Tricked
Section 1 (pg. 9-28)
An old man named Santiago has gone 84 days without catching a fish. During the first 40 days of his unlucky streak, he fished with a young boy named Manolin, who had been with the old man ever since he was five years old. Due to Santiago's bad luck, however, Manolin's parents told their son not to fish with the old man. They forced him to join up with a more lucrative boat, which ended up catching three good-sized fish in its first week.
Santiago is a well-worn man. His face and body show the signs of aging, but inside he is young and alive: "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." Page 10
After making a comfortable amount of money on the new fishing boat, Manolin tells Santiago that he wants to fish with him again. He feels bad because he never wanted to leave Santiago, his mentor, but had to honor his duty to his parents to earn some money. Santiago knows that the boy is loyal to him and never becomes upset by his decision to leave.
Topic Tracking: Paternalism 1
Manolin takes good care of Santiago. He makes sure the old man eats and remains in good health. He tries to give the old man positive encouragement and makes sure his ego is never wounded. Other local fishermen either make fun of or pity Santiago.
Topic Tracking: Pride 1
Santiago tells the boy that he will go out into the Gulf in his skiff because the current will be strong. Superstitious about numbers, Santiago also believes the 85th day will bring him good luck. Manolin brings the old man some food and asks him to talk about baseball. Santiago loves the New York Yankees because his hero, the great Joe DiMaggio, is on the team. Santiago and the boy talk about other greats in baseball. The boy then tells Santiago that he is the greatest fisherman: "There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only one you." Page 23
Topic Tracking: Pride 2
Manolin flatters Santiago and admires his strength. Santiago concedes that he is not as strong as he once was, but he can catch a great fish due to his resolution and tricks. Manolin puts Santiago to sleep. Santiago has the same dream he has every night.
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
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
Manolin, the young boy, versus his parents is an example of the conflict, Man vs. Man. Manolin’s parents force him to fish in a boat that is “lucky” instead of fishing with Santiago. Although Manolin must obey his parents, he is determined to still talk with Santiago and return to fishing with the old man. Even though Santiago understands Manolin is unhappy he still states, “But you are your father’s and your mother’s and you are in a lucky boat” (Hemmingway 13). Manolin is determined to still help Santiago when he claims, “If I cannot fish with you, I would like to serve in someway”(Hemmingway 12). This quote shows how Manolin doesn’t care if he is in a lucky boat or not and how he must obey his father. Later on Santiago goes on to ask Manolin,
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
In this situation, the fish serves as the old man’s enemy; yet, Santiago does not view the fish as so. Instead, he admires the fish and views it as “more noble and more able” than himself (Hemingway 63). The old man expresses love and connection with his enemy, a concept Christ often preached to his disciples. Jesus instructed his disciples to “love your enemies” and to “bless those who curse you” (Holman Christian Standard Bible, Luke 6.27-28). Santiago’s perspective on his adversaries further develops his pure and loving persona.
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.
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 go against his parent’s wishes 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”.
The constant struggle makes Santiago realize that he is no longer as young as he thinks he is and
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, pits his strength against forces he cannot control. We learn from Santiago's struggles how to face insurmountable odds with bravery and courage. Though we find an indifferent and hostile universe as Santiago's stage, his unwillingness to give in to these forces demonstrate a reverence for life's struggles. Santiago's struggle is for dignity and meaning in the face of insurmountable odds. His warrior-like spirit fights off the sharks full-well knowing the fate of his marlin. Santiago loses his marlin in the end, but his struggle to keep it represent a victory because of the dignity and heroism with which he carries out his mission. However, as Santiago acknowledges, he is almost sorry he caught the marlin because he knows the animal and he have a great deal in common as fellow beings in nature. However, he only caught the marlin "through trickery" (Hemingway 99). Santi...
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.
Santiago can be compared to a Christ figure on the basis of his relationships with other characters in the novel. People look up to Santiago, as would a follower to Christ, hereby setting up a comparison between the two. (transition) Since the age of five, Manolin has aided the old man by working alongside him as an apprentice. Manolin is loyal to Santiago and looks up to him as if Santiago was his real father. According to Delbert Wylder, "Santiago has, in a sense been the boy’s spiritual father" ( 219). Manolin is in awe of the old man, who the town recognizes as an honorable fisherman. The boy states, "There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you." Like Santiago, Christ was also a spiritual father to his town; the town of Bethlehem. He performed miracles to heal the sick, and fed thousands of starving people. As Jim Auer says, "This demonstrates Santiago’s relation to Christ. They are both extremely unique, and were father figures in their communities" (15). ?The people of Bethlehem looked up to Christ as a father figure, and they had love and admiration towards him.? Likewise, "The love of Manolin for Santiago is that of a discipline for a master in the arts of fishing, it is also the love of a son for an adopted father" (Wagner-Martin 307). Through Manolin’s caring of the old man, he shows his love for Santiago. Even though Santiago is not Manolin’s biological father, he cares for him as though he was. "The old man was asleep in the chair and the sun was down. The boy took the old army blanket off the bed and spread it over the back of the chair and over the old man’s shoulders… and when he woke up he fed him supper" (...
... minds of many with the great strength and patience: the passion that Santiago has for life, for nature, and for the harsh judgement of fellow fisherman.
Manolin is the innocent side of Santiago 's personality, sharing many of his interests but looking on them with fresh eyes. Santiago, for his part, sees Manolin as someone who should aspire to greater things than Santiago did in his own life, but also enjoys the boy 's attention and loves him as a son.
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 life, filled with passion and purpose .... ... middle of paper ...