OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Homework: Please read pages 21-30 and respond to the following in the comments section:
The following passage is found on page 25:
“He no longer dreamed of storms, nor women, nor of great occurrences, nor great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach.”
This passage uses a reoccurring image from the book, the lions waiting on the beach. It was an image that comes to him from his youth, and it has stayed with him. What do you think the lions represent and why is it that he now dreams of them, but nothing else?
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Ok so he dreams of nothing but a lion well a lion does what it wants when it wants becaus no one can really tell him what he can and can’t do. it also could be what he thinks of when he does not know if he can still go on. he looks inside himself and sees and old lion still living and doing what he wants.
Comment by Jennifer — May 28, 2010 @ 2:56 am
-Earlier in the dream, he mentions the land of Africa. Usually in a dream, the subconcious mind tends to be the active part of the brain and what the subconcious does is retains secret information that only become active during a dream. What this could mean for the old man, Santago, is that he may have gone to Africa when he was young. The lion usually symbolises courage, which for the old man doesn’t seem to have great signifigance, so what I think is the most probable reason for the lion is passion for youth. The lions are seen as playing on the beach rather then just being seen on the beach. This idea could also be reiterated by the youth who tends to the old man and his apparant stubborness.
Comment by Ethan — May 28, 2010 @ 12:55 pm
He can not get rid of the lion. The lion is perventing him to move on with his life.
Comment by Joshua Sisto — May 28, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
i think he is dreaming of like because they never give up and they have to much pride and they are on the beach because it is a peaceful place to be with the sun and the water and sand
Comment by brandi — May 28, 2010 @ 2:32 pm
The lion reminds he of the boy. It said in the book the lion played young cats and he loved them as he loved the boy. He only dreams of the lions because the boy is the only one he has left.
Comment by Kim — May 31, 2010 @ 11:33 pm