Essay/Discussion Questions:

We are unable to supply an answer key to these study questions. Original thought is looked for in answering many of these questions for which there is no "one right answer". We hope these questions will assist parents in discussing the book with their children. Those who haven't read the book themselves could still discuss these questions and ideas in a general way with their children, have their children discuss it with others who have read the book, or seek summaries of the book online to better understand it.

Day One

1. How long had it been since Santiago had caught a fish?

2. Santiago's eyes were not old- they were the colour of the ______, and______?

3. How did the other fishermen react to Santiago?

4. What was on the walls of Santiago's shack? What used to hang there?

5. How did Santiago get his dinner that night, and what was it?

6. What does Santiago say is "his alarm clock"?

7. In his dreams, how did the lions play?

Day Two

1. How did Santiago and Manolin meet in the morning? What did they eat for breakfast?

2. Did Santiago realize that he was going "far out"? (give page reference)

3. Did Santiago speak of the sea as feminine or masculine?

4. When did Santiago think he would catch 'the big one'? (give page reference)

5. What did Santiago use for bait?

6. How did Santiago keep his bait lines?

7. When the man-of-war bird dove into the sea, what happened?

8. Did Santiago like the Portuguese man of war?

9. What did Santiago like to watch eat the Portuguese man of war?

10. Use one word to describe how Santiago 'works' his big fish.

11. The lights of what city are visible on the horizon?

Day Three

1. Who did Santiago wish was with him?

2. In what direction was the fish pulling?

3. What did Santiago hope the fish would do? Why ?

4. What added drag to the line, and pleased Santiago?

5. What did Santiago eat for breakfast?

6. Santiago considered the fish his _______?

7. What was the biggest fish that Santiago had ever caught? Was he alone those times?

8. What did Santiago promise to do if God allowed him to catch the fish?

9. What did Santiago do to convince God to allow him to catch the fish?

10. What had happened in Casablanca?

11. What did he dream about that night?

Day Four

1. What woke him up?

2. How many times had the fish jumped?

3. What did Santiago eat for breakfast?

4. When was Santiago going to say 100 Our Fathers and Hail Marys?

5. What was on Santiago's head?

6. What was the fish doing all this day?

7. What did Santiago kill the fish with? What time was it?

8. What did he do with the fish?

9. What did Santiago drink throughout this ordeal?

10. What attacked his fish enroute?

11. What did Santiago taste on his return trip?

Day Five

1. Who met him in the morning? What did he do when he saw the old man?

2.How big was the fish? Did the fish beat Santiago?

3. What is Manolin determined to do now?

4. Who did Santiago give the fish head to? Why?

Questions courtesy of Kathie McGann