The Old Man And The Sea Essay Example

want... it will do you no good'" (58) is enclosed within paragraph tags.

Santiago's worry about his age and health causing him to miss catching the marlin is fueled by the cramp in his left hand, which reduces his strength. To alleviate it, he consumes Bonito for added strength and rests his hand. Switching to his unaffected right hand, Santiago manages to slowly untangle the knot in his cramped hand, finding relief and boosting his confidence. His success in overcoming self-doubt over age is aided by his intellectual and instinctual understanding of the marlin's movements, despite not being able to see it at all times.

Throughout the ordeal, the marlin had the potential to surprise Santiago and escape, pushing him to think ahead and anticipate its actions. Ultimately, fear of another sudden movement led the old man to reluctantly remove his hand from the salt water and brace himself for whatever might come next.

Santiago's vigilance in observing all of the marlin's movements illustrates that he is always on the lookout for any suspicious activity (57). By remaining prepared for unexpected events, Santiago is able to trust his instincts and have confidence in his intelligence, even though he cannot anticipate the marlin's thoughts or actions. Through his accomplishments, Santiago conquers his inner doubts and insecurities, cementing his belief in his own capabilities. This determination to overcome self-defeat is a significant factor in Santiago's success in catching and keeping the marlin for a period of time.

Despite experiencing numerous injuries and feeling unwell while attempting to catch the marlin, Santiago persevered. Hemingway's description of the old man's faintness, sickness, and hearing difficulties illustrates the extent of Santiago's pain

and discomfort. Despite these obstacles, Santiago remained determined to catch the fish. Even after successfully catching the marlin, Santiago encountered further challenges, including his battle against the sharks.

"'Fight them,' Santiago declared, 'I'll fight them until I die'" (115). This showcases Santiago's resolute nature despite his pain and weariness from his previous struggles. His unwillingness to surrender the marlin reveals his perseverance in resisting defeat and not succumbing to the sharks.

Despite feeling exhausted and in pain, Santiago continuously fights against the sharks, using whatever tools he has left. This determination is evidenced by Santiago's words, "But I will try it as long as I have the oars and short club and tiller" (112). He refuses to be defeated, even resorting to unconventional methods. Despite ultimately losing the marlin to the sharks, Santiago's unwavering determination and refusal to give up make him a true winner.

Learning to persevere through self-defeat was a valuable lesson that Santiago gained from his success, and it was this same success that played a role in catching the marlin. Santiago also learned the dangerous consequences of pride, which had nearly caused his downfall. He held onto his prideful desire to catch the marlin until the end, but then he ultimately realized that his pride was not worth sacrificing himself for. In fact, he even pleaded with the marlin to kill him.

By saying "I don't care who kills who" (92), Santiago demonstrates that he has come to a realization that all the suffering he endured and caused was not worth capturing the marlin, unlike his initial belief at the start of the journey. This realization helped him understand his capabilities and

limitations.

The achievement of success over pride is exemplified through Santiago gaining something, as seen through his relationship with Manolin. To Manolin, Santiago had always been flawless, but when Santiago admitted his mistake, he believed he would lose this image in Manolin's eyes. Santiago confesses to Manolin, "'They beat me, Manolin,' he said 'They truly beat me'" (124), which portrays Santiago's feeling of humiliation at returning empty-handed.

Despite Santiago's mistake, Manolin still sees him as an impeccable person, providing Santiago with a valuable lesson on true friendship. Manolin did not abandon Santiago and instead looked at his character rather than his abilities. Consequently, Santiago now has a lifelong companion. Although Santiago believed sailing far out to sea and catching the marlin was justifiable, the shark attack altered his perspective.

By saying, "I shouldn't have gone out so far, fish,' he said. 'Neither for you nor for me. I'm sorry fish'" (110), Santiago demonstrates an acknowledgement of his errors and expresses remorse for them. Initially, when he caught the enormous fish, Santiago was so resolute in his pursuit of it that he did not consider the potential consequences of venturing so far out at sea.

Despite Santiago's belief that no man could ever suffer such great loss at the mercy of a fish, he was subsequently proven wrong. Overcoming his pride in this situation allowed Santiago to learn the valuable lesson of never allowing pride to interfere with rational thinking. His victory over his own pride was a significant achievement, as it taught him his boundaries and limitations. It is easy to make mistakes, but Santiago successfully demonstrated the ability to recognize and learn from them. His triumph

over the multitude of obstacles he encountered while fishing made his inner success all the more rewarding and long-lasting.

Santiago learned to believe in himself and comprehend his mistakes and abilities by overcoming self-doubt, self-defeat, and pride. Although some lessons are easily learned, others are more challenging, and Santiago unfortunately had to learn the difficult ones. Learning from one's errors and comprehending them is the most significant accomplishment in life, as it prevents one from repeating them in the future.