Santiago Marlin Quotes

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.

At the beginning of the novel, Santiago is very enthusiastic about his catch. He had not been able to catch anything in more than 80 days and now he has caught “a great fish” that will surely sell well “in the market if the flesh is good.” (Hemingway 49). Although Santiago recognizes the marlin’s magnificence he makes it very clear that he will still kill

him. This becomes evident when Santiago states, “Fish … I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.” (Hemingway 54). Despite his blunt words, it is obvious that Santiago cares deeply about and maybe even admires the fish. After all, Santiago does call the fish his “friend” and mentions that he has “never seen or heard of such a fish” (Hemingway 75) as the marlin.
As the novel progresses, Santiago becomes frustrated with the fish for he is having difficulty catching him. Santiago states that the fish is “killing” him, but has a “right to”, for the old man has never “seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing” (Hemingway 92) than the marlin. This quotation conveys to us that Santiago is becoming increasingly tired of chasing the marlin. However, Santiago is does not appear to be annoyed at the marlin, but rather at the chase itself. It is around this time that the old man appears to grow weary of the idea of killing the fish.
In spite of his newfound reluctance toward killing the marlin, Santiago does it anyway. As soon as the fish is dead, it becomes evident that the old man feels a bit of remorse for killing him. Santiago immediately says that he wants to “see him [the fish] … and to touch and to feel him.” Promptly after saying this Santiago says that the marlin is his “fortune,” but that is not why he wishes “to feel him”. The old man believes that he felt the marlin’s “heart” (Hemingway 95). This provides further proof to the theory that Santiago feels guilty for killing the great marlin.
As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Santiago is truly repentant for killing the marlin.

He begins to speak to its carcass as if it were a dear friend who had passed, which to him, it might have been. The old man says that his actions were wrongful, for he only beat the marlin “through trickery” (Hemingway 99). A few pages after this statement, Santiago’s grief over the marlin’s death is bound to grow, for an hour after capturing the marlin, a mako shark catches on to its scent. Santiago manages to defeat the “cruel and able and strong and intelligent” (Hemingway 103) mako shark, but not before it bites off a chunk of the marlin’s admittedly delicious meat. This creates an even bigger issue because, thanks to the mako sharks attack, the marlin’s blood has now been released into the ocean and will no doubt attracted other

sharks.
Two hours after killing the mako shark, Santiago must face off against two more opponents.

The marlin’s blood has reached two ravenous shovel-nosed sharks who are more than insistent on getting a taste of the marlin. Santiago manages to kill these two as well, but in doing so loses his knife, which had been his only weapon. Once the shovel-nosed shark are gone, Santiago has a brief window of time during which he goes back to mourning the fish. Due to these attacks, Santiago now further laments the marlin’s death, for he believes, had the marlin been alive, he would of been able to easily defend himself against the savage sharks. The old man goes on to say that he no longer likes to “look at the fish” for he has been “mutilated” (Hemingway 103). He also mentions that, “When the fish had been hit it was as though he himself [Santiago] were hit.” (Hemingway 103). This tells us that Santiago deeply valued the fish, not only as a source of pride but as a companion as well.

At the end of the novel, after the marlin has been destroyed by numerous sharks, the old man views the marlin as a beautiful creature he brought ruin to by going “too far” (Hemingway 115). Santiago goes on to say that he loved the marlin “when he was alive” and he loved him “after” (Hemingway 105). He question whether it was a “sin to kill the fish” (Hemingway 105) and apologizes for hooking the marlin in the first place, saying that doing so “made everything wrong” (Hemingway

110).
In closing, throughout the majority of the novel Hemingway portrays Santiago as feeling some kind of complex love for the marlin. Even after the arduous chase and death of the marlin, Santiago still felt that the fish was an exceptional creature whom he was lucky to have come across. By the time the novel has come to a close, Santiago appears to fully understand that the prize he had held so dear (the fish) was never his at all. Thus, the marlin will forever be a symbol of regret and understanding, for the old man finally comprehends that he had no place in the marlin’s world and that, in trying to enter it, he brought pain to a magnificent creature who was meant for more than a fish market.