The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is an allegory; its text and literal meanings stand for beliefs and relevant ideas not mentioned anywhere in the novella. The actual text speaks of an old fisherman who has lost everything he has ever had in his life that brought him joy and happiness, and who is dissed by his peers and townspeople for being unlucky. He goes out to sea to try to land a fish for the first time in 85 days and hooks a giant marlin. The old man, Santiago, is towed around the Gulf of Mexico for several days by this fish, painfully resting the fishing line over his scarred, tired shoulders. After a great battle at sea, Santiago kills the fish, but must fight off galanos, sharks, on the return trip to shore. Ultimately, the old man fails to return the fish to shore...