Question

The most pathetic and tragic moment in the novel occurs when Santiago stops for a moment, looks back, and sees.

• A. The ocean turning red
• B. His house in ruins
• C. The great tail of the fish
• D. A dead dolphin floating nearby

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The great tail of the fish

The Old Man and the Sea: A Glimpse into Santiago's Tragedy

• The Old Man and the Sea, a novella by Ernest Hemingway, was first published in 1952. It was Hemingway's last major work of fiction published during his lifetime.
• The novel tells the epic tale of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who, after 84 days without catching a fish, ventures far into the Gulf Stream to catch a giant marlin.
• The struggle with the marlin is central to the narrative, showcasing Santiago's extraordinary endurance, skill, and deep respect for his adversary. The marlin represents his ultimate challenge and a chance to regain his lost pride.
• The moment Santiago looks back and sees "the great tail of the fish" refers to the marlin's skeletal remains being towed behind his skiff. He had spent days battling the magnificent fish, only for it to be devoured by sharks on his way back to shore.
• This scene is described as the "most pathetic and tragic moment" because it starkly highlights the ultimate futility and loss despite Santiago's immense physical and spiritual struggle. He returns with nothing but the massive skeleton, a symbol of his victory turned into defeat.
• The marlin's great tail is a poignant reminder of its immense size and majesty, contrasting sharply with its current ravaged state. It underscores the theme of the destructive power of nature and the inevitability of loss.
• This moment powerfully encapsulates the novel's themes of heroic struggle against insurmountable odds, the dignity in defeat, and the man's place in nature.
• For his mastery of narrative and for his influence on contemporary style, as exemplified in The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. The novella itself won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953.
• The character of Santiago is often seen as a symbol of perseverance, resilience, and the 'code hero' in Hemingway's works – an individual who faces challenges with grace under pressure.
• The novella is also a prime example of Hemingway's famous 'Iceberg Theory' (or 'Theory of Omission'), where much of the meaning is not explicitly stated but implied beneath the surface of the narrative.