By Jessica M.

Everyday, we as people, struggle with life’s challenges, the obstacles that barricade us for our goals. We force ourselves to overcome these walls, and at the end try as hard as we can to achieve our final aspiration. In the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago faces many obstacles on his quest to catch a marlin. Through his three gruesome days at sea, he suffers through physical and mental exhaustion, treacherous hungry sharks, and the pure struggle of being alone. Such obstacles postponed his success with the marlin, creating a book full of suspense, and a well-rounded, realistic character.

One of Santiago’s most defeating obstacles was his struggle with fatigue. He has the knowledge of at least twenty fishermen combined, and the experience from his life at sea. Nothing would seem to be able to stop this strong old man, until he hooks an enormous 1500 pound marlin. Santiago starts to breakdown, one by one. Each day making it harder and harder for him to open his eyes to realize the fish was still pulling strong on the line. “He took all his pain and what was left of his strength and his long gone pride and he put it against the fish’s agony” (93). In this quote, Ernest Hemingway really expresses Santiago’s physical and mental exhaustion. When it states, “He took all his pain and what was left of his strength”, it explains how tired and the extreme discomfort he experienced while at sea. His tired mind and injured body make each day harder and harder for the old man to stay alive. When it says, “his long gone pride”, I think this shows that he is ashamed of how his body has started to fail him. From the fish’s overall strength,

Santiago had to endure, and overcame exhaustion. Another one of Santiago’s struggles is with a group of hungry gruesome sharks. When he finally ropes in the giant marlin after three days of hell, he thought the hard part was over, he soon realizes the worst is yet to come. “The old man could see pieces of the meat of the fish spilling white from the corners of his jaws as he bumped the fish and closed his jaws.” (113) In this quote it shows Santiago’s desperation on trying to save what is left of the half eaten marlin. Over the course of a day, sharks mutilate the enormous fish. Taking chunk by chunk of the precious meat. Santiago tries everything in his power to stop the sharks, but in the end he ends up with only a skeleton and the memories of a horrific journey at sea.

he most significant and difficult obstacle I believe Santiago went through was being alone at sea. He is in his mid eighties and has gone through a life time job as a fisherman. On his journey he realizes how his age will affect him. It makes me think what if he had had another person join him. Would he have successfully caught the marlin? “‘I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this.’ No one should be alone in their old age, he thought.” (48) This quote definitely explains how much Santiago needs someone by his side, helping him to catch the fish. Like in the quote, Santiago is way too old to be out alone in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Santiago is becoming desperate for a helping hand. He is exhausted, and can’t manage to wrangle in this marlin by himself. I believe if he had a partner to assist him in this fishing trip, he would have made it back with the marlin, fully intact.

Through the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway puts many obstacles in Santiago’s path. Some that make him stronger and others that make him frail and weak. These challenges make the book worth reading. Letting the reader sail through the obstacles with Santiago, experiencing them at the same time. In the course of three tiresome days, Santiago goes through many mental and physical challenges. Leading him to a catch of a life time that he will never forget.