Analisis theme and character of The Old Man and the Sea by Hernest Hemmingway
...s, his eyes are “cheerful and undefeated.” He continues to put to sea each day and believes he will live to catch more fish. The bulk of the novel follows Santiago’s quest to catch one more big fish and his struggle with the marlin he manages to hook. Santiago is a complex, multi-faceted character. He is humble and unpretentious. His simple life and recent lack of success mean that he has nothing –he has no food, his sail is patched and he relies on Manolin for bait and other supplies. Yet at the same time he has the couraghe to continue to dream. He sets off on a quest not just to catch a fish but to catch the biggest fish he has ever caught. To do this, he is willing to go far beyond the limits of younger, more successful fishermen and to test his physical and mental endurance. Santiago recognizes that his strength lies in his “resolution.” This resolve allows him to keep on fishing, despite his age, despite the loss of his apprentice and despite the fact that he has not caught anything for eighty four days. When he eventually hooks the fish, it is his resolve that keeps him holding on to it, regardless of his fatigue. He is prepared to keep fighting the fish until it kills him. The old man has love and respect for the sea not felt by the other fishermen. He calls her “la mar,” a feminine form, full of love, whereas the younger men call her by the masdculine “el mar,” seeing her as an opposing force to be conquered. His eyes, his most lively feature, are the same color as the sea. The sea also keeps him company-healing his wounded hands and bringing him safely home. Yet, at the same time, he battles the sea. It provides shelter for this adversary, the fish. To successfully catch the fish and get it home, he must do battle with sea and its inhabitants. In the end it is the creatures of the sea (the sharks) who deprive Santiago fo complete victory. The close of the novel sees Santiago seemingly defeated—he is suffering exhaustion, his hands and back are injured and his great fish is just a skeleton, ravaged by sharks and left to be taken out to sea by the tide. Yet he has gained—he has proven he is still able to catch a fish and has gained the respect of the other fishermen. They are awed not just by the size of the fish, the biggest they have ever seen, but that Santiago has managed to land it unaided. He has also gained companionship. As Manolin tends to him, he notes how nice it is to have human company, instead of talking to the sea as he has done for the past three days. The boy promises to fish with him again and is keen to learn all he knows. Of course underneath this victory is the unspoken awareness of both men that this may not ...