The sentence "He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish" is the first sentence in a novel by

Fitzgerald is known for his rich, lyrical prose and works such as "The Great Gatsby." While he explores themes of wealth and the American Dream, he is not associated with the fishing or the narrative style found in "The Old Man and the Sea."

Dos Passos is recognized for his experimental narrative techniques and social commentary, particularly in "U.S.A." His writing often focuses on broader societal issues rather than the intimate and personal struggles depicted in Hemingway's works, making him an unlikely author for this line.

Roth's novels typically delve into themes of identity, sexuality, and Jewish-American life, with a more verbose style than Hemingway. His works do not convey the same sense of isolation and struggle inherent in the opening line from "The Old Man and the Sea."

Styron is best known for his novels like "Sophie's Choice," which often explore themes of despair and moral complexity. His writing style is more intricate and less focused on the direct narrative seen in Hemingway’s work, thus ruling him out as the author of this line.