Existentialism in The Old Man and the Sea
...atch fish there. Santiago is looking for a challenge in life. Hemingway uses animals to further describe Santiago. Santiago admires the sea turtles, because their hearts will continue to beat for about an hour after death. The turtle would be “destroyed but not defeated.” Santiago believes his heart would do this as well. He often dreams of the lions on the beaches of Africa, because they remind him of when he was young and fishing was easier for him. The black marlin symbolizes the ideal opponent. In a world in which “everything kills everything else in some way,” Santiago feels lucky to find himself matched against a creature that brings out the best in him. The first shark to attack the marlin is a Mako. Makoes are the fastest sharks in the ocean. They hunt alone like Santiago. After Santiago kills the Mako, shovel-nosed sharks begin to arrive. The shovel-nosed sharks are scavengers and are not worthy of Santiago’s effort and strength. In order to suggest the depth of Santiago’s sacrifice, Hemingway likens Santiago to Christ. Santiago’s palms are cut by his fishing line. This symbolizes Christ’s pains and his hands being nailed to the cross. The image of Santiago struggling up the hill with his mast across his shoulders recalls Christ’s march toward Calvary. Comparing Santiago to Christ makes Santiago more dignified. After hooking the great marlin, Santiago realizes he is unable to quickly kill the fish, so it tows him farther out to sea. Santiago begins to recognize a bond between himself and the marlin. He constantly calls the fish h...