The Old Man and the Sea: Santiago's Emotions and Attributes

It is apparent to see from the beginning of the novel The Old Man and the Sea that the main character Santiago tends to hide his emotions. After eighty-four days without a single fish, one would think that Santiago would feel some kind of frustration or anguish, but that is not the case at all. Even when the local fishermen ridicule him, he just absorbs it all and does not respond. To me, he is the typical old and stubborn worker. He always has to have his lines straight down in the water rather than crooked as the other younger fishermen have them. This tells me that he fishes in an “old school” way. In addition, he lives in a humble shack, and he sleeps on newspaper. This may be partly because of his poor fishing luck, but it is also because he does not need any luxuries. Santiago is extremely modest in nature. His commitment is also unmatched. To finally catch a fish, a big fish, he travels farther out to sea than any sane fisherman would. Along with his commitment, this incident shows his determination as well. He is determined to end his bad luck by reeling in a prize fish. When he first hooks the marlin, he is very prideful because he knows it is a great and mighty fish although he has not yet seen it. This is a surprise to the reader because of the lack of emotion previously showed by Santiago. Throughout the fight, Santiago’s perseverance shines through. Even when his hands are cut up and bloody from the line, he keeps going for the marlin. Another example of his great modesty is that he and the marlin seem to have a mutual respect for one another. According to Santiago, they both realize the other is a fierce warrior, and Santiago is thankful for the challenge. Finally, when Santiago realizes the tragic fate of his beloved marlin and he returns home, he is physically beaten and bruised, but it is apparent to the reader that in Santiago’s mind, he knows he has triumphed.