"The Old Man and the Sea"

Paper Summary:

This paper relates that the conclusion of Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" represents a physical defeat for Santiago the fisherman but a psychological victory for Santiago the man. The author points out that, although this story is set in an obscure Cuban fishing village, it contains universal psychological relevance about humanity's struggle against forces greater than itself and against itself. The paper relates that psychologically, as Samtoago struggles with the fish, just as the sea is a woman in Santiago's mind, the fish is a man, and his struggle with it becomes a sort of man to man, "mano a mano" (hand-to-hand) struggle.

From the Paper:

"The sea is an impetuous woman, and this huge fish represents, for Santiago, his long-sought gift from the sea, Santiago's prize for respectfully honoring the sea, and for all his endurance of her fickle and unpredictable nature. Now all is well. He will bring home a big fish, bigger than anyone else's, especially the younger show-off fishermen who do not respect the sea as he does, and his patience with his beloved woman, the sea, will at last be rewarded. The other fishermen will not laugh at him again, and the boy's parents will no longer consider Santiago's fishing boat a bad luck boat, and will let the boy come fishing with him again."

More papers on "The Old Man and the Sea":

• Analytical Essay # 126381 : "'The Old Man and the Sea' and Symbolism"
• Book Review # 73864 : "Christ Imagery in "The Old Man and the Sea"
• Analytical Essay # 61276 : "The Old Man and the Sea"
• Book Review # 97988 : "The Old Man and the Sea"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: