Moving Past Triumphs and Tragedies in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

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Individuals may look deep within to summon courage that is necessary to move past triumphs and tragedies. In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago struggles greatly to search for hope in seemingly hopeless situations. The idea that people look deep within to summon courage is portrayed through the actions of Santiago, Manolin, and Manolin’s parents. Santiago’s attitude seems to be that although he faces difficulties, he finds the strength inside of him to be able to overcome them. Once he hooked the marlin, Santiago comes to a realization that he cannot kill the fish quickly. Though he is faced with a problem, the old man is able to find the best of the situation. He begins to form a bond with the marlin, as he repeatedly alludes to it as his own brother. “Now we are joined together and have been since noon. And no one to help either one of us” (Hemingway 50). Santiago recognizes that he and the marlin are just inhabitants of all the tropical life in the Gulf Stream. The fact that he is able to bond with the marlin shows how much he has encountered, for the marlin is Santiago’s prey, and he surprisingly finds a relation between him and the fish. This results in the formation of a bond. The marlin changes from merely being what Santiago was attempting to hunt down, to serving as a metaphor illustrating his emotional and physical position. “Then the fish came alive, with his death in him, and rose high out of the water showing all his great length and width and all his power and his beauty. He seemed to hang in the air above the old man in the skiff. Then he fell into the water with a crash that sent spray over the old man and over all of the skiff” (Hemingway 94). The death of the marlin has great impact on Santiago... ... middle of paper ... ...y 10). Manolin’s parents resort to the one thing they think is correct for their son, which requires courage from the both of them. Although Manolin is not in accord with his parents’ decisions, he must obey. His parents may believe that they have gained a victory in keeping Manolin away from Santiago, but that is not the situation at hand. Individuals may look deep within to summon courage that is necessary to move past triumphs and tragedies. The theme of people looking deep within to summon courage can be portrayed through the actions of Santiago, Manolin, and Manolin’s parents. It takes quite a bit of strength for people to be truly valiant. This is prevalent throughout society because many people face situations in which courage is greatly needed. Certain individuals are required to look deep within to find enough courage to face their problems and triumphs.

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