Analysis of "Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway
Analysis of "Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway
Pain can be described as anything that causes stress or hurt on one’s body, mind and soul. Emotional, mental and physical pain can all cause a person to lose sight of their ambitions and goals in life. This however is not the case with the old man in Hemingway’s novel, The Old Man and the Sea. The old man, Santiago, makes his way through life with perseverance, or determination to succeed. He never gives up on his dreams, despite pains and consequences he encounters. This characteristic is one that becomes a very important quality in the characterization of Santiago. Hemingway develops one aspect of his characters personality very deeply, and Santiago’s courage, and perseverance is developed thoroughly throughout the novel. The most important aspect of the old man’s characterization is his ability to overcome pain and persevere.
The old man shows his strength by overcoming the pain he has from the communities’ negative thoughts about him, the physical pain from the fishing line on his back and hands, and the emotional pain he feels after the sharks have eaten his prize fish.
On one hand, the old man has not caught any fish in eighty-four days. He is becoming very discouraged with himself, and wants more than anything to catch a fish, and prove to the other fisherman in the village that he is not too old. His streak of bad luck when it comes to catching any fish, and the hurtful remarks the other fisherman give him, cause the old man to experience great mental pain. Although Santiago doesn’t show the pain he suffers from the other fisherman’s remarks, their comments affect his behavior. He wants to prove to them that he is not too old, and he is still a very capable fisherman. The narrator says, “They sat on the Terrace and many of the fisherman made fun of the old man and he was not angry.” Even though the old man is hurt inside, by the remarks that the other men make, he does not let them see his aggravation, but instead makes a promise to himself that he will catch a large fish, and prove them wrong. This shows Santiago’s perseverance and his strong will to succeed.
Similarly, the old man suffers a great deal of physical pain while he is out to...