1. Santiago is an old hardened fisherman as described in this quote, “the old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck” (9). He is distant from his fellow fisherman and lives in a rather tiny house.
2. Manolin was taught how to fish by Santiago, and had worked alongside him for a period of time. Manolin would only quit when his parents told him that he had to work on another boat due to Santiago’s lack of success. Manolin considers Santiago to be the best fisherman, “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you” (23).
3. Santiago and Manolin have a caring relationship as explained early in the novel, “It made the boy sad to see the old man come in each day with his skiff empty…the boy …show more content…
Santiago’s home is rather modest as described in the text, “one room…made of tough budshields of the royal palm…in it there was a bed, a table, one chair, and a place on the dirt floor to cook with charcoal” (15). This shows that the old man does not care about having an extravagant place to live or possessing many items. He is satisfied with living with only life’s basic utilities.
5. Santiago is an outsider due to his age and his infamous misfortune. While some pity him for this, others in the village insult his continuous failure to catch fish each …show more content…
“‘I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.’”(54) Santiago makes this promise at the end of his first day at sea. Although Santiago’s goal is to kill the marlin, he has grown attached to him, “I am with a friend,” (55). He has respect and admiration for his brother and opponent.
3. Santiago is not afraid of death because it is unavoidable. If death is to occur, let it occur at the hands of someone worthy because it makes one’s death more honorable and meaningful.
4. Numerous times the reader is given clues such as how easy Santiago can row the boat while also being told of his intelligence of the sea.
5. Santiago no longer trusts his left hand because it cramps up on him making it disgraceful and unreliable. He views it with disdain, “…his left hand had always been a traitor and would not do what he called on it to do and he did not trust it” (71).
6. “I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel.”(68) He worships DiMaggio because he overcomes the pain of his bone spur to play exceptional baseball, a measurable sport, which allows one to accurately determine a man’s worth, much like Santiago is measured by the number of fish he does or does not