The Old Man and the Sea: Arm Wrestling

One of Santiago’s memories while sitting on the boat before he hooks his prize marlin is of his one-day arm wrestling match with the great Negro of Cienfuegos. Santiago recalls that the Negro of Cienfuegos was one of the most confident people he had ever met. This flashback to Santiago’s glory days is a bit of foreshadowing and is very similar to his battle with the marlin. Both battles lasted a long time, but the arm wrestling match was a bit shorter. They each were a great struggle for both parties. Santiago mentions that both his and the Negro’s fingernails were bleeding because their grips were so tight. Since the battle against the Negro lasted so long, there was a multitude of bettors surrounding them. The bettors can be compared to the other local fishermen at the local terrace café because most of them were against Santiago. The Negro of Cienfuegos was a very tough and strong competitor just as the marlin was. Each caused great pain, but they also gave him great reward. However, Santiago did win the arm wrestling match, but he did not reel in the fish. I believe that even though Santiago never landed this stupendous fish, it was still a victory for him socially, mentally, and spiritually. Subsequent to each fight, Santiago gained immense respect from his peers. It is assumed that the bettors respected both the Negro and Santiago even though they may not have won. In addition, when Santiago came in with the bones of the massive marlin, all the local fishermen changed their mind and were amazed by Santiago’s efforts. There are hardly any real differences between the two fights except for a few minor details. It is astonishing how Hemingway included such a relatable memory in his story. This also helped the novel progress because Santiago’s memory gave him a lot of added confidence in his fishing. Overall, I think Hemingway’s use of a flashback is very effective not only to the reader, but it motivates Santiago as well.