Examination and Connection

Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea tells the story based around the great struggle between a simple elderly fisherman, Santiago, and the catch of a lifetime. Finally Santiago is able to catch the great marlin so as I the reader I believe the plot has reached its climax and it will be a happy story from then on. Although, the plot took an unexpected twist when his life's achievement was taken away from him. After catching the fish a blood trail was left attracting sharks, Santiago fights off as many as he can but they are too many and they eat all the meat of his fish leaving only bone. I admired Santiago's reaction to this tragedy because he did not let it defeat him. Even though his physical prize was taken away from him, he still knew for himself that he had caught it, he had done something incredible, and just because it was eaten by sharks does not take away from the fact that he made the catch of a lifetime. The example set by Santiago was inspirational to me, he did not let the tragedy ruin him and he realized that he did not need recognition from others that he caught the fish he only needed the personal satisfaction of making the catch of his life. One pattern in the novel is the reoccurrence of Santiago’s dreams about the lions playing on the African beach. These lions are memories from his past and they remind Santiago of his youth and they help him deal with this great struggle.  In addition, Hemingway may be identifying Santiago with a lion, because just as a lion has to go out and hunt and find food and shelter on its own, Santiago must go out everyday and fish in order to survive. Santiago still takes pleasure in remembering his youth, allowing me to connect with the story by instilling in me the message that I must enjoy my young age while I am still young.