B+Summary

=__The Old Man and the Sea__=

By: Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man And The Sea is a very quick novel. It is set in Cuba during the 1950's. It follows an old fisherman, Santiago, who hasn't caught a fish for 84 days. The book begins on the 84th day and he is is again preparing to go to sea. He is confident in his abilities but not too optimistic on his chances of finding fish. He goes out alone and soon finds himself hooking the largest fish he has ever seen, a huge marlin. The marlin drags his boat for three straight days but still the old man fights on. Towards the end of the great fish's strength they fight and Santiago harpoons the marlin, killing it. As the fish is too large to be brought on his humble boat he lashes it alongside. It quickly becomes night and as Santiago approaches the island of Cuba, sharks set in on his marlin. He valiantly fights back and defends his catch but he loses his harpoon, breaks his knife, and a wooden club wasn't enough. By the time he docks into his home port the only thing left of the marlin is its skeleton. He collapses into his home, exhausted by the days' long struggle .
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=__The House On Mango Street__=

 The House On Mango Street is the biography of a young Esperanza Cordero. She lives in a lower-class, Latin neighborhood located in 1950s Chicago that is constantly evolving and introducing new people. Through little vignettes her life of tough living is told. For example, she talks of the Vargases living next door. With too many children to count and only a single mother, the kids are constantly getting in trouble and tormenting the neighborhood. Or the day when Lucy and Rachel move in and Esperanza and her sister befriend them. Major events throughout the biography include when Esperanza discovers boys and craves attention and when she realizes her hate for Mango Street and her desire to move out to a better home. In Esperanza's narration, she tells about many women living in the Mango Street neighborhood. She talks about their problems with the men in their lives, or that they are held back because they are women. Esperanza is sexually abused a few times too. In the very end of the story however she vows to come back to Mango Street and help all those who wanted to leave escape.
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