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Now and then character analysis
Now and then character analysis
Now and then character analysis
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The old man, named Santiago, has not caught a fish in 84 days. He is poor, skinny, lives in a hut, sleeps on newspapers, and does not have a fishing rod. He is struggling in life and he has no job. His only job is fishing and that is what he does to make money. He has not caught a fish in 84 days. "You are killing me fish", the old man thought, "but you have the right to" (Hemingway 92). The old man was very happy. He dreamed about lions running on beaches so he was never upset or sad. This quotes meaning is showing how Santiago is struggling with himself and his life, in general. Santiago struggled within himself about his lifestyle and his lack of money. Another quote that shows man vs self is: "Nothing, he said. I went out too far" …show more content…
So, Santiago went out into the sea with some fishing supplies such as a harpoon, knife, and a rope. That day, he caught a fish or two that he used as bait. That same day, something hooked on his line that he never saw before. It was enormous in size! It was not a shark nor whale, and it jumped out of the water really quickly. What was it? It was the great marlin! Santiago stated, "I will lash the two oars together across the stern and that will slow him in the night, he said, he's good for the night and so am I"( Hemingway 73). Santiago strained to keep this massive marlin, but tried his best to fight and keep the beast on his line. Santiago wanted to keep this marlin alive, yet he knew what he was up against. After the long and painful days of trying to keep the marlin alive, Santiago said, "I killed him in self defense, the old man aloud and I killed him well"(Hemingway 106). Santiago did not truly want to kill the marlin, he wanted to bring him back to his village. Unfortunately, the sea and sharks got the best of the marlin and ate it. Santiago had to fight the sharks off, so he had something left of the marlin to show the people. These actions taken by Santiago was a true struggle between himself and …show more content…
He is poor, skinny, lives in a hut, sleeps on newspapers, and does not have a fishing rod. He is struggling in life and he has no job. His only job is fishing and that is what he does to make money. He has not caught a fish in 84 days. "You are killing me fish", the old man thought, "but you have the right to" (Hemingway 92). The old man was very happy. He dreamed about lions running on beaches so he was never upset or sad. This quotes meaning is showing how Santiago is struggling with himself and his life, in general. Santiago struggled within himself about his lifestyle and his lack of money. Another quote that shows man vs self is: "Nothing, he said. I went out too far" (Hemingway 120). Santiago second guessed himself on his journey in the sea. He should have stayed closer to the land and not venture out so far. He struggled with choice in going further into the sea, and he lost
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
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
In the book, The old man and the sea by ernest hemingway, the old man, named Santiago, had not caught any fish for 84 days, this was seen as a major failure by the people of his town and by many of the readers. But although santiago’s journey was seen as a failure, he still was successful because of his good attitude, his determination, and the fact that he loved what he did. Thes qualities made santiago succeed, in the midst of all of his failures.
In this quote Santiago is showing that he is confident and that he knows that there will be one day where he will catch a fish which will give him pride and joy. Hemingway's novella describes Santiago as a very confident man, he describes Santiago as being a very tough and manly person and this quote is proving he has a lot of confidence.
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.
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
Hemingway lived an interesting life, which allowed him to take past life experiences and tell them through novels. He does this exclusively through subtle symbolism in works like The Old Man and the Sea. As with all his other works, Hemingway incorporates a past experience into The Old Man and the Sea. Hemingway does this in the largest scene in the book by using birds, the sharks Santiago fights off, the marlin itself, and the other fish in the sea as symbols. In the book, Hemingway uses the birds to represent his friends and mentors, the sharks being the critics of his book, the marlin being The Old Man and the Sea, and the other fish representing Hemingway's other works. Hemingway uses symbolism when he writes, “‘You are killing me, fish,’ the old man thought. ‘But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills wh...
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
First, the old man receives outer success by earning the respect and appreciation of the boy and the other fishermen. The boy is speaking to the old man in his shack after the old man’s long journey, “You must get well fast for there is much that I can learn and you can teach me everything” (Hemmingway 126). The boy appreciates the fact that the old man spends time to teach him about fishing. He respects him a great deal for he knows that the old man is very wise and is a magnificent fisherman. The fellow fishermen also show respect towards the old man as they note the size of the fish after the old man returns home, “What a fish it was, there has never been such a fish” (123). The men admire the fact that the old man has caught the biggest fish that they have seen. Many fishermen resented Santiago at first, however their opinion changed once they realized what the old man has gone through. Being admired by others plays a major role in improving one’s morale.
He begins to speak to its carcass as if it were a dear friend who had passed, which to him, it might have been. The old man says that his actions were wrongful, for he only beat the marlin “through trickery” (Hemingway 99). A few pages after this statement, Santiago’s grief over the marlin’s death is bound to grow, for an hour after capturing the marlin, a mako shark catches on to its scent. Santiago manages to defeat the “cruel and able and strong and intelligent” (Hemingway 103) mako shark, but not before it bites off a chunk of the marlin’s admittedly delicious meat. This creates an even bigger issue because, thanks to the mako sharks attack, the marlin’s blood has now been released into the ocean and will no doubt attracted other
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.
Santiago is a complex character who learns a lot through the course of this story. He is a very good, humble man and loves Manolin, his apprentice. Santiago is a poor man and is regarded as bad luck by others because he was not caught a single fish in 84 days. One cannot help feel sorry for him because he is very alone. His wife died and the book suggested that he never had any children. Yet he was humble and did not complain at all about his hard life. Santiago is a very persistant and determined character. He fought the huge marlin that he had caught for three agonizing days desopite feeling intense pain. He often had contradictory feelings and thoughts. One that I found strange was when he felt sorry for the marlin while he joyfully pondered how much money he would get for selling the fish.
The old man and the sea is a novella about an old Cuban fisherman, Santiago, and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin fish. Throughout the novella, Santiago is portrayed in different perspectives. He is tough and refuses to give up at any time. He withholds the will to continue and the courage to overcome what is believed to be the impossible. His persistence and confidence, his absolute determination and his unique way of accepting the reality makes him a noble hero.
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...
The relationship between animal and human in this text shows as a relationship of appreciation and respect. Santiago loves everything about being a fisherman. He is lonely at sea and his sea friends are his companions. He has great respect for the sea as well as the inhabitants that swim and live in it. He does not love all creatures of the deep, blue sea, however, does show respect for each one. Santiago has a particular relationship with the marlin. He comments that the marlin is “wonderful”, “strange”, “strong”, “wise”, and “that is fight has no panic to it” (Hemingway 48 -49). Based on his description of the marlin, Santiago loves and respects him as a worthy opponent and brother, “Now we are joined together and have been since noon” (Hemingway 50). Santiago is not only literally linked to the marlin, but also figuratively because the outcome of this battle will determine both their fates. The old man says, “The fish is my friend too,” he said aloud. “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars” (Hemingway 75). He starts to imagine impossible feats like killing the moon or the sun and feels lucky that his task, in relative terms, is much simpler. Although he is sad to kill the fis...