The Old Man and the Sea
By Ernest Hemingway
Summary
Santiago is the main character of the book. Santiago had been going out to sea for 84 days without catching a fish. Despite this, he had kept on going out to do his "job" because it is what he loves to do. Because of his past experiences, Santiago took a lot of pride in what he did. He remained very patient and confident that he will hook a great catch. When he finally hooked a fish, he realized that it will be his most important and difficult challenge. He sat on his boat for three days reeling in the marlin, but the it got away. As it may sound unfortunate, Santiago discovers that rather than the fish being his biggest failure, it was his biggest accomplishment.
Protagonist
The protagonist of the story is Santiago. Santiago was an old, aging man who was determined to go out and do what he loves every day to catch the fish of his lifetime. He is the protagonist because he optimized when he was in some the worst possible scenarios. For example, even though when he was reeling in the marlin and could not eat or drink anything, he still kept on reeling as his body fatigued. While his body was fatiguing, he thought of the baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and that he had kept on playing even with his bone spur. Another example, when the marlin escapes the hook, he looks at the situation as a victory.
Literary Elements that Advance the Plot
Setting
The setting advances the plot because Santiago discovers how lonely it is out at sea, when it's just him and the fish on his hook. For example, Manolin, his care-giver and friend, is not allowed by his parents to go on the boat. While Santiago is on his boat, he thinks to himself, "I wish I had the boy."
Theme
A theme that developed the plot was pride. Pride developed the plot because it made Santiago a wiser man. For example, Santiago realizes that without his pride, the battle between him and the marlin would never had been fought. Towards the end of the battle with marlin, he states, "a man can be destroyed but not defeated."
Pan or Praise?
I praise The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway because the book is intelligently written. Hemingway presents many life lessons in the book. As I read I was on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. The protagonist of the book, Santiago, represents a very wise man, and his personality creates anticipation to read more, and more. I recommend this book to all people older than 11. Anyone that reads this book will enjoy it.