Santiago: The Unseen Hero in Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea'

In the novel The Old Man and Sea, Hemingway created Santiago, who is a poor fisherman that lives in Cuba and struggles to make a living. A hero is sometimes defined as a person who, in the opinion of others has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal (Dictionary.com). Christopher Reeve once noted that, “ A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” (Brainy Quotes). In the context of The Old Man and the Sea Santiago could not fit this description better. His perseverance in a difficult situation and his way of serving as a role model to his community definitely gives him the status of a hero. Although Santiago no longer has the strength that he once had, he manages to find the strength to persevere until he catches the gigantic fish. While Santiago is trying to catch the fish, the fishing line cuts his hands and his hands cramp in unbearable pain. Despite these injuries, Santiago pushes on and eventually achieves his goal of catching the fish. Just before the old man kills the fish, the book says, “For an hour the old mans had been seeing black spots before his eyes and the sweat salted his eyes and

They may say that he does not hold the status of a hero because he has done nothing in the interest of helping others. This point is valid because in many stories, such as American Sniper and the Harry Potter story, the hero’s deeds help others. However, many characters and people are considered heroes simply because of their strength or the near impossible tasks that they achieve, such as Thomas Edison. Just as in the case of a person such as Edison, Santiago gives the people of his town inspiration to achieve their goals. He serves as a role model for many people of the same job. In cases like this, a person can become a hero to people that they