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The Old Man and The Sea Book Review Notes Class 10 SSC

Doubtly 5 min read Updated 25 Oct 2026 Save WhatsApp
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This chapter is a book review of the famous novel 'The Old Man and The Sea' written by the renowned American novelist Ernest Hemingway. It explores the storyline of an old Cuban fisherman, the social and historical context of the novel, Hemingway's simple writing style, and personal thoughts on the book.

About the author

Ernest Miller Hemingway was a famous American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. He worked for the Red Cross during the First World War and was injured by shrapnel in Italy, and he had experience of fishing in Cuban waters.

Summary

The review discusses an old Cuban fisherman who goes eighty-four days without catching a fish, while his young helper Manolin is made to work elsewhere by his parents.

Released in 1952 as people recovered from the world wars, the book emphasizes perseverance, determination, and noble resistance against death.

Hemingway employs a style marked by concise and straightforward sentences using very few words.

Mind map

The Old Man and The Sea Book Review

  • Storyline
    • Eighty-four days of bad luck
    • Apprentice Manolin
    • Eighty-fifth day hooks a marlin
    • Battle against sharks
  • Author Background
    • Ernest Hemingway
    • American novelist and journalist
    • Worked for Red Cross in WWI
    • Injured by shrapnel in Italy
  • Writing Style
    • Simple and pithy language
    • Short and straightforward sentences
    • Extreme economy of words
    • Simple yet deeply layered meaning
  • Reviewer Thoughts
    • Initially unimpressed years ago
    • Recently read and deeply moved
    • Formidable strength of old man
    • Sympathies linked with marlin

Sequence of Events in the Review

  1. An old Cuban fisherman suffers eighty-four days of bad luck without catching any fish.
  2. Manolin, his devoted apprentice, is forced to work with another fisherman by his parents.
  3. The old man sails far out on the eighty-fifth day and hooks a massive marlin.
  4. He struggles against the powerful marlin and later fights off attacking sharks.
  5. The novel gets published in 1952, resonating with readers recovering from world wars.
  6. The reviewer reads the book again later in life and feels deeply moved by its core message.

Characters

CharacterTraits
The Old ManExperienced Cuban fisherman, resilient, determined, possesses formidable character strength, faces suffering and defeat with ultimate triumph.
ManolinYoung, devoted apprentice, empathetic, shares a heart-warming relationship with the old man.

Themes and message

Endurance and Determination

The need to struggle against defeat, suffering, or death through endurance and determination, leading to ultimate triumph even in loss.

Noble Struggle Against Destruction

Both the old man and the marlin are inseparably linked because both stand for a noble struggle against destruction.

Key points to remember

  • The novel is based on real events and draws heavily on Hemingway's life and fishing experience in Cuban waters.
  • Hemingway was injured by shrapnel during the First World War in Italy.
  • The book was published in 1952 when people were recovering from mass destruction wrought by the two world wars.
  • Hemingway practices extreme economy of words using simple and straightforward sentences.
  • The story of the old man's suffering and loss lives on in the memories of his village people, turning his story into one of triumph.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
ApprenticeA person who works for another in order to learn a trade (शिकार वा काम सिक्न अर्काको अधीनमा काम गर्ने व्यक्ति / प्रशिक्षणार्थी)
MarlinA large saltwater fish with an elongated body and a spear-like snout (एक प्रकारको ठूलो समुद्री माछा)
ShrapnelSmall pieces of metal that fly during an explosion of a bomb or weapon (बम वा हतियार विष्फोट हुँदा उड्ने धातुका साना टुक्राहरू)
FormidableCausing fear or inspiring intense respect due to being powerfully impressive (डर लाग्दो वा अति शक्तिशाली)
WroughtBrought about or caused (घटित गराएको वा ल्याएको)
PithyBrief, full of vigour, and concise (संक्षिप्त तर प्रभावकारी)
EnduranceThe capacity to endure an unpleasant or difficult process without giving way (सहनशीलता वा सहनशक्ति)
EmpatheticShowing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another (सहानुभूतिपूर्ण)

Figures of speech and poetic devices

DeviceExampleExplanation
Imageryan old man holding on to his fishing lineCreates a vivid mental picture of the old man's struggle and determination using descriptive visual details.
Symbolismold man and the marlin are inseparably linkedThe old man and the marlin symbolize the universal human ideal of a noble struggle against destruction.

Important questions and answers

Q1. Name the young and devoted apprentice mentioned in the review.

Manolin is the young and devoted apprentice.

Q2. Where did Hemingway have experience of fishing?

Hemingway had experience of fishing in the Cuban waters.

Q3. What was Hemingway injured by during the First World War?

Hemingway was injured by shrapnel during the First World War when he was in Italy.

Q4. How is Hemingway's language and writing style described in the review?

Hemingway's language is simple and pithy. He mostly writes in short and straightforward sentences and practices an extreme economy in his use of words.

Q5. Why did the novel strike a chord with readers immediately when published in 1952?

The novel was published in 1952 when people were trying to recover from the mass destruction wrought by the two world wars, so this tale of endurance and ultimate triumph immediately struck a chord with the readers.

Q6. Correct the following sentence using facts from the review: 'Manolin’s parents insisted on his working with the same old fisherman.'

Manolin’s parents forced him to start working with another fisherman.

Q7. What left a vivid image in the reviewer's mind from their first reading of the novel?

An old man holding on to his fishing line with the last of his strength left a vivid image in the reviewer's mind.

Q8. Why do the old man and the marlin become inseparably linked as the novel progresses?

As the novel progresses, the old man and the marlin become inseparably linked because both stand for the same ideal, which is a noble struggle against destruction.

Exam tips

  • Memorize the key biographical facts about Ernest Hemingway (WWI injury by shrapnel, experience in Cuban waters, profession as journalist and novelist) as they frequently appear in 'Name the following' questions.
  • Pay attention to vocabulary root-words and suffixes/prefixes, as language study questions based on the text are common in SSC board exams.
  • Practice rewriting sentences as directed (e.g., converting adjectives to adjectival clauses or using specific co-ordinators) using the English Workshop exercises.

FAQs

Who wrote 'The Old Man and The Sea' book review chapter?

The textbook chapter presents a book review written about Ernest Hemingway's famous novel 'The Old Man and The Sea'.

When was Ernest Hemingway's novel published?

The novel was published in 1952.

What are the main themes of 'The Old Man and The Sea'?

The main themes are endurance, determination in the face of defeat or death, and a noble struggle against destruction.

These notes were prepared with AI help from the Balbharati English Kumarbharati textbook (2026-27) and fact-checked against it.

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