Throughout The Old Man and the Sea, the old man was portrayed through the various hardships that he was forced to overcome. Adaptation and perseverance were critical as Santiago outlasted each challenge he faced. Even after the marlin had been subdued, the challenge of defeating the sharks and reeling the fish in was yet to come. The complications Santiago overcame showed he was committed to catching the marlin; they also showed his pure love for fishing.
Santiago woke up on the eighty-fifth day of the year knowing it was going to be a lucky day. He set out in his skiff and caught a marlin like he had never seen before, as it was longer then his small boat. Despite his positive outlook, the fight was far from easy. For three days the old man struggled with the giant marlin. He never gave up even with an injured right hand holding onto the line that kept the fish at bay. Hemingway expresses this obstacle when he states, ”He felt the line carefully with his right hand and noticed his hand was bleeding” (55-56). Santiago knew there would only be one winner in this battle: either him or the fish. The fish was not giving up and Santiago would not renounce either.
Fighting for the life of the marlin exhausted Santiago. The old man knew if he tried to sleep and the fish started jumping or making sudden movements the line could snap or the hook could come out. “I could go without sleeping, he told himself. But it would be too dangerous” (77). He could only rest if the fish rested. One factor to this exhaustion was his lack of food and water. Heroically, he caught smaller fish to utilize for energy. Such steadfast courage conveyed the determination of Santiago, and Hemingways’ portrayal of ambition in the face of danger.
The sharks that came and attacked Santiago’s marlin were the last things that he wanted to deal with. After an extensive period of sacrifice that fully tested his endurance, the old man was not prepared for this new arrival. There was nothing Santiago could do to shirk the sharks’ attack. Sharks are superior at tracking the scent of blood and are tremendously hard to kill because of their quickness. In his state of exhaustion, the efficient killers were overwhelming. The predators swiftly dismembered Santiago’s immense catch, stripping the fish to the bones. “The old man could see pieces of the meat of the fish spilling white from the corner of his jaws as he bumped the fish and closed his jaws” (113) is an example of Santiago’s calm amidst the chaos of the sea. Despite the ferociousness of the sharks, his thoughts were solely on the preservation of the marlin and a logical reasoning of how to survive the situation. Regardless of the marlin’s dismemberment, the determined fisherman was overcome with pride that he had remained so stalwart in his capture.
With his courage and integrity, did the old man really get what he wanted? Even though the fish was eaten down to the bones by the sharks, he still had the pride of catching the great marlin. Although he struggled with the fish for three days, and beat it with tremendous fatigue, he succeeded with what his intensions were: catching the largest fish he could find, and nothing more. The old man caught the marlin after a long struggle with the various elements the sea had to offer him. Santiago never gave up; he was an old man trying to survive the toughest environment had to offer him.
Santiago woke up on the eighty-fifth day of the year knowing it was going to be a lucky day. He set out in his skiff and caught a marlin like he had never seen before, as it was longer then his small boat. Despite his positive outlook, the fight was far from easy. For three days the old man struggled with the giant marlin. He never gave up even with an injured right hand holding onto the line that kept the fish at bay. Hemingway expresses this obstacle when he states, ”He felt the line carefully with his right hand and noticed his hand was bleeding” (55-56). Santiago knew there would only be one winner in this battle: either him or the fish. The fish was not giving up and Santiago would not renounce either.
Fighting for the life of the marlin exhausted Santiago. The old man knew if he tried to sleep and the fish started jumping or making sudden movements the line could snap or the hook could come out. “I could go without sleeping, he told himself. But it would be too dangerous” (77). He could only rest if the fish rested. One factor to this exhaustion was his lack of food and water. Heroically, he caught smaller fish to utilize for energy. Such steadfast courage conveyed the determination of Santiago, and Hemingways’ portrayal of ambition in the face of danger.
The sharks that came and attacked Santiago’s marlin were the last things that he wanted to deal with. After an extensive period of sacrifice that fully tested his endurance, the old man was not prepared for this new arrival. There was nothing Santiago could do to shirk the sharks’ attack. Sharks are superior at tracking the scent of blood and are tremendously hard to kill because of their quickness. In his state of exhaustion, the efficient killers were overwhelming. The predators swiftly dismembered Santiago’s immense catch, stripping the fish to the bones. “The old man could see pieces of the meat of the fish spilling white from the corner of his jaws as he bumped the fish and closed his jaws” (113) is an example of Santiago’s calm amidst the chaos of the sea. Despite the ferociousness of the sharks, his thoughts were solely on the preservation of the marlin and a logical reasoning of how to survive the situation. Regardless of the marlin’s dismemberment, the determined fisherman was overcome with pride that he had remained so stalwart in his capture.
With his courage and integrity, did the old man really get what he wanted? Even though the fish was eaten down to the bones by the sharks, he still had the pride of catching the great marlin. Although he struggled with the fish for three days, and beat it with tremendous fatigue, he succeeded with what his intensions were: catching the largest fish he could find, and nothing more. The old man caught the marlin after a long struggle with the various elements the sea had to offer him. Santiago never gave up; he was an old man trying to survive the toughest environment had to offer him.
1 comment:
Very well written essay Sean. I liked your thesis statement. It was very clear and easy to understand. I also liked your quotations, specifically the one about the shark attacking the marlin. Next time, my only advice would be to connect your conclusion to your opening a little bit more. Overall, very good job.
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