The Old Man and the Sea Luck Quotes Page 2
Citations follow this format: (Day.Paragraph). We artificially created chapters by defining "days," because there are no chapter breaks in Old Man and the Sea. Here’s how we divided up the days:
- Day 1 = the start of the book until the old man falls asleep for the night
- Day 2 = begins when the old man wakes up and goes until sunrise of the next day
- Day 3 = begins at sunrise and goes until the old man dreams about the lions
- Day 4 = begins when the old man wakes and ends when the old man gets back to his shack for the night
- Day 5 = begins with the boy seeing the old man in the morning and goes until the end of the book
| Quote #4 "Eighty-five is a lucky number," the old man said. "How would you like to see me bring one in that dressed out over a thousand pounds?" (1.52) |
The old man’s prediction does eventually come true – before it goes horribly wrong. Does this confirm or reject his claim that eighty-five is lucky?
| Quote #5 "Good luck old man." |
The old man and the boy discuss luck just before Santiago leaves for the day, setting an overtone of superstition for the following events.
| Quote #6 But, he thought, I keep them with precision. Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready. (2.29) |
Despite his belief in luck, the old man values skill above it.
