By John B.

In the story The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the main character Santiago is faced with many obstacles. While trying to catch one of the biggest fish he has ever seen, Santiago struggles with a few physical and mental problems. Also there are some living obstacles in his way too. Santiago decided not to bring any food on his boat either, which took away time from trying to concentrate on catching the Marlin. As you can see there are many things in Santiago’s way.

As Santiago tries to hold on to the fishing line for several days he starts to feel some aches and pains in his hands. In his left hand he experienced some aches and pains from when he had arm wrestled a “Negro” for approximately one day. “For a long time after that everyone had called him “The Champion” and there had been a return match in the spring.”(70) Santiago had still one the match even though his left hand had always given him trouble. During the arm wrestling match everyone had supported the “Negro” by lighting his cigarettes and bring him drinks. This was a disadvantage because he also cut his right hand while holding the fishing line. So both of his hands are very weak.

Santiago is the only person out in the deep of the see all by himself. His loneliness has him always talking to himself. By talking to himself he can remember things from the past and one of his best friends Manolin. If Santiago had the company of his friend he might have had a better chance at catching the Marlin. Also if the boy was with him it would keep him company and he would be a lot less lonely. Aloud he said “I wish I had the boy.” (51) The boy would have given the Old Man a better chance at catching the Marlin. As you can see Santiago needed the boy for company and the help as well.

After a long and exciting voyage in the sea all ends well with Santiago and the Marlin. Santiago had realized that he had let the fish swim way to far out in the ocean. That was where the sharks had lived and swam. There were a few sharks and they decided to eat Santiago’s Marlin in which he had followed for many days. One by one the fish and Santiago tried to defeat the sharks. It wasn’t helping out the best. Santiago’s Marlin had been eaten by the sharks. All that was left to take home was its bones. “He saw the white naked line of his backbone and the dark mass of the head with the projecting bill and all the nakedness between.” (121) All Santiago had to bring back was the Marlins remains and the remembrance of the journey he went on.

The main character Santiago, in The Old Man and the Sea, faced so many problems in his voyage. In the end everything turned out to be what nobody would have ever imagined. From hand cramps, to being lonely, and sharks, Santiago handled things very well for an Old Man. I have been to many different places before and I still remember them from about seven years ago, and I will probably remember the trip for the rest of my life. Santiago overall learned a lesson, just because he didn’t succeed he still had one special experience that nobody but him would have ever had. Even though Santiago had lost his prize, he will never forget the experience