The Old Man and the Sea

This novella by Ernest Hemingway describes the story of an old fisherman and a marlin. Santiago has had months without a catch and he is written off as "The unlucky one". His young apprentice is also forbidden by parents from joining the old man. Though the boy cannot fish with him, he helps the old man haul his fishing gear to his home and prepares a meal.

Santiago never gives up and on his eighty fifth day, he manages to catch a fish but he can't get it onto the boat because it is large and keeps pulling the boat along. He gets into the long haul and lets the fish tire itself out before trying to haul it. In the two days before the fish gives up, Santiago's respect for the fish, his opponent increases. On the way back, the body of the marlin is attacked by sharks and hardly anything remains by the time he is ashore.

Bruised, tired and famished, Santiago gets home and falls asleep. But he wakes up next morning with a renewed enthusiasm and promises the boy to fish together once again like the old times.