Santiago's Loss

571 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The theme of success in the old man and the sea

What would you do if others thought you were a foolish failure? Would you get angry? Get even? Give up? In the book, The Old Man and The Sea, author Ernest Hemingway introduces the character Santiago, an aging seasoned sailor who had to respond to just this dilemma. He chose to respond with strength, humility, and endurance in spite of the suffering caused by the situation. In this slow going, but interesting and action packed book, a very aged man follows his dreams. Many villagers made fun of Santiago which drove him to go back out to sea in search of the catch that would prove he had value and make his dreams come true. While many of the fisherman in the story accuse him of being weak and a liar, he is shown to be a strong, humble man who suffered their insults with dignity. Santiago was an elderly Cuban fisherman. For eighty four days, he caught nothing. However, he persisted in wanting to catch the “big fish” that will feed him and put money in his pocket. …show more content…

Santiago makes up for being elderly by demonstrating incredible endurance, withstanding hunger, physical pain, and isolation from the rest of the world as he battles the fish. Endurance becomes a way to connect with Santiago and the battle with the fish as they share a determination that, in its magnitude, separates them from other people and creatures. Santiago, while mocked and made fun of for his courage and perseverance, stays humble even when he catches the fish. Catching this fish was like winning today's lottery, this great fish would have provided plenty of food and money for Santiago. Yet the fish was torn apart by sharks,and Santiago only had but the bones left. When he got back to shore many people thought he didn't catch the fish, and many people did. Yet Santiago stayed humble and did not brag or boast of the

Show More
Related

  • Marlin off the Morrow: A Cuban Letter Written by Ernest Hemingway

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    but not defeated.” (Hemingway 80) Santiago, an old, scarred fisherman, lives in a hut and fishes in a battered and torn skiff with a sail that was, “patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat.” (Hemingway 3) His terrible circumstances and misfortune made him an object of mockery in the eyes of young fishermen and a man to pity for old fishermen, but Santiago knows that with skill, perseverance and commitment, he will prevail. “The lines went straight down... He kept them straighter than anyone did, so that at each level in the darkness of the stream there would be a bait waiting exactly where he wished it to be for any fish that swam there.” (Hemingway 21-22) Santiago was a skillful fisherman. While Santiago is fighting to lure ...

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Old Man And The Great Gatsby

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    The quote, “Nothing happened. The fish just moved away slowly and the old man could not raise him an inch. His line was strong and made for heavy fish and he held it against his back until it was so taut that beads of water were jumping from it. Then it began to make a slow hissing sound in the water and he still held it, bracing himself against the thwart and leaning back against the pull. The boat began to move slowly off toward the north-west.”(44) creates in depth meaning into how the old man is strong because the fish possesses a determination equal in magnitude to Santiago’s. Santiago has a large amount of endurance, and is using it in the midst of following the fish. Another example of Santiago’s endurance throughout the novel is his strength with the physical pain he feels. For example, the old man has a lot of back pain while following the fish, and catching it, especially. “...”( ).........The old man also experiences physical pain when his hand is cramping and when it gets cut. The author states, “The old man would have liked to keep his hand in the salt water longer but he was afraid of another sudden lurch by the fish and he stood up and braced himself and

    Read More

  • Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...that the old man survived those long days at sea, and even caught the marlin successfully. Santiago’s credibility as a fisherman and survivor are restored. In this way, he is resurrected as a new, respectable man.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Santiago And The Marlin

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin with, the old man is determined just as the fish is. When Santiago first hooks the fish, he states, “‘Fish,’ he said softly, aloud, ‘I’ll stay with you until I am dead’” (Hemingway 52). This shows how he will risk his life to prove that he can catch this marlin. Santiago was fixed on catching this fish and ending his bad luck streak. And, as the marlin doesn’t have much of a choice, he will fight until he dies as well. They are both very

    Read More

  • Examples Of Archetype In The Old Man And The Sea

    524 Words  | 2 Pages

    Having the option to leave it, he chooses not to take that path because he is staying challenged with the fish and doesn’t want to fail at it. Through exhaustion, dehydration, and phlegm, he gathers the courage to stay with this fish that has continued such a battle for so long. Hemingway’s usage of dialogue between Santiago and the fish highlights their will to keep fighting. “I wonder why he jumped, the old man thought. He jumped almost as though to show me how big he was I know now, anyway, he thought. I wish I could show him what sort of man I am”(pg 63) The fish is trying to intimidate Santiago almost conveying that he will not give up without saying a word. Santiago senses this and wishes he could show the fish how “big” he is. “‘Fish,” he said softly, aloud, “I’ll stay with you until I am dead.’” (pg. 51) Santiago is declaring that he will not give up, not directly to the fish but more so to himself, reassuring that he will not give up. Both Santiago and the fish are determined to win their great battle but only one of them can be the

    Read More

  • How Is Santiago Successful

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    He continued to keep on going, and stayed determined to complete his task. Santiago was portrayed by the author as a very determined and wise man, who had the kind of mindset that said either i die or the fish dies. As seen on page 87, it says, “for an hour the old man had been seeing black spots before his eyes and the sweat salted his eyes and salted the cut over his eye and on his forehead. … twice though he had felt dizzy and that worried him. (the old man said)”i could not fail myself and die on a fish like this”...” this is showing how he had refused to die while catching the fish, which only proves his determination and grit that is the character

    Read More

  • Success in The Old Man and the Sea

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    First, the old man receives outer success by earning the respect and appreciation of the boy and the other fishermen. The boy is speaking to the old man in his shack after the old man’s long journey, “You must get well fast for there is much that I can learn and you can teach me everything” (Hemmingway 126). The boy appreciates the fact that the old man spends time to teach him about fishing. He respects him a great deal for he knows that the old man is very wise and is a magnificent fisherman. The fellow fishermen also show respect towards the old man as they note the size of the fish after the old man returns home, “What a fish it was, there has never been such a fish” (123). The men admire the fact that the old man has caught the biggest fish that they have seen. Many fishermen resented Santiago at first, however their opinion changed once they realized what the old man has gone through. Being admired by others plays a major role in improving one’s morale.

    Read More

  • Who Is Santiago A Hero

    491 Words  | 1 Pages

    Christ shows courage throughout the Bible by still maintaining his faith even when mocked by other Jews. Similarly, Santiago acknowledges his bad luck and is mocked by other fisherman for not catching a fish in eighty-four days. Instead of giving up, both men do not give into defeat. Santiago even says, “A man can be destroyed, but not defeated." (Hemingway 29), meaning that even after death, a man is not defeated unless he quits on himself.

    Read More

  • The Old Man And The Sea and Moby Dick

    1367 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • The Old Man And The Sea: Man Defeated

    2041 Words  | 5 Pages

    ”(page 111). Santiago had plans for him already but failed to accomplish them. Some will argue that he won because he gained spiritual victory. This , in a way, is true; but fishing is his job and only way of living. If the case had been different and Santiago was only fishing for his personal entertainment, which wasn’t, it could be seen as a new experience or story to tell.

    Read More

  • Themes in The Old Man and the Sea

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    When it comes down to the final struggle, Santiago pits all of the pain, strength, and pride he has left against the fish in order to bring it down. Despair begins to creep in when Santiago finds it hard to pull in the marlin, but he overcomes it with every ounce of will he has. He knows that it is up to him to create this important moment in his life, filled with passion and purpose .... ... middle of paper ...

    Read More

  • The Character Santiago in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... minds of many with the great strength and patience: the passion that Santiago has for life, for nature, and for the harsh judgement of fellow fisherman.

    Read More

  • Father Son Relationship In The Old Man And The Sea

    1205 Words  | 3 Pages

    For three long days, the boat is alternating pushes and towed by the huge fish in an almost dream-like state. Only the killing os the fish and the attacking of the sharks interrupt the monotony. The monotony becomes one of the pressures that the old man must endure in order to maintain his grace. However, because Santiago never gives in to the monotony or the depression, he becomes the hero in the story against innumerable odds. His tenacious determination leads him to a sense of hope amongst the monotony and depression.

    Read More

  • Santiago in "The Old Man and the Sea"

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    His persistence and confidence was clearly demonstrated at the beginning of the novella. At the beginning of the novella, Santiago seems to run out of luck: he has been unable to catch a fish for eighty four days. As a professional fisherman, eight four days without catching a single fish would be shameful, especially for an old man. However, he never once ga...

    Read More

More about Santiago's Loss

Open Document