FREE ESSAY ON THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

The Old Man and the Sea is a heroic tale of man's strength pitted against forces he cannot
control. It is a story about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant
Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity;
the Old Man and the Sea strives to teach important life lessons to the reader while also
epitomizing Santiago, the old fisherman, as a Hemingway code hero.
The relationship between Santiago and the boy is introduced early in the story. They are
unlikely companions; one is old and the other young, yet they share an insuperable amount
of respect and loyalty for each other. Santiago does not treat Manolin as a young boy but
rather as an equal. Age is not a factor in their relationship. Manolin does not even act
as a young boy; he is mature and sensitive to Santiago's feelings. He even offers to
disobey his parents and accompany Santiago on his fishing trips. Santiago is viewed as an
outcast in his village because he has not caught any fish for more than eighty-four days
and is therefore unlucky. Nonetheless Manolin is loyal to Santiago and even when his
parents forbid him he wants to help his friend. Their conversations are comfortable, like
that of two friends who have known each other for a long time. When they speak it is
usually about baseball or fishing, the two things they have most in common. Their
favorite team is the Yankees and Santiago never loses faith in them even when the star
player, Joe DiMaggio is injured with a heel spur. In this way Santiago not only teaches
Manolin about fishing but also about important characteristics such as faith. 
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 tenacity in the face of adversity. He demonstrates
that even when all is lost and seems hopeless a faith and willful heart 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. This is perhaps his greatest attribute
because without it he would never have had the strength to persevere and defeat the giant
Marlin. 
Faith is not the only thing that drives his perseverance. Santiago also draws upon his
past victories for strength. After he hooks the Marlin he frequently recalls his battle
with a native in what he calls the hand game. It is not just an arm wrestling victory for
him it is a reminder of his youthful days. His recollections of this event usually
proceed a favorite dream of his in which he sees many lions on a peaceful shore. These
lions represent him when he is young and strong and could overcome any challenge.
Although he is an old man and his body is no longer like it used to be his heart is still
great and he eventually defeats the Marlin. Santiago's perseverance and bravery are
further illustrated when he tries to fight off the sharks. He was a fisherman all his
life and therefore he knows that the fate of his catch is inevitable yet he persists to
fight the sharks. The battle between him and the sharks is about principles not a mere
fish. Santiago is still a great warrior at heart and warriors fight until the end. 
One of the greatest and most obvious pieces of symbolism in the story is Christianity.
From the beginning of the story the reader is shown a unique relationship between
Santiago and Manolin. Their relationship parallels that of Christ and his disciples.
Manolin is Santiago's disciple and Santiago teaches Manolin about fishing and life. One
of the greatest lessons that Santiago gives is that of a simple faith. Have faith in the
Yankees my son. This type of faith reflects the basic principles of Christianity. 
Hemingway's description of Santiago further illustrates Christian symbolism. Hemingway
gives a reference to the nail-pierced hands of Christ by stating that Santiago's hands
had deep creased scars. Hemingway also parallels Santiago's suffering to that of Christ
by stating that he settled ...against the wood and took his suffering as it came. Even
more profound is the description of Santiago's response when he saw the sharks, just a
noise such a man might make, involuntarily feeling the nail go through his hands and into
the wood. (Page 107) Further symbolism is shown when Santiago arrives home and carries
the mast across his shoulders as Christ carried the cross to Calvary. Also, like Christ,
Santiago could not bare the weight and collapsed on the road. When he finally reached his
cabin he slept face down on the newspapers with his arms out straight and the palms of
his hands up. (Page 122) Hemingway puts these themes together in such a way that they do
not conflict with each other. He does allow Christianity to be a more dominant theme than
the other but instead makes it more symbolic than intentional. He does not smother the
relationship between the old man and the young boy but instead separates them for a large
part of the story. Finally, he does not make Santiago's bravery a central them by
highlighting his weaknesses. In the end the old mans perseverance and faith pay off. He
finally gains the respect of the village and succeeds in teaching Manolin the lessons of
faith and bravery.
In Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, one will find many examples in which the
main character, Santiago, surpasses many hardships while being courageous, brave, and
being a friend. Each of these: courage, bravery, and friendship, are qualities in a
Hemingway code hero.