Old Man And The Sea

2 Pages 531 Words

In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, during his lonely journey out to sea, learned that life offered him an undeniable joy plus frustration. Honor, heroism, and struggle were obstacles Santiago encountered which provided him courage and faith.
For instance, Santiago’s life was filled with honor. The past and the present were memories about which the old man was most proud. The old man endured tremendous physical pain, like the cramping in his hands, leading him to almost give up. To encourage himself, the old man remembered the time when he was “el campeon” meaning “the champion” in Spanish. For a long time after that everyone had called him “the champion” (Pg. 70). The memory of being a victor revived Santiago’s stamina, encouraging him to seek another goal. His next goal, the marlin, ultimately challenged him. He fought the fish for so long that he formed a type of bond with the fish, and he said “Fish, I will stay with you until I am dead” (Pg. 52). At the moment, when Santiago harpooned the marlin through the heart, he knew that he was victorious. This act realistically sobered Santiago; he gained more honor and self-confidence. As a result, Santiago’s life was filled with a feeling of nobility.
Furthermore, Santiago often talked about his hero, Joe DiMaggio, a famous and eminent baseball player. Joe DiMaggio directly and indirectly affected the old man. His actions, like when he played baseball with the bone spur, and his attitudes contributed to the old man’s life. Thinking about DiMaggio showed the old man the way to victory. His worship of DiMaggio woke the courage that was within the old man’s heart.
As Santiago thought the ultimate challenge was over, the worst was yet to come. The mako sharks had sensed the marlin’s blood in the water and moved after it. It approached and attacked the marlin. Santiago killed the first shark. After that, the sharks kept coming. Th...