GRADUATION PAPER

A XII-A PHILOLOGY

“The old man and the sea”

By: Ernest Hemingway

Coordinating teacher: Monica Stamate Student: Gavril Timotei Israel

Mediaș, 2021
 Foreword

I was in 12th grade and the teacher told us we had to submit a graduation paper in order for us
to finish high school. She came to us with a long list with several books from which we had to
choose. We had to build our graduation paper around the book we had chosen.

The first book that caught my attention was” The old man and the sea” written by Ernest
Hemingway. The title had something special about it and it made me choose this book as a
subject for my graduation paper. I had a feeling that this book would be the best for me.

I also heard about this book from a relative, it even had a movie made. Hearing all that, I
decided to take the chance and give it my best. Even though I read a lot of books, this one
gave me a difficult time and not because it was long. The book had 127 pages in total and it
was quite well structured. The thing that gave me trouble was the hidden symbols.

If you read the book it seems like a simple ordinary story of someone who went fishing and
spent 3 days catching a big marlin. If you look closely you can observe some hidden meaning.
The old man who caught the marlin not only talked to himself but also talked to the fish, and
not in a normal way. He was paying his respects to the fish, he was considering him a noble
living thing.

These kinds of symbols are hidden through the book and I really needed to take my time to
find some of them. But just finding them wasn’t enough, I also wanted to learn what they
meant. Sometimes I tried by myself but at some point, I had to rely on the internet and I had
the help from other people too.
 Chapter I
About the author: Ernest Hemingway

Early life

Ernest Hemingway was born on 21st July 1899 in Oak Park USA. He was the second child in
a medics’ family. His parents were Clarence Edmonds Hemingway and Grace Hemingway.
Clarence was a medic, and he had a private cabinet, he was the main source of income in their
family. Ernest was named after his mother’s grandfather.

One thing that needs to be said is that, Ernest

was always in a competition with his elder
sister. Clarence wanted his second child to be a
girl, like the first one, but his whish wasn’t
fulfilled. To get the parents attention, Ernest
started to use vulgar language since he was
little.

When he was 2 years old his father took him to

Wallon lake. A place that was mainly used for
fishing. His father had a holiday house there
and during their stay there, Ernest experienced something that would change his life forever.

He managed to catch a fish, a big one at that, in his first try. He even carried to the shore
alone, since then, fishing had become his life-time passion. After he finishes middle school he
leaves home to go to Kansas city where he is hired as a reporter in Kansas City Star
 War service

In 1918 he offered to volunteer in the Red Cross forces which operated on the Italy
battlefield. While he was doing his job he was hit by a shell which he, surprisingly, survives.
He was decorated with: „Medalia d'Argento al Valore Militare și Croce al Merito di Guerra”

During the civil war in Spain, he was a

corresponding with NANA (North American
Newspaper Alliance) four times: first time form
February till May 1937, second time from august
1937 until January 1938, third time form March till
May 1938 and fourth and the last time form
September 1938 until he retired form the operations
in Ebru river.

His activity as a correspondent had a big impact in

the American newspapers. In there he was not
described as a simple correspondent, he also gave
information about the fights between the
republicans and the Hitlers forces and the Mussolini
squads and the Spanish rebels which were led by
General Franco.

After a while he started to make a film together with

Joris Ivens, a Dutch filmmaker, about Spain. The plot and the comments were written by an
American. The plot and the comments first appeared in an article published in Verve, a
magazine. After that, the plot appeared once more in a small book which also contained the
plot from Spanish Earth, another movie made on this theme. Their film was like a confession-
movie, in which they related and described how the Spanish people fight for their freedom. In
the second year of the civil war in Spain, he comes to USA and he takes part in the second
Congress of American Writers

Opera: The old man and the sea

Ernest Hemingway's 'Old Man and the Sea' has been a literary masterpiece for over 50 years.
Both the timing in Hemingway's life and the sources of inspiration paved the way for a story
that has stood the test of time.
The Old Man and the Sea is a product of a lifetime of writing, and a story that sat in the mind
of Ernest Hemingway for over 16 years. When Hemingway sent the manuscript to his editor
he said it was the finest he could ever write in his life. He also hoped that it would put to rest
the critics who thought he was through as a writer. So, why did it take so long for Hemingway
to get this story to the page? Let’s take a look at the reasons Hemingway finally wrote this
classic book.

The idea first came to Hemingway in 1936 when he penned an essay for Esquire containing a
paragraph about an old man fishing alone in a skiff out of Cabanas who hooked a giant marlin
that dragged him out to sea. The man killed the fish and fought off sharks who attacked the
carcass until he was picked up by a fishing vessel with what remained of the fish. Two years
later, Hemingway started writing The Old Man and the Sea but got side-tracked by For Whom
the Bell Tolls. Sixteen years later, he picked up where he left off with his original idea and
completed what would become his most famous work.

The Old and the Sea is the final work of fiction by Hemingway to be published in his lifetime.
The novel, published in 1952, served to restore readers' confidence in Hemingway after the
failure of his 1950 novel Across the River and into the Trees. In fact, Hemingway hadn't
written a significant literary work in over a decade, with For Whom the Bell Tolls being his
last successful book in 1940. The story could be an allegory for Hemingway's own life as a
writer. The book is Hemingway's giant Marlin.

It is without question that Old Man and the Sea served to redeem Hemingway's reputation.
For the older generations of his readers, the novel was a return to form. For the new younger
generations, it became an introduction to the man who wrote The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell
to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls, works that are considered among the greatest novels in
American Literature. In the same way Santiago, the old man, was without a catch for a dismal
84 days before he landed his marlin, Hemingway had gone over a decade without a successful
novel. Hemingway returned to an idea he knew and believed in, the same way Santiago
returned to a part of the sea he believed in.

Hemingway said the old man was based on nobody in particular, but it is likely he modelled
the main character of the novel, Santiago, after a great friend of his, Gregorio Fuentes.
Fuentes and Hemingway were fishing buddies in Cuba where Hemingway spent most of his
adult life. Fuentes, like Santiago, was a blue-eyed man who spent his entire life fishing at sea.
When Hemingway set out to craft this story, he did so with the goal of making the subject and
characters as real as possible. He wasn't caught up with meanings and symbols as he wrote.
Instead, he wanted to offer a good and true account of a real story. He believed that by doing
so he would create something that could mean many things to many people. What he ended
up creating was a literary classic that has continued to hold meaning for more than half a
century of readers.

The Old Man and the Sea was specifically cited when Hemingway was awarded the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1954. It was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1953. The
novel became Hemingway's most successful book, not only winning awards but also being his
biggest commercial hit. Unfortunately, this is the last book he wrote, He died of suicide at 61
years old. People believe his violent temperament might have been a factor in his death.
 Chapter II
Plot
The main character in The Old Man and the Sea is an old man named Santiago, who is a
fisherman in Cuba. Santiago hasn't had any luck at sea for 84 days. He's poor and looked
down on by the younger and much luckier fishermen.

He would be completely alone were it not for a young boy named Manolin. Manolin used to
be Santiago's apprentice and still believes in him, even though Manolin's family wishes he
wouldn't.

Even though Manolin now works for a more successful fisherman, he continues to spend time
with Santiago, bringing him fresh bait and food. Santiago humbly accepts these gifts and
enjoys talking with the boy.

As a fan of the Yankees and of 'the great DiMaggio', whose father was a fisherman, Santiago
likes talking about baseball with Manolin. Santiago seems to admire baseball legend Joe
DiMaggio as much as Manolin admires Santiago. Manolin even declares that Santiago is the
greatest fisherman. Santiago is touched by this.

That night he has a recurring dream in which he sees lions playing on an African beach,
which is something he saw as a child. This may seem random right now, but it's actually
significant and we'll come back to it.

The next day, Santiago takes his skiff way out beyond where the other fishermen's boats are,
hoping to catch a big fish.

Fortunately, he hooks a giant marlin. This fish is so big

that it pulls his boat along. Determined to wear this
marlin out by playing a very strategic game of tug-of-
war, Santiago engages in a battle with the fish that lasts
two days and two nights.

During that time, Santiago deals with the pain of

wounded hands, since they get cut by the fishing line.
He also endures an aching back and a painfully
cramped up hand, all while keeping a firm grip on the fishing line that has hooked the massive
marlin. Though he struggles to maintain his hold on the fish, and repeatedly wishes that
Manolin were there to help him, he never considers giving up and letting the fish go.
Thankfully, Santiago wins the man vs. fish battle. But now he faces an even bigger challenge:
getting the marlin back to shore.

It turns out that the fish is so big that he can't load the carcass into his boat. So, Santiago
straps the bloody fish to the side of his boat. By doing that, Santiago basically invites every
shark for miles around to come enjoy a ton of free fish. Try as he might to bravely fend off
the sharks by stabbing them in the head with his spear, Santiago loses more and more of the
fish as each shark takes massive bites out of the marlin.

Although there's nothing left of the fish but its 18-foot skeleton, Santiago is grateful to have
made it back to shore alive. Too weak and exhausted to deal with the remains, he leaves the
fish skeleton by the boat and slowly carries the boat's mast back up the hill to his little shack
where he falls asleep. In the morning, everyone is impressed by the extensive fish skeleton
and Manolin is relieved that Santiago is okay.

After talking to Manolin, Santiago goes back to sleep and has the same dream that he had
before going on this adventurous fishing trip. Remember the dream about the lions playing on
the beach? Well, that's what Santiago dreams of again as the book ends. The memory of lions
playing like young cats on the beach represents Santiago's yearning for the past, for easier
times.

Let's not forget that Hemingway wrote this during a difficult time in his life. Though he had
become a very successful writer, he suffered from alcoholism and depression, was on his
fourth marriage, and he hadn't had a major literary work published in ten years before he
wrote 'The Old Man and the Sea.'

So, a little reminiscing about the good ol' days seemed in order for Hemingway, and similarly
for old Santiago. Also, remember how Hemingway loved going on African hunting safaris?
Well, that also makes this lion dream seem even more fitting.
 Chapter III
Title Significance

The title of Hemingway's novel showcases both some straightforward and more indirect
thematic representations. Let's take a look at a few:

1. Simplicity: Hemingway has been frequently analysed, and even criticized, for his terse,
abbreviated style of writing. Hemingway, himself, has said that writing should be direct and
personal with simple word choice and sentence construction. It stands to reason, then, that
Hemingway would follow his own advice in naming his work something as uncomplicated as
The Old Man and the Sea.

It simply makes sense for Hemingway's writing personality, something many relate to his
days as a reporter, where dialogue is king and short, concise sentences rule over lengthy and
wordy ones.

2. Themes: Once you get past the simplicity of Hemingway's title, you start to think about the
various themes of the book that the title could represent. This, too, was in keeping with
Hemingway's goal to use simple language and allow the reader to use their own imagination
to flesh out the story. Here are a few themes the title could be reflective of:

•Struggle - The very essence of The Old Man and the Sea is the aged fisherman's
lifelong battle with the sea. Having been a fisherman for his entire life, as well as the
84-day stretch when the fisherman has no success in his craft before starting his battle
with the marlin, this is easily represented in the title that puts the fisherman and his
nemesis (the sea) on equal footing. Notice that the title does not expressly elevate
either the fisherman or the sea, but shows them on the same playing field. The struggle
is also evidenced by mankind's attempt to exist in a powerful and fierce environment
where he is really never in control.

•Isolation - By choosing to focus on the man and the sea in the title, readers are left
with a view of the fisherman as an isolated human being. Though the fisherman's
friendship with his apprentice (we'll discuss that more below) is talked about
throughout the book, the author clearly wants the readers to see the fisherman as being
alone. The expansiveness of the sea can make anyone feel small and isolated, and
Hemingway successfully conveys that through his choice of wording.
 •Man versus nature - The fisherman in Hemingway's tale has spent a lifetime
navigating the sea; in fact, his identity is wrapped up in his experiences on, and
struggles with, the ocean. The title illustrates the old man's central purpose in life - his
battle, sometimes winning, sometimes losing, against nature, the sea and its
inhabitants. The title may also symbolize the man's harmony with his environment.

•Age - Hemingway apparently thought enough of the man's age to include the
descriptive text 'old' in the title. It could simply have been The Man and the Sea or The
Fisherman and the Sea, but he took care in describing the man, first, by his age. This
may be representative of weakness versus power, wisdom in conflict or old age versus
youth. Whatever the reason, the fisherman is defined by his age, which carries with it
certain connotations before the reader ever gets past the book cover.

3. Relationship: Without reading it, you may not be aware of the other relationship that is
woven throughout the book, that is the fisherman's friendship with his apprentice. In the tale,
the apprentice is seen visiting the fisherman, helping with his gear and even preparing his
meals, yet that relationship is secondary to the one between the fisherman and the sea. By
refusing to acknowledge the friendship between the fisherman and the apprentice in the title,
Hemingway is pointing to the most important relationship in the book - the lifelong
connection between the man and the ocean.
 Chapter IV
The Two Major Themes

Now that we know and understand what happens in 'The Old Man and the Sea', let's discuss
two of its powerful themes, or central ideas.

Catholicism is used in different ways to point to the cyclical nature of life. When the fishing
line cuts Santiago's palms it is reminiscent of Christ's stigmata.

Santiago also promises God that he'll say 100 'Hail Marys' and 100 'Our Fathers' in the hopes
that God will help him endure and survive the struggle with this fish in spite of his pain and
exhaustion.

Santiago's success with the marlin gives him hope for his future. He will no longer be the
failing fisherman, but the victor of his village. His religion helps him experience a sense of
renewal.

Later, when he sees the first shark, he lets out a sound that is described as, 'a noise such as a
man might make, involuntarily, feeling the nail go through his hands and into the wood.'
When an exhausted Santiago struggles to carry the skiff's mast up the hill, he carries it across
his shoulders, much like Christ was forced to bear a wooden cross.

Finally, when he reaches his shack, Santiago collapses onto his bed, where he 'slept face down
on the newspapers with his arms out straight and the palms of his hands up.' This description
conjures up the image of Christ suffering on the cross.

In the morning, Manolin comes to Santiago's shack just as he has every day since Santiago
left. He is so relieved to see Santiago sleeping that it makes him cry. The villagers marvel at
the huge fish's skeleton, and thus Santiago's old reputation as the extremely unlucky
fisherman has died, and a heroic image of a fisherman who endured a great deal rose up in its
place. Someday when Santiago dies, his memory and his teachings will live on in Manolin.
All of this helps illustrate the theme: religion can connect people to the cyclical nature of life,
which parallels the biblical story of Jesus Christ.

The other theme to discuss is there's dignity in determination. In the beginning, Santiago
knows that the younger fishermen, who are more successful, look down on him, but that
doesn't stop him. I don't know about you, but after 84 unsuccessful days at sea, I'd ditch the
skiff and change careers. But Santiago sets out on the 85th day and goes out farther than the
other boats, determined to catch a big fish. When he struggles with the marlin, he never gives
up and he comes to see the marlin as a worthy opponent rather than backing down from the
challenge.

When Santiago is fighting off the sharks at night, he loses his spear to them, so he fights off
the next shark with his club. Not long after, he sees the glow of Havana's lights, knowing that
he's not far from home and he must fight off another shark with his club. But then he feels
something takes the club. Santiago immediately grabs the tiller to use as a weapon. Even
when the tiller breaks, Santiago boldly stabs a shark with the splintered wood. Ultimately, the
sharks win by devouring the fish's flesh, but these struggles clearly show how powerful
determination can be in the face of danger.

Hemingway honours Santiago's strong will by letting the skeleton of the fish stay intact so
that all of the villagers can see that he really did catch an enormous fish. This elevates his
status and shows just how important Santiago's determination was.
 Chapter V
Symbols
Ernest Hemingway's use of lions in ''The Old Man and the Sea'' has significance and meaning
to the novella's story line. In this lesson, you'll learn more about the lions and what they could
mean to the fisherman.

1. King of the Jungle

Have you ever been to the zoo? One of the most

popular and well-travelled exhibits is always the lion
enclosure. The magnificent beasts, also referred to as
the ''king of the jungle,'' are revered for their size,
strength, and power. In movies, books and music, they
are often used as symbols to represent the same.

When the lions show up in Ernest Hemingway's The

Old Man and the Sea, which tells the story of a frail,
aged fisherman in a great battle for his prized catch, a
marlin, we see ways they could be used in the
symbolism of the Nobel Prize for Literature winner.

The Lions in The Old Man and the Sea

The first mention of lions in the novella comes shortly after the story starts, with Hemingway
quoting Santiago, the fisherman, talking to his young apprentice:

''When I was your age I was before the mast on a square rigged ship that ran to Africa and I
have seen lions on the beaches in the evening.''

Santiago's mention of the lions to the boy foreshadows many references to the lions
throughout the remainder of the story. When we see the lions next mentioned, it's in regard to
Santiago's dreams:

''He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish,
nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the
lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the
boy.''
''I wish he'd sleep and I could sleep and dream about the lions, he thought. Why are the lions
the main thing that is left?''

Why does Hemingway choose to place such a focus on lions? Let's examine a few ideas
behind the symbolism of the lions in this story.

Symbolism of the Lions

1. Youth: Santiago's first mention of the lions is in recounting days of his boyhood, sailing
ships to Africa where he saw lions playing on the beach. For many of us, youth also
represents a happy and carefree time when things were simpler, relaxed and comfortable. The
dreams of the lions take Santiago to his happy place with memories that are comforting and
endearing.

2. Strength: Perhaps synonymous with youth in some regards, the lions may also represent
strength in Santiago's mind. The task at hand for Santiago is the great battle to capture the
marlin, which requires great strength, both physically to reel the fish in and mentally to
persevere despite many days without success.

When Santiago needs strength for the next day, that's when it seems he dreams about the
lions. His first dream of the lions is just before a three-day fishing trip. The second happens
during a nap in the midst of his fight with the marlin. And, the third occurs near the end of the
book.

3. Pride: A group of lions is known as none other than a pride, which could be symbolic of
Santiago's pride in his craft and ability to reel in the prized marlin. In human emotion, pride is
a feeling of satisfaction after a job well done. Conversely, because many of the references to
the lions are in dreams, it could be Santiago's loss of pride, his inability to perform as the
fisherman he once was, that is stirring his thoughts.

4. Eternal life: Many people believe the representation of the lions at the end of the novel has
Christian roots meaning hope of eternal life. In the Bible, Jesus is referred as many times as a
''lion'' or the ''Lion of Judah.'' The dream of the lions Santiago has at the end of the book
symbolizes death for some and a return to hope or renewed strength.

2. The mast
The mast of Santiago's little fishing ship does more than just resemble a cross, but symbolizes
the sacredness of Santiago's perseverance and struggle. It illuminates Santiago as a Christ
figure in 'The Old Man and the Sea'.

Be Like Jesus

Except for brief mentions of the mast on Santiago's skiff (boat) in The Old Man and the Sea,
it doesn't have much bearing on any symbolism in the story until the very end. Santiago
already resonates through the narrative as a Christ figure, but the mast is what makes his
representation as Christ in The Old Man in the Sea unmistakable and explicit. By dragging the
mast Santiago transforms from battered, weary fisherman to son of God on his way to his
crucifixion.

The Walk Begins

The mast bears a very significant symbolism as soon as Santiago begins to carry it toward his
shack. Until he takes the mast down and puts it against his shoulder, the mast has simply been
a piece of wood that Santiago hangs his sail from. The mast, along with the savage wounds on
Santiago's hands, screams symbolism. The first line about Santiago carrying the mast is as
follows and prepares the reader for the upcoming motif:

'He unstepped the mast and furled the sail and tied it. Then he shouldered the mast and started
to climb. It was then he knew the depth of his tiredness.'

Santiago is tired because he'd spent three days on the water trying to land the biggest fish he'd
ever caught. The fishing line shreds his hands, and he's just spent almost an entire day and
night fending off the sharks that came to feast on his marlin. Jesus isn't exactly spry when it's
time for him to carry his cross through the streets to his crucifixion, so there's a shared quality
as well in how tired Santiago is and Christ. Both of them are, in one form or another, ending
their most trying endeavour.

Not so Subtle Symbolism

As Christ struggled to carry his cross to his crucifixion, so too does Santiago struggle to carry
the mast up the road. Santiago could have left the mast with his skiff. In fact, after the
enormous struggle he'd been through, it's a bit difficult to understand why he went through so
much effort to carry it in the first place.
'He started to climb again and at the top he fell and lay for some time with the mast across his
shoulder. He tried to get up. But it was too difficult and he sat there with the mast on his
shoulder and looked at the road.'

After considering this and other aspects of Santiago's determination, it's clear why Santiago
would struggle to get his mast safely home. Santiago's character also resembles that of Christ.
The cross is a symbol of Christ's sacrifice, just as the mast is a symbol of Santiago's, so it's
clearly not something Santiago can leave behind.

Perseverance

Santiago has already proven to be a man of determination. What would it say about him to
abandon the mast and leave it on the side of the road? Santiago is no quitter, and the mast is a
symbol of perseverance.

Finally, he put the mast down and stood up. He picked the mast up and put it on his shoulder
and started up the road. He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.'

Santiago makes it back to his shack with the mast. And when he gets back to his shack, he
simply leans the mast against the wall. This action seems trivial; especially after going
through the trouble of bringing the mast all the way back to his shack. But, when Santiago
leans the mast against the wall it becomes clear. The mast, like any cross hung on a wall, is
sacred.

The mast of Santiago's ship maintains its obscurity until the end of the story when its sacred
symbolism is revealed. The mast symbolizes the cross that Christ was forced to bear before
his execution. This is made evident by Santiago struggling to bring the mast up the road to his
shack. The mast also illuminates Santiago as a Christ figure in the novella. The mast, slightly
more subtly than crucifixion imagery, also symbolizes the sacred and perseverance.
 Chapter VI
The characters

1. The Boy

Have you ever had an assistant, or someone who helped you with a task? What about a close
friend--someone you could always count on to be there if you needed them? In Ernest
Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea, one character serves both of these roles. His
name is Manolin, though he is mostly referred to as ''the boy.''

Manolin is initially introduced as the old man's

assistant. He was a boy who helped the old man,
Santiago, on his fishing boat for a long time.
However, after Santiago went forty days without
catching any fish, Manolin's parents moved him to a
different fishing boat that had better luck. But even
when he is no longer Santiago's assistant, Manolin
remains his friend and, in many ways, his caretaker.
The boy is a prominent figure in the old man's life. We see this in particular during the large
portion of the book when the old man is out at sea by himself. Although Manolin is not
physically with him Santiago thinks about him constantly, and often wishes he were there or
refers to what the boy would be doing if he were present.

Physical Description

Very little physical description of the boy is ever provided. We know that he is strong because
he helps the old man by carrying the mast of his skiff up a hill. Since the mast is described as
being as large as the room where the old man lives we know that it is fairly large, and
therefore that Manolin must be strong. Even assuming it is a very small room, it would still be
a very heavy solid piece of wood. We can also assume that his age is somewhere around
adolescence. He is old enough to be working on different fishing boats, but young enough that
his parents still make the decisions about where he will work.

Besides this, we aren't told anything about what he looks like. The boy's appearance has
absolutely no effect on his role in the novel, and so it is not described. The entire focus is on
Manolin's character and his actions.
Characterization

There are two main types of characterization, or ways that readers learn about a character's
personality. Both direct and indirect characterization are used in The Old Man and the Sea to
give us insight into Manolin's personality. Everything in the novel centers around the old man,
and the boy's characterization specifically centers around how much he cares for and wants to
help Santiago.

Direct Characterization

Direct characterization is when the audience is told explicitly about a personality trait or
attitude of a character. One example of this is in Hemingway's statement that ''the old man had
taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.''

Here, we are told right out how the boy feels about the old man. This love and care Manolin
has is a significant part of his character, and we see it come through in his actions time and
time again.

Another trait Manolin has is obedience. He tells Santiago, ''It was papa made me leave. I am a
boy and I must obey him.'' This quote tells us clearly that the boy did not want to leave the old
man, but he is obedient and followed his parents' instructions anyway.

Indirect Characterization

In contrast, indirect characterization means we have to look a little more closely at a

character's speech and actions in order to understand what they might show us about their
personality. For example, by using this type of characterization we can see that Manolin is
very hard working. Every day he gets up early and helps the old man get his boat ready. Then
he has to help get his own boat ready and spend all day out fishing, but he is always willing to
help the old man again when he returns.

The boy also shows us how much he cares for Santiago. We see that ''it made the boy sad to
see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty and he always went down to help him.''
Manolin's actions tell us that this sadness comes out of affection rather than pity.

When he is watching the old man eat, Manolin thinks, ''Why am I so thoughtless? I must get
him another shirt and jacket for the winter.'' Clearly he is not thoughtless, since he already
provides the old man with coffee, sardines, and food on a regular basis. What this quote
shows us is how responsible Manolin feels for Santiago. He feels that he should care for the
old man and make sure he has everything he needs. Once again, his actions and speech tell us
that he does this out of affection and because he wants to, rather than out of a sense of
obligation. All of these elements help to shed light onto Manolin as a character.

Manolin serves as assistant, friend, and caretaker to Santiago in Ernest Hemingway's novel
The Old Man and the Sea. We know that he is strong and young, but otherwise no physical
description is given. This places the focus entirely on his personality and relationship to the
old man. We see both types of characterization used in the novel to shed light on his
character. Through direct characterization we see that he is obedient, and also how much he
loves the old man. Indirect characterization tells us how hard working he is, the responsibility
he feels for the old man, and that this responsibility is born out of affection rather than
obligation. Everything we learn about Manolin's character ties back into how he feels about
the old man, which is why he takes such good care of him.

2. The old man Santiago

Fisher of Men

Santiago, the protagonist in Hemingway's famed The Old Man and the Sea, is often
symbolized as a Christ figure in literary analyses of this novella. Santiago is a poor fisherman;
Jesus was a fisher of men. Both stuck to their faith when they had moments of doubt and pain.
Furthermore, Santiago often made references to Jesus' passages on sin. Clearly, Santiago is
meant to symbolize many of Christ's teachings.

If Thy Hand Offends Thee

One clear comparison between Santiago and Christ refers to cutting off useless hands. On the
second day, Santiago's left hand cramps so badly that he is unable to use it. He manages to
maintain his fishing line with his other hand, but his frustration leads him to voice a sentiment
about sin that Christ said during his Sermon on the Mount. Santiago states:

'If he cramps again let the line cut him off.'

When Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, he warned against the penalty of sin. One of the
most infamous lines from his sermon was about cutting off a hand that commits sin. Jesus
states in Matthew Chapter 5 Verse 30:

'And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.'
Santiago's frustration with his hand is because it is of no use to him, and if it's not going to be
useful, it doesn't matter if the line cuts it off. It would be out of his way and he could put it out
of his mind. This sentiment evokes the theme of Jesus' statement. If the hand is sinful, then it
is of no use to a man who is trying to serve God. Therefore, it is better to get rid of the hand
before it infects the rest of the body.

Enduring Faith

Jesus' moments of doubt and pain, a popular

reference from the Rolling Stones song
'Sympathy for the Devil' is often misunderstood.
Christ's moment of doubt and isolation came the
moment when Jesus became separated from God
so he could accept the sins of man. Like man,
Jesus had to be judged by God because of that
sin. Jesus was without God for that moment,
completely alone. Two things occur with Santiago that exemplify this. The first is Santiago's
faith in his moment of doubt, where he tells himself:

'I am not good for many more turns. Yes you are, he told himself. You're good for ever.'

The second parallel Santiago has to Christ during his crucifixion and in relation to being
alone, is when Santiago realizes that he is completely isolated as he struggles to bring in the
marlin. The line reads:

'He looked across the sea and knew how alone he was now.'

In the first quotation, Santiago's initial doubt is dismissed when he tells himself that he can
endure forever. Like Christ, Santiago understands the power of faith. The second quotation
also alludes to the moment where Christ struggled under the judgment of God for the sins of
man.

Crucifixion

Most people probably know that Christ was made to carry his cross through the streets of
Jerusalem to the place of His Crucifixion. Jesus didn't tuck his soon-to-be wooden torture
device under his arm and stroll to his execution. Rather, he bore the cross on his shoulder and
struggled so greatly to carry the weight of it that Roman soldiers ordered another man to help
Him.
When Santiago ends his three days of struggle on the sea, he must carry his mast, which
resembles a cross, up the beach to his house. This is one of the more explicit examples of how
Santiago resembles Christ. The passage from the novella reads:

'He started to climb again and at the top he fell and lay for some time with the mast across his
shoulder. He tried to get up. But it was too difficult and he sat there with the mast on his
shoulder and looked at the road.'

Clearly, after all that Santiago has been through, his three days of suffering, Santiago
struggles to carry his mast up to his shack. There is nothing more explicitly similar to Christ
carrying the cross down the Via Dolorosa than Santiago carrying his mast to his shack.

The most explicit example of Santiago representing a Christ figure is his struggle to carry the
mast of his skiff back to his shack after his three-day ordeal with catching an enormous
marlin. This alludes to Christ carrying his own cross. Aside from this, there are other more
subtle references in the novella that draw a connection between Santiago and Christ. Santiago
had moments of doubt, and a particular moment of keen awareness that he was completely
alone, just as Christ did on the cross. Santiago also makes a statement about cutting off his
hand that alludes to a message Christ delivered on the Sermon of the Mount about cutting off
a sinful hand.
 Chapter VII
The old man and the sea, a Classic
Ernest Hemingway's ''The Old Man and the Sea'' examines man's place in the world while
exploring his need for survival. Because of the introspective and philosophical nature of the
novel, it attains the designation of classic literature.

Why Classic?

How does a book become a classic? The easy and simple answer is time. A book may not
receive glowing reviews upon release, but gain notoriety years or even decades later. This is
due in part to literary analysis and an examination of meaning within the text. Another aspect
that may help a novel become a classic is the author. In the case of The Old Man and the Sea,
Ernest Hemingway is an established author.

Ernest Hemingway has a very distinctive writing style. His sentences are succinct (or really
brief and to-the-point), and he creates impact through his choice of words. He is not bogged
down by the details. The Old Man and the Sea is a relatively short novel. There isn't much
detail other than the 'dip and push of…oars' and 'the trembling sound as flying fish left the
water' as Santiago rows out onto the ocean. Hemingway's prose comes to life when he
describes Santiago's masculinity.

One of the more poignant aspects about Hemingway's prose is how he defines man, which is
what's meant by masculinity. Men should be rugged, strong, and resilient, characteristics that
Santiago embraces. Santiago is an old man, but he still rows out onto the ocean by himself.
He suffers several physical ailments. He also not only reels in a giant marlin, but fights off
several sharks on his way back to shore. Throughout these challenges, Santiago knows 'how
to suffer like a man': without complaint. Hemingway's writing style brings Santiago to life,
but this alone does not make The Old Man and the Sea a classic.

Relevant Theme

An author might write well, but if the story doesn't say anything, the novel won't receive the
label of 'classic.' Hemingway has much to say in The Old Man and the Sea. One of the more
prevalent themes is man versus nature, which is a theme that symbolically pits humanity
against the supposedly subjugated natural world. True to this, Santiago faces several
challenges from nature, the most obvious being his battle with the giant marlin. Here he is,
alone on the ocean, towed by a marlin that he has hooked. Their struggle lasts two days,
before Santiago kills the marlin.

So, what does this struggle tell us? With Santiago, this struggle with the marlin tells us he's
strong, but most importantly, he's determined. This is the message that Hemingway presents
through this struggle. Exhausted, Santiago 'will try…as long as I have the oars and the short
club and the tiller.' He will fight 'until I die.' Defeat is
death. If Santiago gives up on trying reeling in the fish,
he's doomed and he'll never recover if he quits.

The exploration of this theme in The Old Man and the

Sea helps explain why the novel is a classic. The
importance of determination and never giving up helps
define the type of people we are. Man is always going
to be faced with challenges from nature, whether
physical or elemental. How he faces these challenges,
and the types of action he takes, are areas of thought
that engage the reader and stay with them long after
they have read the novel. These types of questions will
always be relevant. Being able to stand the test of time
is part of why this novel is deemed a classic.

Man's Place in the World

The Old Man and the Sea also raises the question of man's place in the world. Santiago rows
out far onto the ocean, where he's alone with his thoughts. He takes in the world around him.
He looks at the phosphorescent algae, recognizes the flying fish as his friends, and even
discusses the ocean and how he 'always (thinks) of her as feminine' Seeing her as a woman
establishes a relationship between the two. Santiago sees himself as an integral part of the
world.

Santiago's thoughts about the marlin as he struggles to reel it in further establishes this idea.
He mentions the pity he has for the fish, and has never seen a 'more noble thing than you
brother.' Santiago recognizes that he is only 'better than him through trickery.' It is recognition
that Santiago and the fish are in this place because their paths were chosen for them. Santiago
concludes that he was 'born to be a fisherman as the fish was born to be a fish.' Even against
the sharks Santiago recognizes that they're 'beautiful and noble and know no fear of anything.'
But does everyone and everything have their own place designated for them?

The exploration of this question demonstrates that there's more to this short novel than just a
story about an old man trying to catch a fish. It presents different themes, and explores the
place and role of man in the world. Man's place in the world is always evolving, and yet 'man
can be destroyed but not defeated.' Hemingway leaves unanswered the question of whether
Santiago or the fish was destroyed. Hemingway allows his reader to develop their own
answer, which exemplifies why The Old Man and the Sea is both significant and deserving of
the label 'classic.'

Classic novels inspire thought and challenge the reader. These questions must remain relevant
over time. Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea does both. It succinctly (or really brief and
to-the-point) presents a challenging question while exploring several themes that provide
insight to man's role (masculinity; in other words, suffering without complaint) and his place
in the world. Santiago challenges the reader to see more than an old man fishing on the ocean,
helped along by the theme of man versus nature, a theme that symbolically pits humanity
against the supposedly subjugated natural world. Santiago explains what his place in the
world is, and challenges the reader to do the same. In the end, the novel boils down to the
question of who actually was defeated. Was it the fish, or Santiago?
 Conclusion
The old man and the sea might have been my best choice up to now. The book was so
full of different things to think about. I always enjoy books which have a lot of symbols. They
usually get me thinking:” What might this mean? What is it that it is trying to tell me?” And I
like to occupy my mind with such things. Ernest Hemingway sure knows how to hook readers
like me by adding small details to attract your attention, but also adds some big hints to the
story so you can somewhat foresee what is going to happen.

Also, even though the book is about a man who spent 3 days trying to catch a marlin,
the story behind it is so much bigger. The marlin is treated like a friend by Santiago and not
like a normal fish like other fishermen would do. This shows that man can enter in harmony
with the animals and understand each other at some point.

I think The old man and the sea is a great choice for people who want to spend their
time on trying to decipher the secrets behind the symbols. Other books written by Ernest
Hemingway are also a good choice to spend a peaceful night. After some lectures you will
find yourself to be a more analytic and thoughtful person. In the end it’s not a good choice,
but a great one.
 Contents

Contents
Foreword................................................................................................................................................3
Chapter I About the author: Ernest Hemingway....................................................................................4
Chapter II Plot........................................................................................................................................8
Chapter III Title Significance.................................................................................................................10
Chapter IV The Two Major Themes......................................................................................................12
Chapter V Symbols...............................................................................................................................14
Chapter VI The characters....................................................................................................................18
Chapter VII The old man and the sea, a Classic....................................................................................23
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................26
Bibliography.........................................................................................................................................28
 Bibliography

 https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/symbols/
 https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway#Opera
 https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway
 https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/why-ernest-hemingway-committed-suicide/
 https://study.com/academy/lesson/symbolism-of-the-mast-in-the-old-man-and-the-
sea.html
 https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bătrânul_și_marea
 https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/themes/
 https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/characters/
 https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Old-Man-and-the-Sea-novel-by-Hemingway
 https://study.com/academy/lesson/why-is-the-old-man-and-the-sea-a-classic-literary-
significance.html