The Young Man and the Sea

Skiff rows out to sea at night in order to reach tuna territory by morning, when they’ll be feeding. He recalls his mother Mary Rose’s advice to think smart, speak the truth, and never give up. He sometimes forgets the first two pieces of advice, but usually remembers the third. Skiff worries about following all three pieces of advice at once. He knows how to find tuna territory because his father taught him. He checks the compass to ensure he’s heading east, and after about five miles, his skiff’s motor stops working.

Skiff starts to panic, then remembers to check the skiff’s gas. He adds more gas, and the boat starts working again. He continues heading east, while chatting with his mother and imagining what she would say. “Mary Rose” wants him to be careful and think smart. Skiff takes solace in the fact that local fishers often help one another in emergencies; for example, when his father was caught in a storm, Devlin towed the Mary Rose. Suddenly, a fog appears, making it difficult to see.

Skiff starts to panic because of the fog, then tells himself that he can still see far enough to throw a harpoon. He searches for birds, which often indicate where fish are, but can’t see any because of the fog.