By Richy W.

In every story the main character endures a problem or usually many problems. These problems could be mental or physical problems they endure. In the Old Man and the Sea Santiago goes through a number of both mental and physical problems that he overcomes to catch the biggest fish he has ever caught before. Santiago endures amazing physical pain everywhere on his body which is a physical problem. Also a big struggle he had to overcome was the fish was so big it was more powerful than him and he was only an old man so he had to find a way to beat him. Mentally Santiago was beat he had been trying to catch the big fish for three days now and he must have been ready to give up at many points but he stuck with it.

When Santiago first hooks the fish he has no idea of how big the fish really is until he gets it in close to the boat. At first he tried to pull him in but it was useless so he realized this was a pretty big fish and he had to beat him mentally. But physically after two days Santiago was hurt. His hands were bleeding and cut from the holding the line. Every pull the fish made it would worsen Santiago’s hands. Also he didn’t have any food or water so he had to catch his food. He caught a dolphin and ate some of that for some strength. He also found a flying fish inside the dolphin which would really help his strength. “He had no feeling in his left hand but he braked all he could with his right and the line rushed out” (82). This shows the pain Santiago had to go through but he never gave up.

Another problem Santiago had to endure was that the fish was so much more powerful he couldn’t beat him on pure strength. Santiago had to pull the fish in on circles so he could tire him out. Only he had another problem, he had to find the energy to do this. He couldn’t let the fish gain any ground when he pulled so this took a lot of strength. “The line went out and out but it was slowing now and he was making the fish earn each inch of it.” (83). So this shows how Santiago had to deal with the strength of the fish which was a huge problem.

Mentally Santiago was getting drained. He was after the fish for three days until he actually caught it and at times he was really close to just giving up. The strength it took and the pain was grueling and he felt he really couldn’t take any more of it. But somehow he found it inside himself to not give up and catch the fish. “It was a great temptation to resto in the bow and let the fish make one circle by himself without recovering any line.” (89). He wanted to give up but he never did so this shows his true character and how much he wanted it.

So you see all the grueling pain and problems Santiago had to endure while catching the fish. However he did catch the fish so it was all worth it. His hands and physical pain was killing him the whole trip but he still fought through it. The fish was so much stronger and bigger than Santiago that nobody would believe an old man like him could catch that fish after going 86 days without a single catch. The pain and lack of energy made him feel like quitting however he couldn’t do that he had to much respect for the fish. So this old man caught the biggest fish of his life and was very proud.

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By Jacob R.

In the novella The Old Man and the Sea, written by Earnest Hemingway, the main character, Santiago, has to make one of his biggest decisions which is whether he should let the boy, Manolin go with him or not. In the book he doesn’t let him, and as a result he doesn’t have someone there to help him defeat the sharks, catch the marlin, and heal his wounds while fighting the fish behemoth.
One of the reasons it would have gone better is because when he was fighting the sharks he had to use a lot of his equipment to kill them but if he had the boy with him he would have more gaffs or more harpoons to kill the sharks with. “the old man could hear the noise of flesh ripping on the big fish” (102) When he’s coming back to port the sharks ate his catch so if Manolin was there he could have caught the sharks eating his marlin and maybe warn the old man about it and scare away the sharks or kill them he could have kept his catch instead of coming back and seeing the fish torn away and all that’s left is the bones. Also if the boy was there they could have killed all the sharks and they would have to worry about them eating the fish on the way back.


When Santiago was trying to catch the marlin he had only one harpoon to throw into it and if he missed it would have been horrible trouble for him. “He let the line slip through his fingers while he reached down with his left hand and made fast the free end of the two reserve coils to the loop of the two reserve coils of the next line” (44) This shows that it’s hard to do things alone and that if the boy was there he wouldn’t have to let go of some line just to get more equipment. Also when he was fighting with it he didn’t have a lot of strength after a while but if he had the boy with him he could have more strength to hold the marlin and maybe he could have caught it faster. Also he could have had more supplies to catch the marlin with like an extra harpoon or something. When he was out at sea he also could have used someone to talk to him because that may have made it easier because he would be more relaxed in the tight situations.

Last when he was out he had many wounds from his long and strenuous battle with the marlin. “He had no feeling of his left hand but he braked all he could with his right and the line rushed out.”(82). This quote shows how his hands were hurting and how if Manolin was there it would be easier. Also like when he was pulling on the rope his hands started to get cut up and cramp but if the boy was there he could have taken over or he could have helped the man heal his wounds with some medicine that the old man couldn’t do by himself. Also when the old man was getting bruised he could have let the old man rest and done more work while he was healing.

No matter what the problem was out at sea it all could have been better if the boy was with him. Whether it was killing the sharks catching the marlin or healing his wounds there’s always one way the boy would come in handy. Some situations may have gone differently and gone worse but my opinion is that it would get better.

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By Nick W.

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella written by Ernest Hemingway. In this story there is an old man and his name Santiago . He is a fisherman who is very old and has a good friend Manolin who is younger and helps him fish. Santiago decides to go fishing alone this time, he has had very bad luck and hasn’t caught a fish for 84 days. He must fight through many struggles, both internal and external. These struggles affect the plot of the story. Internally Santiago is regretting his decision to not bring along the young boy. Also he is trying to overcome his horrible luck, and external he is struggling with his declining health and age, bad hand, the marlin, and the sharks.

Santiago has not caught a fish in 84 days, and I think it is a tough thought looming over him. "It could not happen twice. Do you think you can find an eighty-five(pg.18)" This quote is significant because it is Manolin and Santiago discussing his long streak on not catching any fish. I think this is a big struggle for Santiago, but he has faith that he will catch another fish. He thinks this because he has had this streak before, and he had over come this streak on the 85th day, and that is his lucky number. Also another one of his internal struggles is his decision to not bring the boy on the trip. He dose not have the strength and stamina to keep the big marlin on the line and to fight off the sharks.

Santiago struggles with his injury and he declining health all the way through out this novella. Santiago’s hand was hurt and it was very difficult to fish with his hand through his trip. But Santiago’s declining health and age was a real big struggle for him. Santiago is an old man and he had to keep a marlin on his line for three whole days, and that took a lot of strength. He wanted to stop and try and go to sleep, but he couldn’t "But you have not slept yet, old man, he said aloud (pg.77)" This is a significant quote because it is showing how tired he is. He also felt like quitting at times because he was so old with no stamina left.

The two most biggest struggles for Santiago was trying to catch the marlin, and to try and kill off the sharks. Santiago had, had the marlin on the line for about three whole days, and he was so tired, but he had finally caught the giant. This took place for almost the whole novella and it might have been the biggest struggle for him, with everything from his injuries to his streak. Another mighty struggle for Santiago was the sharks. He had to try and stop them from eating the marlin once he caught it. So he used everything he could find for a weapon to kill the sharks. The sharks had killed a lot of the sharks but in the end they had devoured the once mighty beast. The marlin had been eaten, and was just a skeleton.

Santiago face a lot of struggles through out the novella, and he overcame most of these struggles. I think this shows how strong and how determined this old man is. Even though the odds were against him he never gave up. Santiago had to face may external struggles, but he also face some tough internal struggles also. The struggles in this story had a big part in the plot and theme of this novella.

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By Amanda T.

In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea the main character Santiago is a determined fisherman who has a defined love for the sea, and respects it as much as he respects himself. Most of the story happens while Santiago is out at sea fishing for a great catch that would hopefully change his bad luck. The setting of the story affects the plot structure, the main characters identity, and had a big influence on the conflicts of the story.

The setting of The Old Man and the Sea had a considerable impact on the plot because most of the story happens while the old man is out at sea fishing. Since he is in the sea, he deals with the animals of the sea and the rough waters. After he had killed the marlin, he has to somehow tie the large fish to his skiff with the rope he has left from the fishing line. He had to face numerous sharks that were striving to get a piece of his eighteen-foot catch. "Sometimes he lost the scent. But he would pick it up again, or just a trace of it and he swam fast and hard on the course" (100). Santiago talks about one of the first sharks to attempt to get a piece of the marlin and his attempt was successful and brought more sharks to Santiago’s displeasure. He struggled with getting the sharks away from the large marlin when he lost his gaff to the first shark when he stabbed him. He then had to use his sword and after that he used his tiller.

The setting of this novella also molded the main character’s identity. Santiago had such a great love for the sea and it was all he really knew. "He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her" (29). He thought of and loved the sea as a woman, almost as if it were his wife. When the sea did not provide him with fish for eighty-four days, he still adored her, and thought that he would eventually be able to catch something. He never once gave up on the sea in those eighty-four days because he recalled that this had happened once before and the sea had given him luck with a nice catch. After the sea had thrown sharks and a pulling current at him, he still greatly appreciated the sea.

The setting of the story also influenced the conflicts in the story. One of the first conflicts that the setting impacted was when Santiago was trying to catch the marlin and the marlin kept pulling the skiff further out into the sea. Santiago could not try to pull the marlin in because he thought his lines would break and he would loose the fish. He held tight on the lines and had to hold it across his back to manage the weight of the marlin. “I wish he would turn with the current. That would show that he is tiring” (53). Many of the other conflicts of the book involved the sharks that attacked the marlin. One of the other conflicts that the setting affected was that Santiago had lost so much of his marlin to the sharks, although he did not show much emotion to the loss.

The setting of this book affected the plot structure in more ways than one. The setting also impacted the main characters identity and the conflicts of the story. Even though the sea had in a way caused all this to happen to him, he still loved the sea and thought about going out fishing again once he recuperated. Everyone was amazed by his big catch and realized he could do a lot for his age.

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By John H.

The old man and the sea were written by Ernest Hemingway. Most people take for granted the food they eat. People like the old Man and the sea struggle with the ocean everyday. In the story there were many external conflicts. One of them was the external struggle between the old man and the marlin. Through the battle the old man has a constant conflict not only with his age, but his unprepared ness, and with no help.

When the old man went out to the sea on that faithful day he was unprepared. He had very primitive methods of catching fish. When he had the line the fish tugged. He did not have a rod and the thin string cut his hand. He had that constant cutting for three long days. Not only the cutting but he had to deal with malnutrition. He had nothing to eat for those three days. He was all by himself while he was out on the sea. He wasn’t the fisherman he used to be. Without his young companion the fight with the fish was much more difficulties thing that is trying at his will is his mal nutrition. This was another sign of his unprepared ness. He had not brought any food with him on the sea. Not knowing the battle ahead of him he goes to the sea without food. When he was battling with the fish he did not expect it to last three days. Battling for three days left him fatigued and very hungry. That's what was of the things that drove him to finally catch the marlin.

Unlike the other two conflicts he had with the Battle this something that he could not prevent. His age was a very large factor on the battle between the Marlin. He’s not the fisher man he used to be so when he fought for those three days they were probably the hardest thing he's ever done in his life. That is why he said this, because he has lived a long life and sees the fish as an equal. His age also could be the reason for the such long fight. His age is what made the fish so hard to catch. His age was also the thing that left him and tired much quick than it would if he was younger. Also when he finally reeled the fish in his fatigue and age proved to get the best of him. The fish was eaten to the bone despite his best efforts.

While at sea the old man was without any help and all by himself. His 84 day long fish less streak had left him without a companion. The young boy that previously fished with the old man was now not allowed to go on that boat because it was considered unlucky. Losing the boy on his ship at first seemed to be an inconvenience, but would prove to be much more. While at sea the boy could have been a vital key to catch the fish. When the old man was struggling with the line the boy could have helped him. Also when he finally reeled in the fish perhaps the boy could have helped fend off the shark and the fish could have been saved.

The battle between him and the marlin proved to be very difficult. Not having any help and being unprepared didn't make it any easier. But perhaps those things were what made the old man consider the fish as an equal.

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By Abby S.

In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the main character Santiago deals with many different struggles over his four day adventure at sea. This novella portrays an old fisherman whose days are numbered and luck is running out. One day out at sea he finally catches the fish of all fish and Santiago suffers to what may be his death.

Santiago is rapidly becoming old with age but continues to carry on with his passion of fishing amongst the younger men. “He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her.” Hemingway goes on to say that “Some of the younger fisherman, those who used buoys as floats for their line and had motorboats, bought when the shark livers had brought much money, spoke of her as el mar which is masculine.” Santiago realizes that this gender difference in the term amplifies the significant age difference between him and his fellow fishermen, but he will always love the sea no matter what.

The old man is used to leaving early in the morning and coming back that same night. He brings the little food and fresh water he needs for the day. This trip was different, from one day’s small meal he must make it last for an additional three days. As Santiago deals with loss of sleep and famine he never loses his drive to catch the marlin. “He rested for what he believed to be two hours. The moon did not rise now until late and he had no way of judging the time. Nor was he really resting except comparatively.” All basic human survival instincts besides nourishment and rest were ‘thrown to the sea’ as Santiago only thought of catching his great fish.

Powered by the marlin, the fishing line runs through Santiago hands and deeply wounds them affecting their performance. The old man uses no modern fishing tools, but his line and spear, so despite his injury he must keep holding onto the line with no assistance. Santiago contemplated his earlier decision to not take his former apprentice with him on this trip. “ ‘I wish I had the boy,’ the old man said aloud. ‘I’m being towed by a fish and I’m the towing bitt.’” He had dismissed the boy’s earlier suggestion of joining the old man again. The boy was already on a lucky boat and should stay with it claimed Santiago. From time to time, Santiago’s hands would cramp up from the strain of the line. He truly needed another individual to help him reel the fish in.

Internal and external struggles define this novella. From Santiago’s dealings with the lack of nourishment to his hand injury, we can place ourselves in his position and try our hardest to bring the marlin and the old man back to shore. Finally the old man himself deals with his age and how he can see the end coming nearer but still carries on everyday with his profession amongst the newer generation.

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By Stacy C.

The novella The Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway features an old man named Santiago. He is faced with many obstacles at his four-day journey at sea, after a string of bad luck. At sea he is forced to battle sharks to protect his catch, and he has to deal with the physical fatigue from his struggles from catching the fish, and internal struggle from accepting his old age.

One obstacle that Santiago has to face while catching the fish is physical fatigue.
“ ‘How do you feel hand?’ he asked the cramped hand that was almost as stiff as rigor mortis" (58-59). While trying to catch the fish his left hand cramps up on him because he is overworking it. This obstacle affects him because when he overworks his body he has to pay the consequences because his body can only handle so much that he forces upon it. For example, while he is close to bringing the fish in, he cannot speak because he is very dehydrated. When the fish was circling, the old man felt faint from overworking his body to the point of exhaustion. So this obstacle made him weak with fatigue and exhaustion.

A second obstacle Santiago struggles with at sea is his battle with sharks to protect his catch. "The shark’s head was out of water and his back was coming out and the old man could hear the noise of skin and flesh ripping on the big fish” (102-103). And then Santiago rammed his gaff down into the shark’s brain, and he prevailed over that shark as he watched it sink into the sea. The other sharks proved to be a great obstacle for Santiago and they tested his physical well being and his resources as well, because Santiago was already tired from catching the fish when the sharks came to devour the fish. Then when his gaff was destroyed, he had to make due with what he had, so he used his tiller, and that was no use when it turned dark. The sharks turned out to be the old man’s downfall because they completely devoured the fish to the bone.

A third obstacle Santiago had to endure was his internal struggle from accepting his old age. "Fight them," he said. "I’ll fight them until I die" (115). This obstacle affected Santiago because he didn’t want to be old. He wanted to do things, like fishing, which pushed his body to the point of exhaustion, but he was determined to do them anyway. He didn’t want to accept that he was a senior citizen. He wanted to able to do what he wanted without being limited by age, but his old body could only take so much before it started to fail him.

But even though all these obstacles had their affect on Santiago, he went on and did not let them destroy him. Because even though he felt like a complete failure for catching the fish, Manolin was still proud of him. And Manolin told him that he should be proud of himself because he’s 85 years old and he could still catch a gigantic fish without any help. So even though the fish was eaten, he was not defeated because he caught the fish alone, and he should be proud.

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By Lizzie C.

The Old Man and the Sea was an adventurous story about an old man
named Santiago, who was passionate and dedicated to his job as a fisherman.
Throughout the book Santiago spent the majority of his time on the sea.
The sea was the major setting of the story which shapes the plot and
Santiago. Without the sea, there wouldn’t have been a story.

The setting basically creates the plot. Santiago was after an immense
marlin. It was larger than his boat and he was alone without help. He
loved and respected the sea and had a lot of faith in himself because he was
vastly fervent about his job, which he also considered his life. “He
always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish
when they love her” (29). Thinking of the sea as la mar also showed how the
old man loved the sea. A lot of fishermen don’t respect the sea as much as
he does. The sea is what produced the plot and not just for the obvious
reason of the old man being a deep-sea fisherman. The sea made the plot what
it was.

The setting did not just shape the plot, but also the character.
Santiago loved the sea and everything about it. He valued and respected it.
Without the sea he wouldn’t have been who he was. Being a fisherman defined him
and it was his obsession. He also cherished everything in the sea as well,
and thought of the fish as his brothers. “’Fish’, he said, ‘I love and
respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends’” (55).
This quote shows that the old man does respect the fish, but being a
fisherman he still wants to kill them. It’s hard to understand how he can keep both
views on the fish but each is an important piece of his life. The setting
gives the old man pride and a reason to live.

Without the sea, the book wouldn’t have been written. Santiago would
be a different man. The plot wouldn’t have existed. The sea is the story.
Santiago felt as though he was born for fishing, so without the sea
there wouldn’t be any fishing and without fishing there wouldn’t be Santiago.
He would have had different views and enjoyments; therefore he wouldn’t
have been the same person. The plot wouldn’t have been the same plot because
there wouldn’t have been an ocean for it to happen in.

The sea is the most important part of the story, which gives the story
its life and existence. Because of the sea, the book was what it was. It
gave the story it’s plot, character, and the reason the book happened. All
of the main idea, redundantly reflect off of the sea. There is no better way
to explain it, but the sea is the book.

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By Katie D.

In the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, an old man named Santiago tries his luck out on the sea once again. Throughout the story, Santiago is faced with many psychological and physical challenges that shape the plot of the story and challenge Santiago’s character. He struggles with fatigue, lack of food, and coping with his thoughts of loneliness and aging.

Throughout the novella, Santiago struggles with fatigue. His hand is cramping, he is weak, and he is tired. “I wish I could show him what sort of man I am. But then he would see the cramped hand” (64). This quote shows that Santiago’s weariness has a direct effect on his ability to fish. He is trying with all his might to reel in the marlin, but his hand and the rest of his body will not cooperate. He also is unable to fight off the sharks that come to eat his prized catch. With each shark attack, Santiago becomes more and more beaten. Some fisherman would decide to give in if they were in as much pain as Santiago, but he is devoted to the sea. Through all his troubles, he continues to pursue the marlin.

Another one of Santiago’s troubles is his lack of food. Towards the beginning of his journey, he thinks, “And I do not know whether the sun will rot or dry what is left, so I had better eat it all although I am not hungry. The fish is calm and steady. I will eat it all and then I will be ready” (59). Unfortunately, the old man didn’t know that most of his treacherous journey was ahead of him. He decides to stay with the fish, and soon regrets eating all of his food. He has to use some of the little energy he has to catch a dolphin and eat the fish in its stomach. This tires Santiago even more, and adds another thing to think about. With this on his mind, it is harder to reel in the marlin and concentrate on getting home safely.

Another of Santiago’s struggles is that he must try to keep his own thoughts of aging and loneliness away from himself. It is clear that Santiago is lonely, as he often repeats the words, “I wish I had the boy” (45). He talks to himself in the boat, and occasionally lets his mind wander to some of his past adventures. Santiago also knows that he is aging, and he is no longer the sharp fisherman he once was. Still, he must endure and keep these thoughts away if he wants a successful journey. “Don’t think, old man, he said to himself. Rest gently now against the wood and think of nothing” (66). This quote shows that the old man is trying to focus his thoughts on fishing, and nothing else.

Santiago is able to work through fatigue, lack of food, and thoughts of loneliness and aging. However, all three affect him. Fatigue eventually causes him to surrender the marlin to the sharks, and he arrives home with only a skeleton. His lack of food distracts him, and adds to his frustration. He is able to work through his psychological struggles, but when he returns to his hut, he begins to cry. Although his struggles diminished him, he is not defeated. He lost the fish, but he still has the boy, and a ray of hope for tomorrow.

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By Emily M.

Throughout The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago faced many obstacles. Between catching the enormous fish, without any help from anybody, and barely making ends meet to survive, he had his work cut out for him. With all the struggles he faced, Santiago never gave up and because of his dedication to what he does, I found the theme to be “never give up.” There were many examples of such dedication; the time the old man had to hold onto his enormous catch for a long time, and when he harpooned the sharks to keep them from stealing his fish. This theme, or central message, that I got out of the book can also easily relate to my life, or anyone’s life, for that matter.

First of all, the old man’s ability to hold onto his catch for such a long time, was remarkable. As soon as he realized what he’d caught, Santiago made sure to brace himself, knowing that the fish would need to wear itself out before he could make his move. “Then he was sorry for the great fish that had nothing to eat and his determination to kill him never relaxed in his sorrow for him” (75). Although Santiago sees the fish as noble, he knows he must have hope that he will eventually kill him, because it’s essential to his profit and life.

Santiago, although without the boy, knew he couldn’t give up. If he had given up, especially if he’d given up hope, he knew he wouldn’t be rewarded with this fish that’s dragged him across the ocean for days. Upon the arrival of the first shark, Santiago had not expected it, but had seen it as it closed in on the prey. “It is silly not to hope, he thought” (104). The old man had struggled with the fact that the worst was yet to come, bringing more sharks to his catch, and a much harder fight. He later compared having no hope to committing a sin.

Finally, the theme of this book is used by everyone at least once in their life. Some people can relate to this because they experience the rationalization of “never give up,” every day. Whether the problem faced is dealing with a personal issue, or just completing a project, Santiago helps teach that you should never give up. For the old man, he never once gave up, although he might have wanted to and lost hope at some times, but in the end, he was proud of himself for catching the fish, even if he did lose it. This theme, and the feeling that goes along with it, can be overwhelming. By giving up, you accomplish nothing and you make yourself feel useless, but by trying your best, even if you don’t succeed with the first try, you at least have the gratification that you stuck with it. I know I’d rather have that feeling than the notion that I quit because I wasn’t dedicated enough to handle something.

Ernest Hemingway portrayed a number of characteristics and human flaw throughout his story, but the most prominent themes was never to quit, to keep trying until you succeed. Santiago was the perfect candidate to show this theme, this message, because even when things went from bad to worse for the old man, he knew he hadn’t given up. Without giving up, he had installed some pride within himself, which was almost as good as catching the fish, because he knew he did the best he could. And I think this goes for everybody; keep trying because eventually, you’ll either reach your goal, or miss but in the end, still be proud of yourself for never giving up.

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By Emily B.

Hemingway tells a story about a labor worn man named Santiago with a deep love of the sea. Santiago decides to venture back into the depths to discover his true purpose in life was to always be a fisherman. He endures many mental and physical struggles throughout his journey to achieve greatness. Not only does he face challenges most could never even imagine, but also handles them with extreme courage and strength. He never lets the conflict break him down.

One of the many struggles Santiago is forced to battle with is his pride. He has every right to be held in highest regard, but he carries himself away with the metaphorical and literal conflicts his pride places him in. “…Christ, I did not know (the marlin) was so big. I’ll kill him though. In all his greatness and his glory”(66). Although he is one of the best, he is almost unaware that he could tragically fail his mission, which could possibly lead him to the ending of his heroic tale. He is no longer the young chipper fisherman as he once was. He is now a very late gentleman who has years of experience but whose strength is slowly drifting. The realization of this struggle surely hits him when he endures the physical battle between himself and the marlin, which is a very worthy opponent, and deals no mercy.

Among the fight to achieve his goal comes a battle of mental and physical strength between man and marlin. When Santiago is put up against the marlin’s will to escape his fate, he is tested with strenuous struggles and an enormous battle of wits. On the physical side of the battle, the marlin will fight long and hard to break free, but Santiago will do whatever possible to make sure the marlin does not prevail. He begins to realize the fish’s extraordinary strength when he says aloud, “If you’re not tired fish, you must be very strange” (67). Being of age, he has faded in his physical ability. Not completely, but to the point in which he begins to suffer great fatigue and pain. However he never lets up, he never surrenders to the fish.

Secondary to the physical battle came the mental battle with the marlin. He wants to bring this prize back to shore to prove he is not of bad luck, he had the power to achieve anything, and he deserves his gift of being a true fisherman. “Keep my head clear. I have killed this fish which is my brother and now I must do the slave work” (95). Santiago says this after he had won the physical battle and the realization finally hits him. He has overcome, but has still only made it half way. Now, he must do everything possible to protect this prize and get it back home one way or another. He needs to oversee his pride and physical tire and keep a clear mind, being completely aware of anything that could put all of his hard work away.

In conclusion, Santiago battles all extremities to become many things, and never gives up when faced with physical and mental struggles. He discovers his true purpose in life was to be nothing more than or less than a great fisherman. He endures life-threatening conditions just to prove something, not only to his village, but also to himself. His love for the wondrous yet cruel ocean fuels his optimism and determination to press on. The morality of this story is self-awareness. If you have a true passion, and belief within yourself, you can achieve anything you set yourself to. It will almost never be easy, but the results will be worthwhile.

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By Alaina H.

Throughout our lives, we make choices that at the time seem like a good idea and are for the better at the time, yet when the outcome comes, we regret them tremendously. Santiago, the main character of the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, seems to face that exact problem. The old man, also known as Santiago, made some difficult yet wrong decisions while venturing on one specific fishing trip, from that trip there resulted in multiple bad outcomes.

Many times on what seemed to be Santiago’s perpetual journey, he came frighteningly close to death, itself. If Santiago had maybe brought Manolin along with him, like Manolin had requested, he may have had a happy ending to his treacherous trip. Santiago, I could go with you again. We have made some money.”(10). Is what the boy exclaimed when Santiago brought up the fact that the boy was not allowed to attend the sea with him, only because, they claimed that the old man had bad luck, fore he hadn’t caught a good fish in quite some time. However, it was the old man who had taught him everything he knew. Many times the old man had said the simple yet dreadful words, “I wish I had the boy." He knew that the few days that he was spending out in the sea would have been a lot easier if he had taken the boy along with him, just like he had asked.

When the Old man was out on the sea and had caught the giant albacore, he was well aware of what a great accomplishment that it was. The old man was confident that his luck was turning around and that for the first time, in a long time he had caught something worth bringing back to the island to show off. At first the old man did not realize how truly large his fish was but after it hadn’t given any sign of weakness, the old man knew that he was just as strong and determined as himself. Once the sun had begun to fall upon the ocean, the old man was exhausted as ever. But when the sun came up the next morning he was even more tired. Santiago thought to himself, “I wish he would turn with the current. That would show that he was tiring.”(53). When I read that it made me think that once again, he was regretting a decision, this decision of sticking with the fish for such a long time. He knew that if his fish hadn’t already stopped it would take a long while before it would.

After the old man had gotten the fish in his grasp and it was dying, he still could not get it into the skiff, for it was larger than the boat itself. Santiago kept it along the side of the boat. With the blood seeking through the fish’s wounds and the smell of it rotting, Sharks then began to smell the sent of the strong odor and began to approach the albacore and its new owner. The old man knew that sharks would probably come, yet he felt a strong attachment to the fish and wanted to keep it with him even though he knew it might not last. Santiago began trying to cheer himself up, “Think about something cheerful, old man.” He said to himself (104). Once the he had fought through multiple little shark packs, I believe that he regretted keeping the fish along the side of his boat. It nearly cost him his life once again.

One after another, the old mans small decisions kept excelling to worse consequences. If the old man would have let the boy attend with him on his sailing trip, he may have caught the fish sooner, it would have died faster and the meat would have been fresher. They then would have either been able to get it into the boat or gotten back to the island faster. Lastly, he wouldn’t have faced all of the sharks that he did because they wouldn’t have smelt the fish.

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By Olivia L.

In the novella the Old Man and the Sea, the main character Santiago encounters many obstacles and power struggles. All of his problems are based around the one big challenge in the story, to catch the fish. Santiago’s obstacles and power struggles, such as weakness, sleep deprivation, and shark attacks. These made the story interesting and it wouldn’t have been the same without them.

One of Santiago’s bigger problems of the story was being weak. Catching a huge fish is not and easy job. Even for a young man it has to be hard, so imagine the old man trying to catch it. The man’s old age definitely played a big part to the challenge of catching the fish. Also it didn’t help that his hand was being torn by the fishing line. The old man’s hand kept cramping which wouldn’t make it any easier for him. “He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit the suffering at all.” (64) I think this quote shows how the old man was comfortable out at sea and with what he was doing, but he was suffering from pain which was holding him back.

Another struggle the old man had to encounter was sleep deprivation. The old man was at sea for many days trying to catch the fish. And throughout this whole time the old man didn’t have time to sleep. It also would’ve been very hard for him because he was holding the fishing line. And when he did finally get to take a nap it was for a very short period of time, about three hours. “I’m tireder than I have ever been, he thought, and now the trade wind is rising.” (89) This quote shows that the old man is admitting one of his weaknesses and really needs some sleep. He is hoping to catch the fish soon so that will happen.

Shark attacks were a big obstacle for the old man. After he had caught the fish, he had to tie the fish up to the side of the boat. Doing this allowed blood to drip in the water attracting sharks. When a shark would attack the old man was ready to kill it. But the sharks’ numbers got big, and the fish was attacked so many times the old man couldn’t keep up with them. “When the old man saw him coming he knew that this was a shark that had no fear at all and would do exactly what he wished.” (101) The old man realized that the sharks weren’t going to give up on getting the fish. And he needed to work extra hard to keep them away. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but he was going to do it to save his fish.

In the Old Man and the Sea, Santiago went through many obstacles and power struggles. Those made the book have more character and made it more interesting. It helped you picture what it really would’ve been like to be the old man out at sea. And even though the old man had to go through so much, he still caught the fish and was happy.

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By Mike C.

Often times, the main character of a story struggles with conflicts. These conflicts, either external or internal, have an extreme effect on that specific character, by affecting the way the act, or the things they do. In this novella, The Old Man and the Sea, the main character Santiago has to go through many external conflicts. He has to battle an injured hand; he has to survive out on the water without the proper tools and equipment for the several days he will be out there, and finally, he has to deal with numerous sharks attacking his prized marlin that he tried so hard to catch.

While being out on the water for days, Santiago had been chasing a huge marlin. This fish, if caught, would be his so called prized catch. He hasn’t caught a fish in 84 days, so he was determined to get this beauty. In order to get this fish, he battled for days with this marlin. He had endless fights with this beast. Santiago’s hands had been worn out and torn apart by the chords he had been holding for so long. “You can let the cord go, hand, and I will handle him with the right arm alone until you stop that nonsense”. (Pg 59) But, he thought about Joe DiMaggio, and how he didn’t let a bone spur affect him. So he stayed with it, and gave forth his best effort to get the fish.

Also, Santiago struggled with something he could have prevented. Santiago set out to fish for a day. So, he brought only enough tools to fish for one day. But the unplanned happened, and a huge marlin caught the old mans eye. He had to bag this catch. He chased this fish for many more days then he expected. Since he only had enough tools for a day, he had nothing to help him survive while out on the water for that long. For a catch of this magnitude, it requires more then one person. He did not have Manolin for this journey, so that put him at a grave disadvantage. But the main thing he struggled with, was not having enough tools, was not the fact that he did not have another fishermen, but the real danger, was the fact that he had no food to survive. He couldn’t catch a fish to eat, and he didn’t have enough money to buy some food for him self. Even on land, Santiago had to borrow money to buy food. “I must thank him.” “[He has done this before]” (Pg. 34) At that time, he borrowed food from the owner of the store. He had been gracious enough to help the old man out.

The last conflict Santiago struggled with was something that no one could ever predict, or defend against. He finally caught the catch of his life. He was so happy and proud of himself, until the unexplained happened. A shark, came out of no where, and started biting on his prized catch. After realizing what had happened, he attempted fighting off the shark and he fought it all the way back to shore. “But I killed the shark that hit my fish, he thought”. (Pg 103) When he got to shore, there was nothing left on the fish except its bare bones. The shark ate everything. Santiago had nothing to show for his diligent work he put forth to catch that fish. This caused Santiago to decipher whether or not he had a success or a failure. I believe he achieved his goal. I do because he caught his fish that he had longed for. He couldn’t have controlled the shark to get it away from his catch.

In every book, the characters struggle with something. Whether it is external conflicts or internal conflicts, the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, is no exception to that pattern. He overcame his injured hand, like Joe DiMaggio overcame his bone spur, he found a way to survive without enough supplies for himself, and he found a way to praise himself even after his prized catch had been attacked by a shark. These conflicts made the plot of the novella. They also made Santiago the way he was. If it was not for these conflicts, Santiago wouldn’t have been as determined to do the things he did. He was like Rocky Balboa. In the sense that he did not give up when the times were getting tough. He gained these attributes when he was faced with awful times. That is how conflicts make the character the way they are.

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By Kristin P.

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella that expresses one man’s compassion for the sea and his eternal enthusiasm for fishing. Santiago is a fisherman who travels the oceans surrounding his village on his diminutive skiff. His latest adventure out on the open water confronted Santiago with numerous struggles. His endurance and physical strength were continuously tested. As a result, Santiago brings a notable conflict upon himself, which he must learn to accept.

Santiago was faced with many challenges throughout the entire book, and his first predicaments occurred at the very beginning of the tale. After eighty-four days out at sea Santiago had captured not one descent fish. This lack of good fortune forced his young friend, and assistant, Manolin to facilitate a more prosperous boat. The old man did not let this inconvenience impair his determination. He set out once more without troubled spirits, certain his luck would change. At 100 fathoms his line became taut, and an eighteen foot marlin was hooked to his line. He could not pull the fish up for the stressed line would snap. Instead, Santiago held on to the fish with all his capacity for several days and nights. The gargantuan fish was not willing to sacrifice its life just yet, and had the energy to continue to fight. Neither the old man nor the fish had plans of surrendering; but unlike the fish, Santiago was running low on endurance. He felt fatigue all through his muscles as he spent one night gripping the line with his body. Sleep deprivation and disintegrating food for replenishment left Santiago in a desperate state. Santiago needed the boy, not only as a companion but to help him grasp the fish. “ ‘I wish I had the boy,’[said Santiago] ‘To help me and to see this.’ ” (pg 48).

Physical obstructions continued to weaken the old man. His hands cramped and bled from constricting the line which sliced his skin. The old man compared his bloody palms, to a hand competition he once had with a man from Cienfuegos: “Blood came out from under the fingernails of both his and the negro’s hands.”(pg 69) On the skiff, he dipped his fingers in the water. He watched his blood count decrease as a path of red moved over the surface of the water. His hands pained from cramping, for the old man was fighting the marlins resistance. Although his anguish never ceased, he persisted to push himself through this time of hardship, awaiting the time when his efforts would all pay off. His perseverance was rewarding when he alone harpooned the marlin and attached it to his skiff. On his journey home, Santiago destroyed several vicious sharks eating his precious marlin. When he finally his destination, nothing was left of the fish but a skeleton.

Santiago is not disappointed about the marlins fate, but rather a different matter. The old man never thought of himself as elderly, but only old in years. After experiencing the many challenging physical feats, Santiago realizes that his physiological age as finally caught up with his chronological age. Santiago becomes aware that his body is now fragile and he cannot tackle the vigorous tasks he used to accomplish. What could potentially be his final fishing adventure, took an extreme toll on his fortitude. It allowed the old man to come to the realization that his presence on Earth is wearing thin.

In this story there would be no true accomplishment without the struggles. If Santiago had not had such a difficult time seizing the fish, then his victory of defeating the marlin would not have been as grand. The many hardships allow you to become familiar with Santiago’s personality. Compassion, intensive patients, definitive determination, an optimistic outlook, and a respect for the sea, allow Santiago to be a fine fisherman no matter what his catch. He is willing to accept the challenges of the ocean but now realizes he may no longer be fit to take on the forces of nature.

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By Julee B.

In life we all have struggles and obstacles that make us who we are. In the novella The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, the old man, struggles with catching a giant, 18-foot, marlin. Throughout this story Santiago struggles with a cramped hand, being alone and having sharks attack his boat. All of these struggles affect Santiago internally and externally, and shape the plot of this story.

When catching the fish the Old Man hurt his hand severely. “He could feel the steady hard pull of the line and his left hand was cramped” (Pg 58). The old man unfortunately, didn’t have a fishing pole or rod, so he had to hold the line with his hand. While catching the marlin he had to hold it there for a while so his hand became cramped. While also pulling and tugging on the line he cut his hands. He had a tight, secure grip on the line, which made it rub up and down his hands causing his hands to bleed. This made it difficult for the old man to pull on the line to get the marlin up onto the boat. With his hands also being all cut up and bloody it was hard for him to lift the marlin because it was 18-feet.

Another struggle that he has is being alone. “ I wish the boy were here and that I had some salt”. (Pg 56). This quote explains that the old man has no one to help him out, therefore he has to catch the fish all alone. Seeing as the man is old it is also a struggle for him. I think if the boy had gone with him on his fishing trip would have been a lot more successful because he would have had somebody to help him out. I think that the old man internally felt sad. He was out on this huge ocean with no one else with him. The old man didn’t have much back on land either though, so maybe being out on the ocean was like a paradise for him.

One last struggle the old man really has is when the sharks attack his boat. Once the old man gets the marlin, it turns out to be huge, 18 feet long. This is two feet longer than the actual boat. To be able to hold on to the marlin he has to put some of it into the water. Since sharks are attracted to the scent of blood, they came towards the old mans boat where the marlin was. “The shark swung over and the old man saw his eye was not alive and then he swung over once again, wrapping himself in two loops of the rope. (Pg 102). This explains one of the sharks that came up which was a mako. The mako dug its teeth into the side of the marlin, and ended up taking 40 pounds of fresh nice meat. The old man stabs the shark with a harpoon and the shark ends up sinking taking the harpoon with him. Two shovel-nosed sharks then come smelling the stronger scent from the marlin from the other shark. The two sharks took a quarter of the best part of the meat but the Old man ends up killing them both with a knife. Later on another shovel – nosed shark comes and attacks the boat. The old man kills it but the shark takes the knife with him. The last pack of sharks comes taking the rest of the meat.

Santiago, the old man, had many struggles and obstacles throughout this book just like all of us do in life. He shows us that no matter what you should try. Santiago is there for hours and hours struggling to get that one marlin up. He doesn’t give up even though his hands are bloody, cramped and he has no one to help him. I think Ernest Hemingway was trying to show us that you shouldn’t give up and that even if you don’t achieve in the end you will feel proud or someone else will be proud of you.

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By Lyndsey P.

In the novella The Old Man and the Sea, the author Earnest Hemingway creates a character names Santiago or old man, who goes on a long dangerous journey to try and catch an eighteen foot marlin. Throughout the book, he struggles internally and externally trying to capture the giant fish. He is forced to deal with having a bad hand, not being prepared for the several days out as sea, and having several sharks attack his prized catch.

In the book, one thing that Santiago struggles with is having a bad hand. Over time his hands had built up scars from handling heavy fish on cords but when catching the marlin Santiago's hands had been cramping up and sliced apart. Santiago had got more frustrated by his physical weaknesses in his body often he would complain or beg his hand to help him out and not become such of a "Treachery of one's own body" (61). In the passage, Hemingway shows that Santiago feels like his hand is acting disloyal to his body and cramping for him at the worst times. This tells the reader how subdued the old man is in the way that his brothers, or his hands, are acting. Although a cramped or cut up hand doesn't seem like much of a wound, it lays a big impact in on Santiago's mental state and how efficiently he can catch the marlin.

A second thing that the old man struggles with is not being prepared for the several days of his fishing expedition. On Santiago's trip he brought all of his fishing equipment, but he didn't bring any food or Manolin. The boy would bring Santiago his only food and they would eat together, and then fish together; until the boy's parents wouldn't let him go fishing with Santiago. (He hadn't caught a fish for about eighty-five days.) Manolin obeyed his parents, and didn't go. The old man regretted this very much on the journey; at times even talking to himself with melancholy, calling out, "'I wish the boy was here'"(50). Santiago often felt guilty for not taking the boy with him, and guilty for the boy's parents not allowing him to come along. He would express this often when he needed the boy the most, and thought how much easier it would be with him there. If Santiago had food and the boy, the fish would have been caught faster, and they might have even been able to bring the marlin back and not just a skeleton.

Lastly Santiago struggles with the multiple shark attacks to the marlin. Unfortunately, the marlin he caught was two feet longer than his sixteen-foot skiff. The marlin had to be attached to the side of the boat because it was too large. Sharks in the water smelt the blood of the fish and swam to attack it. There were multiple attacks, each time Santiago killed the sharks, but by then the shark would have eaten a piece of the marlin. In the attacks the old man ended up loosing most of his weapons including his harpoon, rope, and knife. Most attacks happened when "The shark came in a rush and the old man [would] hit him as he shut his jaws," (114) causing either death or injury to the sharks. When they got to shore the marlin had no meat, and the old man had fatigue. If the sharks hadn't attacked the marlin then it would have had all of its meat. Although, having meat on the marlin might not have changed Santiago's satisfaction with catching the fish, it would have saved him of emotional strain.

The novella had the main character Santiago thrown with many struggles. He had a bad hand, which made it difficult to handle the fishing lines without agony. He wasn't prepared to stay at sea for long, so he didn't bring food. Manolin's parents wouldn't allow him to fish with Santiago. But after Santiago was bringing the giant marlin back to shore, there were several shark attacks that left the marlin with only bones. Through all Santiago's challenges with physical setbacks, being unprepared, and having several shark attacks, he ended up with a skeleton and a story to tell.

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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.

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By Joe K.

In the novella the Old Man and the Sea Earnest Hemingway establishes an image of an old weathered man who’s passion for fishing baits him back to the sea even after months of failure. He comes to realization of his aged, haggard state and is forced to endure several struggles. His age, condition, limited strength and denial of his weaknesses all burden him along his voyage to catch this giant marlin.

The old man, Santiago, is described as “the old man who fishes alone in his skiff” (10). It is apparent in the description of this mans lifestyle that he is aging and worn down. Most of all Santiago is struggling with his elderly state as a physical burden. Santiago shows his realization when he says, “[He is] to old to club sharks” (112). He feels fatigue faster and pain is more noticeable. He struggles to overcome the fact that his physical existence is coming to an end. His withered body can’t take as much as it once could and it is obvious he is deteriorating throughout his journey. This hurts him because he goes to an extreme to catch the marlin, and this extreme places more struggle of pain and close destruction. Yet this extreme state of refusal to lose is maybe the cause of his success in witch he knew this was his last chance and he refused to end on a bad note.

One of the mans encumbers was his withered hands. The line he used to bait the fish was as thick as a pencil and dry as a bone, he had nobody to wet the lines, “The speed of the line was cutting his hands badly. He had always known this would happen. If only the boy were here to wet the coils.”(83). They describe his hands resembling raw meat after tearing through the calluses the man had formed over a lifetime of pain. His injured hands make it much harder to control the fish’s power. The line slices through the sensitive wounds every time the fish moves. The man does his best to keep the line on the thickest part of his hand but this only slows the process of his hands being worn to bloody stumps. This is a struggle for the man but by no means is it a closure on his fight. He battles the pain and finishes the job.

Santiago has extreme endurance abilities and has proven it to himself many times. But as soon as he thinks the hard part is over he faces an obstacle that near destroys him all together. With the marlin tied to the skiff he slowly sails back to shore, but because of his decision to travel farther out, blood from the marlin attracts sharks. Santiago struggles to fight away the ruthless scavengers. It is obvious that these sharks will be a threat to Santiago’s catch. Even after a vicious fight he remarks, “He took about forty pounds”. These sharks were no joke and Santiago struggles to fight them off. First he uses a gaff to spear the dentuso. He then struggles to kill the next sharks with a knife mounted on the end of his oar. Santiago kills all of them but not before they tare another quarter of the fish away. After about 4 or 5 sharks he says, “Now they have beaten me, I am to old to club sharks to death” (112). At this point he begins to realize what is happening but refuses to give in. the man fights off close to 7 sharks and returns to shore, pride in contact. The fish is destroyed and only fleshy scraps and bone is left. But to in his own eyes he has returned a winner.

The title fisherman immediately suggest a strong bodied man, someone who sees failure and pain more often then say a lawyer or a teacher, their job has a routine but unlike any other, their success is often times out of their hands and determined by the sometimes unforgiving sea. And with daily struggles of pain, emotions and the thought, “will I make it through the day?” this profession is one of honor, bravery, and humility. Santiago is a priceless example and represents the pride, the glory, the strength that we call fishermen. With the ability to never be brought down, after all he worked for is literally torn away from him, he overcomes each and every struggle and burden placed in his way. This fish is no fish to Santiago it is but a worthy opponent, and that is why even after all the pain and all the emotional distress, he can walk away from the mutilated catch and sleep knowing he has won, he has overcome.

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By Jack M.

The Old Man and the Sea, written by Ernest Hemingway, follows the adventures of a deep sea fisherman named Santiago. After traveling the sea with a marlin leading him for numerous days, the old man encounters numerous difficulties to overcome, and gradually throughout the tale, becomes worn down in a torment of his own determination. With the rising and the setting of four suns, Santiago is both physically and mentally destroyed by the elements of his journey.

As the old man begins his journey, in less than a day, he succeeds in hooking a marlin. Shortly thereafter, the strength of the fish challenges Santiago’s age as the old man encounters the simple beginning to physical fatigue that will burden him throughout his journey. When the marlin first begins to react to the line, Santiago states, “‘You’re feeling it now, fish…And so, God knows, am I’” (56). Within short time, the old man also finds his hand bleeding and tense: “…his hand was cramped. It drew up tight on the heavy cord and he looked at it in disgust” (58). Though at the time, Santiago views these occurrences as simple troubles of his work, they soon reveal themselves to be fallen keystones of a healthy physical and mental state, the waking hours of his destruction.

Continuing to be pulled by the marlin, the old man comes to the realization that he is truly beginning to suffer at the toll of such a beast. The wear of pain holds with it, the decrease in mental state for him, despite his fear to admit it: “He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit to the suffering at all” (64). In all of his pain, Santiago struggles to accept the fact of his deterioration and due to weak mental state attempts to ignore the burdens. After talking to the fish, the old man claims he is feeling healthy, well-rested, and prepared. This is however, a lie: “He did not truly feel good because the pain from the cord across his back had almost passed pain and gone into a dullness that he mistrusted” (74). The story progresses, reflecting the theme of his determination to avoid defeat.

Santiago soon finds his journey coming to a closing, the marlin coming nearer and nearer to the surface. It is at this time he openly admits to himself: “You are killing me, fish…But you have a right to” (93). He summons all strength he has left and finally pulls in his beautiful 18 foot marlin, harnessing it to the side of his skiff to bring it home. Returning back to the harbour, the old man encounters and fights off a shark that mutilates his catch, taking over forty pounds of its entirety. It is at this point in the story, where all Santiago worked for, all he was, is destroyed. He finds himself physically and mentally weak, as well as the largest marlin he ever heard of, now hardly worth what he had hoped for. Wishing it was all a dream, he expresses his pain-filled words: “‘But a man is not made for defeat…A man can be destroyed but not defeated’” (103).

Throughout the story, Santiago gradually faces the wear of physical and mental pain, and in the end, watches all that he worked for, all that he endured and suffered for, get destroyed. The old man returns to his home alive, in peace, and with the knowledge that he had caught the largest marlin, defending it to the end. Though he and the marlin were destroyed to a minimum of existence, Santiago was far from defeat.

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By Dan S.

The Old Man and the Sea is a novella written by Ernest Hemingway. This is about an old man Santiago fighting for his life to catch an 18 foot marlin. Along his journey he faces many physical and mental challenges. He realizes that without the help of his good friend that he can’t be a successful fisherman. He also is starting to doubt himself, and he knows he is not as good of a fisherman as he used to be. He also has to fight through many injuries during his time on the ocean.

During his long time out on the ocean alone he realizes that he can’t be successful without the help of his friend Manolin. The boy not only helps him with the physical problems but also he gives Santiago someone to talk to and keep busy with his time out on the ocean. Santiago repeats “I wish the boy were here,” {56} Many times during his journey. I think this shows how he knows he needs help and he can’t rely on his fishing abilities without the help of his good friend Manolin. It would also help him with the social problems out on the ocean.

The old man’s stamina becomes a huge factor while he is on the ocean for three days without much food, but he shows great perseverance as he stays with it and continues to fight the fish. “I’ll stay with you until I am dead.”{52}. I think this quote demonstrates how Santiago is willing to die in order to catch the marlin. I think this is part of the mental challenges Santiago goes through. He knows that the fish is wearing him down but he thinks he can outlast the fish. Santiago’s hand betrays him while he is battling the fish. “What kind of hand is that,” he said. “Cramp then if you want. Make yourself into a claw. It will do you no good.”{58}Over the course of his journey he faces many injuries, but the most substantial one is his hand. It is cramping up badly and he is forcing himself to stay with the marlin and he knows he won’t let his hand get in the way of catching the fish. This is the biggest physical challenge he faces on the sea. Another quote that supports this challenge is “Come on hand. Please come on.”{62}

Anther physical challenge, but is also a mental challenge is when the sharks come and attack the marlin. “If sharks come, god pity him and me.”{68} I think this shows how Santiago is finally beat physically in his journey on the sea, but mentally he still thinks he wins. The sharks pose a very difficult task to the old man. He has to fight off multiple sharks in order to reel in the competition. I think that this is a mental issue because he knows that if the sharks eat away at the fish then he is defeated.

I think that even though Santiago was hurt and he didn’t catch the fish in the end, he still thinks that he beat the fish and won the overall war. He didn’t gain anything from this fishing trip, but his dignity. He fights through his injuries to accomplish what he set out to do.

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By Clare N.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is a novella involving the main character, Santiago, going through many struggles. The elderly fisherman goes on a four day long fishing adventure chasing after an eighteen foot long marlin. Manolin, the boy who was now forbidden to go fishing with the old man by his parents, was good to have around but with his absence, he is suffering from lack of help and support.

Santiago is represented as an unlucky fisherman in a small fishing village. He has a meager amount of money and an inadequate skiff but he tries to make do with what he has. He was expecting to go out at sea for just the day and come back at night, but his plans changed when he hooked the marlin. Because he wasn’t planning on a four day trip, he didn’t bring along the extra food, harpoons, or rope he needed. As he says, “Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is” (110). While at sea, he is constantly thinking of what he forgot or what he could do if he had brought something along. It’s almost like he’s tempting himself by saying that and it just makes it harder to get through the long days. Being without enough supplies, Santiago was affected greatly because if he had had everything he needed, he might have been able to catch the marlin in half the time it took him without enough supplies. Also, he had to work extra hard to make up for not having enough materials.

Another struggle Santiago endured was his cramped hands that were getting cut up by the rope. The cramping began when he hooked the marlin and from then on, it switched hands. “He tried to keep the cutting across the calloused parts and not let the line slip into the palm” (83). Swapping which hand held the rope still didn’t help. At the end when Santiago finally arrives back home, the boy notices his hands, telling him to ‘get them well.’ As much as this fierce fisherman tried to keep his hands in good condition, the rope still ripped them up. It affected the old man because it made it difficult to operate with only one hand. Fishing is an activity where you need both of your hands. It must have been hard when he caught the marlin with just one hold on it because his extremities were being cut by the fishing line.

The final struggle that the old man goes through was his unending fatigue. Fishermen, as it is, get tired from being out in the sun all day long and putting forth all their energy just to catch fish, the only earnings they receive. Santiago being aged on top of all that adds to his exhaustion. “He had felt faint and dizzy and that had worried him” (87). I think that he wants to catch the marlin so badly that he will do anything for it, even if it means risking his life. He just keeps going and going, never giving up on this catch. His fatigue altered his character because although he was a good fisherman, his tiredness overruled great talent. It made him see black spots and he felt nauseous. At times, he didn’t even feel like he was still alive. The only thing that made him realize he was still conscious was the coppery and sweet taste of blood in his mouth.

All in all, The Old Man and the Sea told the story of a veteran fisherman and all the struggles he went through to get “the fish of his dreams.” It didn’t matter that he only brought back the skeleton of the marlin; everyone was still in shock and amazement because he went through so much to get it. Through his fishing expedition, he had a lack of supplies, was so drained of energy that he barely thought he was alive, and his hands were in shooting pain. But, he survived. And that’s all he ever really asked for.

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