By Kyle G.

In the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, an old fisherman name Santiago faces many struggles in a fight to catch a fish, which at the end of the day, turns out to be more to be more than just another nights dinner. Santiago faces many physiological conflicts putting his mind to a state of give up and die, or fight and live. He also faces many physical conflicts against his old age and weakness, his constant fatigue, as well as him having very little to no supplies to keep him alert in this constant battle with the elements, his mind, the fish, and the drive to get back home. Does Santiago have what it takes, or will his mind and body give up, leaving Santiago stranded, helpless, in the worlds largest ocean, no one knowing where he is or if he is alive or has fallen another victim to the unforgiving ocean.

Although Santiago faces many struggles throughout this novella, none get to him more than his fight between a fish twice the size of his small skiff, with only his own power and his small range of supplies, including food and fresh water. As a man of old age, and near death, many things that would pull a young, strong man over the edge end up happening to Santiago. His strength is limited, but through it all he is able to pull through with his fight to survive. Santiago once said the quote “Fish, I will stay with you until I am dead” (52). This shows his strength and perseverance to pull through, and not only that, but catch the fish as well. This quote shows us the side of Santiago that allows us to see the old man who is willing to fight for everything he has, and everything he wants in life.

Another big obstacle Santiago had to face was his fight against the sharks he faced at the end of the novel. After working so hard at catching the big fish, Santiago sees the sharks coming from off in the distance and says the quote “Galanos, come on galanos” (108). This shows how Santiago with give everything he has left in his to fight them off and keep his prized fish. In the end Santiago is unable to do this and is deprived of his catch as the sharks eat the whole fish, leaving nothing but the bones. Most would think that because of this huge loss to Santiago, everything he had done in the last four days was for nothing, but to other it shows again, how through everything that is thrown at him, Santiago looks it in the eye, stands tall and proud, and gives it all he’s got. And no matter what the outcome, at the end of it all, he is one happy man.

One of the last obstacles Santiago has to face in his fight with the fish is his fight to overcome everything that has happened to him in a matter of four days and never give up. Anytime Santiago wanted, he could have cut the line of the fish and gone home. But he never did. “But man is not made for defeat; a man can be destroyed but not defeated” (103). This quotes shows how by giving up something, you give up everything you have worked for, but by failing, you’re just another human being. No matter what happens to this man he sits back and looks back on it being proud about anything that had happened. That is why this character, is the one who overcame the most obstacles in this novel.

Santiago faced many, many struggles in this book. He overcame whatever happened to him and he and everyone else that saw the fish, knew what he had fought for and what he had accomplished. He never gave up and he will never give up until the day he dies, and when he does everyone will know what a strong fighter Santiago was. And because he is a fighter, he overcame this heavy burden and many obstacles.