Santiago is an old Cuban fisherman. He is very unlucky. He does not catch a fish for eighty-four days. A young boy named Manolin helps him.
Santiago goes far out into the Gulf Stream. He uses fresh bait. On the eighty-fifth day, a giant marlin takes his bait. The fish is very strong and pulls the skiff.
The struggle lasts for three days. Santiago feels tired but he does not stop. He shows great endurance. Finally, he kills the marlin with a harpoon.
But the journey is not over. Hungry sharks attack the dead fish. Santiago fights them, but they eat the meat. He returns home with only a skeleton, but he is undefeated in his heart.