Self Reliance In The Old Man And The Sea

1968 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Character sketch of Santiago in old man and the sea

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway builds itself upon a central component, the Hemingway Code Hero. Specifically, Hemingway uses the Hemingway Code themes of self-reliance, personal competition, and courage most effectively throughout the book. Santiago, a Cuban fisherman and the main character of The Old Man and the Sea, has gone 84 days without catching a fish, a disastrous situation for a fisherman who depends on the fish for food and money. In addition to food Santiago also wants to substantiate his claims that he is as competent a fisherman as the others. As Arvin R. Wells puts it, “The old fisherman fishes as much for a chance to prove himself as he does for a living, and, though he fails to bring the giant marlin to market, …show more content…

He can’t do this forever. But four hours later the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was still braced solidly with the line across his back” (Hemingway 45). It is quite evident from this thought that Santiago is tired and does not want to deal with this fish much longer, but despite this Santiago is still at it four hours later. In the Hemingway Code, under self-reliance, it states that one must be skilled in a particular area. In this quote, Santiago shows his skill when he doesn't give up knowing from all of his experience that he must finish the job. In this situation, Santiago can give up and drop the line, but he does not do this because he knows that it is necessary to follow through and catch this fish so he can provide for himself. Throughout the book, Santiago displays numerous times that he can be self-reliant, overcome obstacles, and keep to the Hemingway …show more content…

Despite being put in situations where he could take the safer route, he takes them in stride and makes decisions that the Code and his life experiences fully support. When the book starts, Santiago talks to the boy Manolin about the baseball great, Joe DiMaggio, “I wanted to take him fishing but I was too timid to ask him. Then I asked you to ask him and you were too timid” (22). When one first reads these sentences, it seems that Santiago failed to ask DiMaggio to come out fishing with him. This is true, and Santiago does fail in this aspect of the Code, but this is not what it shows us. It can show us that when Santiago fails, it is because he has an adequate reason to do so. DiMaggio is a hero to Santiago because of this Santiago would never want to humiliate DiMaggio with his fishing ability. Santiago shows grace under pressure when a normal man would take DiMaggio fishing for a chance to prove himself. Santiago does not need to prove himself; he already knows what his abilities are and wants to show respect to the people he idolizes. Later in the book Santiago thinks to himself, “I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put a bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty-five days and I should fish the day well. Just then, watching his lines, he saw one of the projecting green sticks dip sharply” (41). Santiago is actively thinking about giving up a little bit and

Show More
Related

  • Great Gatsby-Santiago

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    Santiago is an old fisherman who lives in a small coast town in Cuba. At the time that Hemingway wrote the story, he was also an elderly gentlemen and was such an avid fisherman throughout his life, that books such as "Ernest Hemingway, The Angler As Artist” were written on the sole subject of how this obsession influenced Hemingway's writing. Furthermore, he fished off the coast of Cuba so much that he decided to "buy the 'Finca Vigia' in Cuba, a substantial estate located about fifteen miles from downtown Havana . . .” For entertainment Santiago would "read the baseball." Meanwhile Hemingway often "relied on baseball analogies” in his writing, suggesting that he also loved the game. These similarities between Santiago's lifestyle and Hemingway's cannot be ignored or passed off as coincidence because they are much too precise. Already, from these prominent identical traits it is evident that Hemingway modeled the character of Santiago after his own person.

    Read More

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

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    magazine in 1933, and written by Ernest Hemingway. The essay details the escapades of a Cuban fisherman dragged out to sea by marlin. By the time he was found, sharks had destroyed the man’s great catch.1 This essay is the basis for the story of the main character, Santiago, in Hemingway’s novella, The Old Man and the Sea.1 Published almost twenty years later, in 1952, The Old Man and the Sea is considered a classic American novel. The story is deceivingly simple, involving an unlucky elderly fisherman, Santiago, who hasn't caught a fish in months. However, many aspects of the story tell of a much deeper message which transcends the years. Santiago embodies universal truths about the character traits of men, including perseverance and commitment, faith and humility developed through adversity.

    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

    The Old Man and the Sea tells the story of Santiago, a very old fisherman, and his quest to catch a fish after eighty four days of failing to catch any fish at all. When his young apprentice, Manolin, is forced to abandon him by his parents, Santiago sets out farther than he has ever traveled at sea in hopes that larger fish will be available for catching. Not only does he spend several days fighting with a great marlin that he manages to hook before finally killing him, he also battles with hungry sharks, as well as his own body, which, at times, seems to be failing him.

    Read More

  • Ernest Hemingway's Old Man And The Sea

    368 Words  | 1 Pages

    Santiago’s psychological processes in Ernest Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea are exceptionally eloquent and cultivated and reach deep levels of pride and self respect that he refuses to abandon. For example, the old man advocates not catching the fish by claiming that the fish has not been in the correct position to be caught. Santiago is overwhelmingly prideful which can ultimately affect his means of survival. The old man’s sense of deep self preservation just about crosses the line between having too much pride and coming off to others as arrogance. The old man refuses to accept help from anyone but the boy that he had taught how to fish years before, which even then he is hesitant to accept help. The million dollar question to ask is why

    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

  • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

    1637 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Success in The Old Man and the Sea

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Secondly, Santiago experiences material success because of the augmented physical strength he attains from the obstacles that he is forced to face. The old man is walking home to his shack after he returns from his strenuous journey, “He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack” (121). The old man is exhausted from his trip because he had spent so much energy catching the fish. Plenty of strength must have been gained from the exertion of this much energy. During the shark attacks, Santiago is optimistic about what good the bleeding from his hands will bring. “The bleeding may keep the left from cramping” (111). The old man is so strong that he uses the bleeding pain to suffocate a different source of pain. Not only that, but just the fact of keeping a positive attitude about a situation like this is a great accomplishment which can only be obtained from strength.

    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. Although Santiago has had many troubles he perseveres. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself.

    Read More

  • The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Old Man and the Sea focuses its plot mainly on Santiago’s struggle against the marlin. Existentialism makes its appearance when Santiago chooses to pursue the marlin, stay with it the entire way, and fight tooth and nail at the end. “My choice was to go there to find him beyond all people,” is how Santiago explains his actions to challenge the fish (Hemingway 50). He mentions how he was born to be a fisherman, and by chasing the marlin, he will give his life the meaning for existence. Santiago also insists on staying with the fish until one of them is dead, which exemplifies his will to fulfill his goals in life. He endures obstacles such as nausea, cramps, and sleep deprivation because he does not want to give up and surrender his fate. 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 li...

    Read More

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

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hemingway has a way of making his readers believe that the feats and strengths that his characters obtain in his novels are actually possible. Although this statement may be too critical, and maybe there is a man out there, somewhere on the coast of Cuba who at this very moment is setting out to the open sea to catch a marlin of his own. The struggle many readers have is believing the story of Santiago’s physical powers and his strength against temptation bring forward the question of whether or not The Old Man and the Sea is worthy to be called a classic. Hemingway’s Santiago brought Faulkner and millions of other readers on their knees, while to some, believed Hemingway had swung his third strike. As we look further into Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, we can analyze the criticism and complications of the character Santiago. He is portrayed as a faulty Jesus, an unrealistic and inhuman man, and again still a hero to those who cannot find happiness in their life.

    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 Self Reliance In The Old Man And The Sea

Open Document