of the time period and setting?  What is this book's symbolic and thematic significance? The novel takes place in the 1940’s in Cuba (Hemingway). They are near the Gulf of Mexico, so fishing was very popular. This shows in the novel. Most of the people Santiago and Manolin interact with are fishermen, or have something to do with it. There are fish and shark factories near, which tell the reader that it was most likely a popular market in that time period. Fishing was extremely important during this time because it was a way for men to not only make money for their families, but also provide food for them. Another way this novel reflects history is through its talk of baseball. Santiago often speaks of the great DiMaggio, who was a very famous and popular baseball player. He reads in the newspaper and hears talk about the town of DiMaggio’s great plays, games, and batting average (Hemingway). This shows how popular the sport of baseball was during the 1940’s. Santiago also thought of DiMaggio on the boat, and what he would do if he was put in Santiago’s situation. DiMaggio must have been a very big idol for the people of the time period, if even an old man like Santiago thinks of him in that way.

            The major thematic significance in the novel is that you should never give up trying and hope. Even though when things get hard it makes us want to quit, we must never do so, because we will never get anywhere. This shows in Santiago’s five day chase just to get one fish, because he knew if he could just wait it out, it would be worth it. In the end it does not go exactly how he expected it to, but was worth it in his bad luck streak break and  regaining his courage (Hemingway).

 Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.