Objectives

• Analyse how Hemingway constructs Santiago as a figure of resilience and dignity through specific details of characterisation in Chapter 1 (The Shore).
• Explain how the narrative structure of Chapter 2 (Out to Sea) builds tension and establishes the marlin as both a physical and symbolic antagonist.
• Analyse how Hemingway uses Santiago's interior monologue and his invocations of Joe DiMaggio in Chapter 3 (The Struggle) to explore identity and endurance.
• Write a fully evidenced analytical paragraph that embeds and comments on quotations from at least two of the three chapters.
• Evaluate how Hemingway's iceberg-theory prose style — short declarative sentences, understatement, and sensory precision — shapes the reader's experience of loneliness and mortality across the novella.
• Construct an extended analytical essay that sustains a coherent argument about one of the novella's central themes across all three chapters.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Santiago on the Shore: Constructing a Hero in Chapter 1

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Look at the opening description of Santiago in Chapter 1: 'Everything about him was old except his eyes, and they were the same colour as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.' Write two observations about what Hemingway is doing here—one focusing on word choice and another on what this reveals about Santiago's character. You have five minutes; hold off on discussion for now.

   Teacher input

   Model a close-reading paragraph on the passage in Chapter 1 where Manolin insists on carrying Santiago's equipment: 'I can carry it,' the old man said. 'I know you can,' the boy said. Highlight how Hemingway's choice to use dialogue without adverbs—avoiding phrases like 'said firmly' or 'said kindly'—compels readers to interpret the emotional depth of their relationship. This interaction reveals Manolin's unwavering loyalty and Santiago's pride, while hinting at the tender bond they share without explicitly stating it. When embedding the quotation, identify this technique as Hemingway's 'iceberg theory' or dialogic understatement, and connect it to the theme of identity: Santiago's dignity relies on his refusal to accept help that he hasn’t earned.

   Independent task

   Hemingway illustrates Santiago's social isolation through the attitudes of the other fishermen and Manolin's parents. The older fishermen express a muted sadness when they see Santiago, but their reluctance to show empathy underscores his alienation: "Some of the older fishermen… looked at him and were sad. But they did not show it." This narrative distance emphasizes their unwillingness to connect with Santiago, who is increasingly viewed as an outsider. Additionally, Manolin's parents' decision to forbid him from fishing with Santiago highlights the stigma surrounding Santiago's misfortune, as they label him "definitely and finally salao — the worst form of unlucky." This use of the Spanish word 'salao' not only reflects the cultural beliefs about luck but also reinforces Santiago's identity as a man marked by failure. Overall, these moments reveal the deepening loneliness Santiago experiences, as both his peers and the younger generation distance themselves from him, reflecting a broader commentary on the theme of loneliness in the human experience.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why Hemingway chooses to have the other fishermen hide their sadness rather than express it openly — what does their silence tell us about Santiago's world?

2. Lesson 2: The Strike: Tension, Time, and the Marlin as Symbol in Chapter 2

   60 min · ch. 2

   Do now

   Revisit the moment in Chapter 2 when Santiago first feels the marlin take the bait: 'Then the fish came alive, with his death in him, and rose high out of the water showing all his great length and width and all his power and his beauty.' Without consulting any notes, jot down: (a) one thing this sentence reveals about the marlin, and (b) one thing it suggests about Santiago's situation. You have five minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model how Hemingway plays with narrative time in Chapter 2 by contrasting the brief summary of the long wait ('He did not see the sunrise. He only felt it warm on his hands') with the sudden, expanded, almost slow-motion depiction of the strike and the line running out. On the whiteboard, highlight the change in sentence length and verb tense at the moment of the strike. Demonstrate to students how the quickening of syntax — short, urgent clauses — reflects Santiago's physical and psychological shock, and how the phrase 'with his death in him' hints at the marlin's fate while also touching on Santiago's own mortality.

   Independent task

   In Chapter 2, Santiago's declaration to the marlin—"Fish, I'll stay with you until I am dead"—highlights a profound respect and kinship he feels toward his adversary. This direct address suggests that Santiago doesn't merely see the marlin as a target but as an equal participant in a larger struggle, embodying his own fight against fate and mortality. He compares the marlin to "a friend," emphasizing the bond formed through their shared struggle. This connection deepens when Santiago experiences the line cutting into his hands, a vivid metaphor for the pain and sacrifice inherent in their duel. The imagery of blood symbolizes not only the physical toll of the battle but also the emotional stakes involved. Santiago’s unwavering commitment to the marlin illustrates his understanding that this struggle is not just about survival, but also about honor and dignity in the face of inevitable death. Ultimately, Santiago's relationship with the marlin reflects a complex interplay of fate, as he embraces the struggle even knowing it may lead to his demise.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining how Hemingway uses the marlin's physical description in Chapter 2 to make it function as more than just a fish — what idea or force does it seem to represent?

3. Lesson 3: DiMaggio and Endurance: Identity and Resilience in Chapter 3

   60 min · ch. 3

   Do now

   In Chapter 3, Santiago reflects: 'I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio, who performs flawlessly despite the pain from the bone spur in his heel.' Without consulting your books, jot down two questions that come to mind: one concerning DiMaggio's significance to Santiago, and another about what this reveals regarding Santiago's definition of a good man. You have five minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model a paragraph on the passage in Chapter 3 where Santiago feels a cramp in his left hand and confronts it head-on: "What kind of hand is that… Cramp then if you want. Make yourself into a claw. It will do you no good." This moment highlights how Hemingway illustrates the disconnect between Santiago's mind and body — portraying the hand as an almost traitorous part of himself. This split dramatizes the theme of resilience. The use of the imperative mood in "Cramp then if you want" combined with a dismissive tone shows Santiago's determination not to be overcome by his physical decline. This reflects a broader pattern seen in the DiMaggio passages, where Santiago consistently measures himself against an ideal of stoic endurance throughout Chapter 3.

   Independent task

   Using at least three moments from Chapter 3 — (i) Santiago's cramped hand and his address to it, (ii) one of his reflections on Joe DiMaggio, and (iii) the moment he kills the marlin ('He took all his pain and what was left of his strength and his long gone pride and he put it against the fish's agony') — write two connected analytical paragraphs totaling 250–300 words. The first paragraph should discuss how Hemingway conveys resilience through Santiago's inner thoughts; the second should explore how the references to DiMaggio shape Santiago's identity and his understanding of masculinity. Each paragraph must include at least two quotations and identify at least one literary technique. Submit both paragraphs on a full sheet.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain what Joe DiMaggio — a baseball player who never appears in the novella — contributes to Hemingway's portrait of Santiago that a living, present character could not.

4. Lesson 4: The Iceberg Beneath the Surface: Hemingway's Style and the Novella's Silences

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Look at these three sentences from the novella and rank them from most to least emotionally restrained. Then write one sentence explaining your top ranking: (a) Ch.1 — 'He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.' (b) Ch.3 — 'He did not think at all. He only endured.' (c) Ch.3 — 'The sharks hit him without mercy.' You have five minutes.

   ---

   Ranking

   1. (a)
   2. (b)
   3. (c)

   Explanation

   The first sentence is the most emotionally restrained because it presents the man's solitude and struggles in a straightforward manner, whereas the other sentences convey a more intense emotional state, especially with the imagery of merciless sharks.

   Teacher input

   Model how Hemingway's iceberg theory operates across all three chapters by examining the closing lines of Chapter 3 — where tourists confuse the marlin's skeleton for a shark, and Manolin is left weeping while Santiago sleeps. This moment illustrates how the novella intentionally avoids revealing its deeper meaning. Annotate the tourists' dialogue ('What's that?' 'Tiburon. Eshark,' the waiter said.) to highlight how Hemingway uses their ignorance as an ironic lens: the monumental struggle of Santiago's life is misinterpreted as mere curiosity. Next, emphasize how Manolin's silent tears, presented without commentary, carry an emotional weight that Hemingway's writing deliberately leaves unspoken.

   Independent task

   Choose one moment of silence, understatement, or irony from any of the three chapters — for instance, the tourists misidentifying the marlin's skeleton in Chapter 3, the fishermen concealing their sorrow in Chapter 1, or Santiago's stark assertion, 'He did not think at all. He only endured.' in Chapter 3 — and craft an analytical paragraph of 150–200 words explaining how Hemingway's choice NOT to elaborate, explain, or sentimentalize that moment influences the reader's response. You must identify the technique (understatement, irony, ellipsis of emotion, or another term you can justify), incorporate the relevant quotation, and discuss the theme that the silence highlights. Submit your paragraph on a half-sheet.

   Exit ticket

   In one or two sentences, explain what Hemingway risks by ending the novella with the tourists' misunderstanding rather than with Santiago's own reflection on what he has lost — and why you think he takes that risk.

5. Lesson 5: Writing the Argument: A Full Essay on Theme Across All Three Chapters

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Without your notes, jot down the three most impactful quotations you've gathered from the five lessons — one from each chapter — that resonate strongly with the theme of resilience or mortality. Below each quotation, include a single word identifying the technique that Hemingway employs. You have five minutes for this essay-planning warm-up.

   Teacher input

   Model how to create a thesis statement and an organized essay structure for the text by drafting an opening paragraph live on the board in response to the prompt: 'How does Hemingway present the relationship between failure and dignity in The Old Man and the Sea?' Demonstrate to students how a strong thesis identifies the chapters, techniques, and the argument in just one or two sentences. For example: 'Hemingway shows that failure isn't the opposite of dignity; instead, it's a prerequisite for it, illustrated through Santiago's eighty-four fishless days in Chapter 1, his three-day struggle with the marlin in Chapters 2 and 3, and the sharks' destruction of his catch, suggesting that a man's worth is determined by his endurance rather than what he brings home.' After that, annotate the thesis to clarify the function of each clause.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of 600–800 words in response to the following question: "How does Hemingway use Santiago's struggle with the marlin to explore the relationship between resilience and mortality across The Old Man and the Sea?" Your essay should include: an introduction with a clear thesis that outlines your argument and references at least two of the three chapters; a minimum of three body paragraphs, each beginning with a main point, developing that point with at least two embedded quotations from the novella (sourced from at least two different chapters), and concluding with a connection back to the question; at least one paragraph that analyzes Hemingway's prose style (considering aspects like sentence structure, understatement, or interior monologue) alongside the content; and a conclusion that goes beyond merely restating your introduction, offering a final evaluative judgement — for instance, whether Hemingway portrays Santiago's ordeal as ultimately triumphant, tragic, or something more ambiguous. You may utilize the quotations you gathered in the do-now. Submit the complete essay at the end of the period.

   Exit ticket

   Re-read your conclusion and write one sentence answering this question honestly: does your essay argue that Santiago's three-day struggle with the marlin ends in defeat, in a kind of victory, or in something that cannot be reduced to either — and what single piece of textual evidence from Chapter 3 most strongly supports that reading?

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can articulate the narrative function of the fishermen's silence — i.e., whether they see Hemingway's understatement as a deliberate technique rather than a neutral report.
• Lesson 1 and 2 half-sheet paragraphs: checks whether students can embed a quotation grammatically, name a technique accurately, and connect evidence to a thematic point rather than simply paraphrasing.
• Lesson 3 double paragraph: checks whether students can sustain an argument across two linked paragraphs and whether the DiMaggio analysis moves beyond biography into thematic significance.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: checks whether students can articulate why Hemingway's structural choice (ending on the tourists) is an interpretive decision, not an accident — i.e., whether they understand authorial intentionality.
• Lesson 5 do-now quotation collection: checks whether students have internalised at least three precise quotations across all three chapters and can name a technique for each — a direct measure of lesson-by-lesson retention.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about the literary text and supports it with evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of figurative language in a literary text, including extended metaphor and apostrophe.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view, including the use of interior monologue, in shaping meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of a complex character — Santiago — and how Hemingway develops that character through dialogue, action, and thought.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain how Hemingway's manipulation of narrative time (compression in Chapter 2, expansion at the moment of the strike) contributes to the overall meaning of the text.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including Hemingway's use of understatement, sentence structure, and interior monologue.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including post-war American masculinity and the Hemingway 'code hero'.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations — e.g. readings of Santiago as tragic hero, existentialist figure, or Christ-like martyr.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with specific attention to Hemingway's dialogic understatement and narrative compression.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including Hemingway's biographical context and the Cuban fishing community.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts — e.g. the 'code hero' across Hemingway's wider work — where relevant to the essay question.