Ernest Hemmingway’s Old Man and the Sea shines as example of the bravery that is required to chance at conquering the ultimate struggle. Santiago embodies a man full of whole-hearted character whose love and resolve enable him to push beyond the limits of even a great man- a man one can only dream of becoming. Santiago’s unique personality offers a variety of insights on the way that life should be approached. Not many possess the ability to love an admirable enemy as much as a dear friend, but Santiago proves that he is no ordinary fisherman. Hemmingway beautifully captures Santiago’s personality with the virtues of faith love, and hope. Throughout the novel, however, as Santiago’s mission grows seemingly impossible, Santiago mainly stays true to only two of the virtues but also develops a trait that can now be considered virtuous, and that is the maintenance of faith and the capacity to love. Initially, Hemmingway demonstrates the boundless love that Manolin and Santiago share with their nightly fake dinner conversations. They exist in a relationship where they need each other to survive, both physically and emotionally. Hemmingway succeeds in subtly depicting Santiago’s capability to love in many ways throughout the duration of the story. For example, when Santiago discusses the naming of the sea he explains how the younger and less appreciative fishermen call the sea el mar, as though it were an enemy. But to Santiago, the sea is la mar, “which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her”(p.29). As Santiago reflects on his first day on the wide open waters, at first he feels lonely but is then comforted by the life surrounding him and thinks to himself that “no man was ever alone on the sea”(p.61.) Santiago fai... ... middle of paper ... ...f the time that Manolin needs instructing, and that Santiago needs to teach. Santiago’s story is riddled with virtue and vice. Hemmingway does an excellent job of portraying Santiago’s true self and weaving the importance of the marlin battle and its ultimate outcome with the sharks into the light of Santiago’s life. Santiago’s love for a fair fight and his love for his occupation inspire Manolin to become a man that doesn’t get too concerned with the trivial parts of life, like the fact that all life must end. Santiago realizes everything must die at some point, but he does not let this affect the way he carries himself because he has faith that his time will come when it will come. Pride can be a dangerous and malevolent quality, but Hemmingway proves through Santiago’s determination that humbled pride can become the opposite: a virtue that can counter lost hope.
In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago has gone eighty four days without catching a fish. He decides he is going to go as far out in the water as he needs to catch the biggest fish he can find. Santiago 's friend Manolin is a boy who loves Santiago and does everything he can to help take care of him. Manolin helps Santiago get everything ready for Santiago 's big trip out into the sea. When Santiago takes of Manolin can not go with him. As Santiago is moving through the sea
In the end, Santiago realizes that his heart really lied at Andalusia, his one true home. Santiago’s journey really outlined the idea of following your dreams, and to always persevere and never give up. It is important that you follow your heart and succeed, but at the same time, never forget where you
As stated before, the lack of merchandise and the absence of income gives Manolin’s authority figures an opportunity to escape this inconvenience. Santiago sorrowfully describes his pain, “ I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this.” As this quote describes, Santiago’s love for Manolin is very deep and he cares deeply for this young man. However, he continues to perform his job in order to prove his endurance and his character. Santiago lost his best friend and his all important apprentice, but he endures through the misery and completes the task set before
So, Santiago went out into the sea with some fishing supplies such as a harpoon, knife, and a rope. That day, he caught a fish or two that he used as bait. That same day, something hooked on his line that he never saw before. It was enormous in size! It was not a shark nor whale, and it jumped out of the water really quickly. What was it? It was the great marlin! Santiago stated, "I will lash the two oars together across the stern and that will slow him in the night, he said, he's good for the night and so am I"( Hemingway 73). Santiago strained to keep this massive marlin, but tried his best to fight and keep the beast on his line. Santiago wanted to keep this marlin alive, yet he knew what he was up against. After the long and painful days of trying to keep the marlin alive, Santiago said, "I killed him in self defense, the old man aloud and I killed him well"(Hemingway 106). Santiago did not truly want to kill the marlin, he wanted to bring him back to his village. Unfortunately, the sea and sharks got the best of the marlin and ate it. Santiago had to fight the sharks off, so he had something left of the marlin to show the people. These actions taken by Santiago was a true struggle between himself and
... with the great marlin for three days. All of these examples would make some give up and go down in defeat. The destruction does not always have to be physical, ending in death, but crush one emotionally. Santiago showed he was strong and even though the things he faced did bring physical harm and great emotional stress, he refused to be defeated because he had a job to do and had to follow through: “you did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman.” Santiago’s self-pride is not enough for him as he is continuously being inspired by his hero, Joe DiMaggio: "I think the great DiMaggio would be proud of me today." Santiago’s character expresses man can and must rise up and fight things that seem impossible. Not always physically, but with an inner strength and determination.
I believe that in the past three decades, the way society has treated he elderly has remained primarily the same. Some younger citizens have looked up to the elderly with respect, yet most continue to shun them and consider them useless and hopeless in a society such as ours. I think that the elderly population is continually losing respect from the new generations. Santiago, the elderly man in the novel The Old Man and the
Throughout the novel, Santiago’s sentiments toward the marlin go through several considerable changes. At first, the marlin is the catch Santiago has been waiting for. However, as the story progresses Santiago appears to become endeared toward the fish, even going as far as calling him his “brother” (Hemingway 59). Later, once Santiago has killed the great marlin, he even seems remorseful.
Hemingway’s use of symbols and the metaphors beyond the symbols is phenomenal. Metaphors are an implied analogy that has an ideal that is being expressed and it also has an image by which that idea is conveyed. Establishing the similarities between the following dissimilarities is what helps to identify the metaphors behind the symbols in Hemingway’s writings. He uses things as symbols to help express the old man’s deep feelings in his journey through life.
In the story Santiago’s bravery is unsurpassed but it is not until he hooks the “great fish” that we truly see his valor and perseverance. Through Santiago’s actions Hemingway teaches the reader about bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity. He demonstrates that even when all is lost and seems hopeless a willful heart and faith will overcome anything. Santiago had lost his “luckiness” and therefore the respect of his village. Through the description of his cabin we also suspect that Santiago is a widower. Although Santiago has had many troubles he perseveres. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself.
Ernest Hemingway said, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” Thus, Santiago’s faith in his own skills and abilities allows him to fight off the hopelessness. Santiago never gives up despite obstacles and hardships. To accomplish his only goal, Santiago endures people’s insults, struggles against the Marlin and the hard time with the shark.
The Old Man and the Sea is novella written by Ernest Hemingway in 1952. It tells the epic journey and struggles of the old fisherman, Santiago, and his younger fishing partner, Manolin. The story goes into detail the day to day life struggles that a fisherman off the coast of Africa endures. The majority of the story focuses on one particular trip out sea. In life, one will go through a number of stages in life. Infancy, Youth , Adulthood, and Old Age are all key stages. As one grows, they mature through these various stages. When one reaches old age, there is often a lot of doubt surrounding their lives. Serenity, and independence are often the two most questioned. These are some questions that Santiago has to ask himself as well.
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, pits his strength against forces he cannot control. We learn from Santiago's struggles how to face insurmountable odds with bravery and courage. Though we find an indifferent and hostile universe as Santiago's stage, his unwillingness to give in to these forces demonstrate a reverence for life's struggles. Santiago's struggle is for dignity and meaning in the face of insurmountable odds. His warrior-like spirit fights off the sharks full-well knowing the fate of his marlin. Santiago loses his marlin in the end, but his struggle to keep it represent a victory because of the dignity and heroism with which he carries out his mission. However, as Santiago acknowledges, he is almost sorry he caught the marlin because he knows the animal and he have a great deal in common as fellow beings in nature. However, he only caught the marlin "through trickery" (Hemingway 99). Santi...
The old man and the sea is a novella about an old Cuban fisherman, Santiago, and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin fish. Throughout the novella, Santiago is portrayed in different perspectives. He is tough and refuses to give up at any time. He withholds the will to continue and the courage to overcome what is believed to be the impossible. His persistence and confidence, his absolute determination and his unique way of accepting the reality makes him a noble hero.
The great stories behind The Old Man and the Sea are what make it so wonderful. Because of this novels success released in 1952, it helped Hemingway ring in the Nobel Prize for 1954 for Hemingway (Hurse). He had a way of writing a good hearted, high spirited hero, who seemed in many ways to be at one with nature and himself. It is believed that Hemingway conjured up the character Santiago from a 92 year old man who crossed to Florida with other Cuban refugees (Baker 910). This makes sense considering Santiago is the main character, who is of old age. His characters although having many great qualities, still had struggles. Santiago is the man of hour, when speaking of The Old Man and the Sea. H...
The relationship between animal and human in this text shows as a relationship of appreciation and respect. Santiago loves everything about being a fisherman. He is lonely at sea and his sea friends are his companions. He has great respect for the sea as well as the inhabitants that swim and live in it. He does not love all creatures of the deep, blue sea, however, does show respect for each one. Santiago has a particular relationship with the marlin. He comments that the marlin is “wonderful”, “strange”, “strong”, “wise”, and “that is fight has no panic to it” (Hemingway 48 -49). Based on his description of the marlin, Santiago loves and respects him as a worthy opponent and brother, “Now we are joined together and have been since noon” (Hemingway 50). Santiago is not only literally linked to the marlin, but also figuratively because the outcome of this battle will determine both their fates. The old man says, “The fish is my friend too,” he said aloud. “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars” (Hemingway 75). He starts to imagine impossible feats like killing the moon or the sun and feels lucky that his task, in relative terms, is much simpler. Although he is sad to kill the fis...