The Old Man

and the Sea
 
 
 

Reading Journal 
 
 
 
 
Nina Garcia Lecuona  
Language and Literature 
Mr. Brown 
30th December 2019 
 
 
 
 
 

   

 
 
 
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Defeat, Struggle and Determination 

From the first paragraph of the novel, Santiago is portrayed as a struggling fisherman. He sails

with the record of eighty four days without catching a fish, this struggle he faces, when his sail is

becoming a “flag of permanent defeat” shows his determination, as the novel explores the

strength of Santiago’s character. This creates an internal struggle between defeat and

determination within Santiago. He uses the feeling of defeat to prove to himself that he still has

it in himself to be a good fisherman, such as when he sets out far from the sight of land, when he

catches the Marlin or when he fights the sharks. There is a constant struggle throughout his

journey at sea with the Marlin however his determination helps him to continue fighting. By

having the mentality where he believes he cannot “fail and die on a fish like this,” Santiago’s

determination to not be defeated is what helps him succeed, nevertheless by the end of the novel,

he does not succeed in bringing back the Marlin but only the bones. While to him it may seem

like defeat, the skeleton of the fish is found and celebrated by the other fishermen. Through this,

Hemingway redefines success, as what makes the old man successful is not his ability to bring

back the Marlin but his hard work and most importantly his determination. Even when fighting

the sharks, the old man’s ability to not give up, even when he is close to defeat, for example

when he thinks “now they have beaten me, I am too old to club sharks to death. But I will try.”

The strength of Santiago’s character and the development of his character from the start to the

end of the novel grows, in the way that through being tested more, Santiago’s confidence in

himself and his abilities is what develops the most. His ability to continue on believing that “man

 
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is not made for defeat, a man can be destroyed but not defeated.” shows that he is willing to die

before giving up, thus representing the major themes ​defeat, struggle and determination. 

 
 
   

 
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The Marlin 

The Marlin is an immense “eighteen feet from nose to tail” fish caught by Santiago. Santiago and

the fish struggle for three days and three nights, almost killing Santiago, and killing the Marlin,

nevertheless throughout their time at sea the Marlin shows struggle, determination and defeat,

which are the main themes of the novel. The Marlin is symbolic to the story because it shows

how Santiago’s determination led to restitution for Santiago as after eighty four days he finally

caught a fish, in fact the “biggest fish that he had ever seen”. While providing redemption for

Santiago it is this that helps him motivate himself, giving himself determination to succeed.

Nevertheless, the Marlin’s own determination and struggle draws many parallels to Santiago

himself. The Marlin, although hooked continues to fight Santiago right up until it’s death, it’s

determination is what makes Santiago see him as an opponent worthy of taking him down. In

fact, when the fish is “killing me, fish. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or

more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not

care who kills who.” This is a powerful quote because through Santiago’s determination and will

to fight, the Marlin becomes the exception, the only one that Santiago deems worthy of killing

him. Even as he battles old age, losing money from fishing, not getting fish, he sees the Marlin

worthy. This is significant because of Santiago’s strong will, that this “magnificent fish” is

worthy of killing him.

   

 
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Joe DiMaggio 
 
Hemmingway uses the character Joe DiMaggio, a baseball player for the New York Yankees, as

a motivator for Santiago throughout the book. Even when Santiago is tested the most when he is

surrounded by sharks, he uses the idea of this character, one that he has never met to keep him

going. The reason why this figure is so significant to Santiago is because he draws a lot of

parallels with this player to his own life. Not only is Santiago a fanatic of baseball, but

DiMaggio’s beginnings are very humble, much like the life Santiago has always lived. “They say

his father (Di Maggios) was a fisherman” posing the question for Santiago that “maybe he was as

poor as we are and would understand.” By having the connection of wealth, more precisely, lack

of wealth, Santiago feels like he can connect with this player more than with any other. In

Santiago's perspective, being from a background of poverty and fishing, adds strength to

DiMaggio’s character, as he has faced the injustices and hardships the fishermen face in Cuba.

This leads to Santiago respecting DiMaggio, and seeing him as something that Santiago himself

once was. Santiago sees him as being “young and strong”, something that with old age, santiago

no longer has. In fact, DiMaggio seemingly gives Santiago strength and the will to go on

throughout his troubles at sea with the Marlin. Here, the idea of bone spurs comes up.

Throughout the book Santiago mentions that he “must have confidence and be worthy of the

great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel”. He

compares his cramped hand to DiMaggio’s bone spurs. It provides motivation for Santiago,

because if his idol can continue playing baseball with bone spurs, he can fight through the pain

with his cramped hand, to catch the Marlin. This character is significant throughout the book

 
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because it is representative of Santiago’s character. His motivation and strength to continue on,

even as he comes close to death himself, to prove to himself as well as the boy that the strong

fishermen is within.

 
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