By Brynna S.

Often in life people face many challenges and obstacles, but with the right tools they can be overcome. It is sometimes with great difficulty and perplexity, but it can be done. In the novella The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, the main character is an applicable example of this. Santiago faces obstacles, and tackles them head on despite all the things working against him. Though being both physically and mentally worn down, Santiago continues to fight. A few of the many obstacles Santiago overcame on his treacherous journey include fighting off the sharks, working through his injured hand, and defeating the odds by hanging on through his old age without the boy.

Santiago encounters a number of different sharks on his way back to shore. The first who tries to eat the marlin he stabs with his spear. Though the shark left, it took the spear with it. Therefore when more sharks began approaching his little skiff he had to think of new ways to fight them off. He took the tiller off of his small boat and beat the sharks with it. Not only did he do that but he tied his knife to one of his oars and used it as a new spear. “But that was the location of the brain and the old man hit it. He hit it with his blood mushed hands driving a good harpoon with all his strength. He hit it without hope but with resolution and complete malignancy.”(102).Although most of the marlin had been eaten, Santiago prevented it from being taken completely.

During the fight for the marlin Santiago had continued to hold the fishing line for days. After quite a while his hand cramped up on him and refused to open. He figured he would let it loosen itself. The time came though when he would need his other hand to reel in the fish. He tried with all his might but his hand wouldn't budge. He was forced to work with one hand, and began to wonder: “Why was I not born with two good hands? He thought. Perhaps it was my fault in not training that one properly. But god knows he has had enough chances to learn. He did not do so badly in the night, though, and he has only cramped once. If he cramps again, let the line cut him off.” (85). He states in the quote, that he would rather lose his hand then give up now. it to the side of his skiff. With one hand alone he had managed to bring in the enormous marlin, beat it dead, and tie

Lastly, Santiago managed to overcome an obstacle one would never think could be done.He was old and growing more feeble and he still managed to bring in a gargantuan marlin without any assistance. Though the man numerous times wished for his fishing companion, he was still able to bring in a 16 foot fish single-handedly. In the book after killing the shark Santiago says, “Everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive” (106). The boy had always taken good care of him and was a huge help at sea. They were partners, so it was hard for Santiago when he didn’t have him around anymore.

In the novella The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, a lonely old man managed to beat the odds and fight nature. He overcame great obstacles and difficulties. At times it seemed like everything in the world was working against Santiago. It looked as if he had no chance in the world at winning. He might have even believed that himself a few times, but that didn’t make him give up. By keeping his head up, his pride in check, and determination burning in his heart he was lucky enough to overcome his obstacles. I say lucky enough, but I know it wasn't luck. It was the determination and hard work of one man.