The Old Man and the SeaThe Old Man and the Sea

The Code HeroThe Code Hero

DefinitionDefinition

In the face of

Qualities Hardships

Endurance Danger

Honor (pride)

Misfortune

Strength Pain

courage Life of stress

In the face of

Examples of CourageExamples of Courage

•in a life of hardshipin a life of hardship– lonely: wife is dead, but he lonely: wife is dead, but he

keeps on living keeps on living he is not he is not afraid to be aloneafraid to be alone

– takes his small skiff miles from takes his small skiff miles from shore by himselfshore by himself

Examples of HonorExamples of Honor

•in the face of misfortunein the face of misfortune– when he and Manolin discuss the when he and Manolin discuss the

imaginary meal, he always refuses imaginary meal, he always refuses charity charity he says he has yellow rice he says he has yellow rice and fish because of his honorand fish because of his honor

– mandolin wanted to give 4 fresh mandolin wanted to give 4 fresh sardines, but Santiago could accept sardines, but Santiago could accept only 2only 2

Examples of Examples of EnduranceEndurance•In the face of painIn the face of pain

– The rope cut Santiago’s right The rope cut Santiago’s right hand in the crease of his handhand in the crease of his hand

– The line cut Santiago’s faceThe line cut Santiago’s face– The line cut Santiago’s left The line cut Santiago’s left

hand when the fish made a runhand when the fish made a run

Examples of Examples of EnduranceEndurance•In the face of painIn the face of pain

– The pull of the line made The pull of the line made Santiago’s back stiffSantiago’s back stiff

– Holding the line constantly Holding the line constantly caused his left hand to crampcaused his left hand to cramp

EnduranceEndurance

•In the face of painIn the face of pain– Santiago endures this Santiago endures this

‘suffering’ without giving in‘suffering’ without giving in– The fish pulls for 2 ½ days, yet The fish pulls for 2 ½ days, yet

Santiago stays with himSantiago stays with him

HonorHonor

•In a life full of stressIn a life full of stress– Santiago’s pride keeps him Santiago’s pride keeps him

from giving up on the fishfrom giving up on the fish– Santiago attributes the fish’s Santiago attributes the fish’s

fight to pridefight to pride– The fish is more ‘honorable’ The fish is more ‘honorable’

than other peoplethan other people

StrengthStrength

•In a life of stressIn a life of stress– The arm wrestling matchThe arm wrestling match– The blood from the fingernailsThe blood from the fingernails– Santiago’s ‘steady’ pushing Santiago’s ‘steady’ pushing

down of his opponents armdown of his opponents arm

StrengthStrength

•In a the face of dangerIn a the face of danger– As Santiago pulls in the lineAs Santiago pulls in the line– The fish could easily cut the The fish could easily cut the

lineline– The fish jumps, but Santiago’s The fish jumps, but Santiago’s

strength never weakensstrength never weakens

StrengthStrength

• In a life of stressIn a life of stress– Santiago physically seemed defeated Santiago physically seemed defeated

when the marlin circledwhen the marlin circled– Santiago ‘moved’ the fish with each pullSantiago ‘moved’ the fish with each pull– Santiago pushed the harpoon into the Santiago pushed the harpoon into the

marlin’s heart ‘with all his remaining marlin’s heart ‘with all his remaining strength’strength’

CourageCourage

• In the face of misfortune and life of stressIn the face of misfortune and life of stress– The mako shark: Santiago fought managed to The mako shark: Santiago fought managed to

push the harpoon into the sharks head as it push the harpoon into the sharks head as it came up to bite chunks from the marlincame up to bite chunks from the marlin

– Santiago lashed his knife to an oar and used it Santiago lashed his knife to an oar and used it on the shovel-noses after he lost his harpoonon the shovel-noses after he lost his harpoon

– Santiago used an oar as a club when his knife Santiago used an oar as a club when his knife brokebroke

HonorHonor

• In a life of stressIn a life of stress– Santiago’s pride shows when he walks Santiago’s pride shows when he walks

up the hillup the hill– Just like always, Santiago went into his Just like always, Santiago went into his

hut and dreamt of the lions—a major hut and dreamt of the lions—a major symbol of pride in this novelsymbol of pride in this novel

– The other fishermen commented on how The other fishermen commented on how great a fish it was, and transfer that great a fish it was, and transfer that respect to Santiagorespect to Santiago

Themes: NatureThemes: Nature

• Santiago’s journey shows how harsh and Santiago’s journey shows how harsh and unforgiving the natural world can beunforgiving the natural world can be

• Antagonists:Antagonists:– JellyfishJellyfish– Storms (from hurricane weather)Storms (from hurricane weather)– The sunThe sun– The marlin (the ultimate struggle in the The marlin (the ultimate struggle in the

novel)novel)

NatureNature

• Santiago succeeds in the struggle against Santiago succeeds in the struggle against the marlin, but Nature doesn’t give upthe marlin, but Nature doesn’t give up

• Sharks continually attack the marlin after Sharks continually attack the marlin after Santiago ‘won’ the battleSantiago ‘won’ the battle

• Nature continues to battle against Nature continues to battle against SantiagoSantiago

• Ultimately, Santiago loses his battle with Ultimately, Santiago loses his battle with nature—he returns to shore with just the nature—he returns to shore with just the skeleton of the fishskeleton of the fish

Old Age: LonelinessOld Age: Loneliness

• The man must fish alone throughout The man must fish alone throughout the novelthe novel

• Many times he wishes for the boyMany times he wishes for the boy

• He can count only on the natural He can count only on the natural world to provide companionshipworld to provide companionship

Old Age: WeaknessOld Age: Weakness

• The old man struggles with his The old man struggles with his declining weakness throughout the declining weakness throughout the novelnovel

• His first pulls on the rope do nothing His first pulls on the rope do nothing to move the fishto move the fish

• When the fish circles, still it takes When the fish circles, still it takes hours to haul in the massive bulkhours to haul in the massive bulk

Old Age: WeaknessOld Age: Weakness

• Santiago’s strength is evident in his Santiago’s strength is evident in his younger days (the hand game)younger days (the hand game)

• That same strength is not entirely That same strength is not entirely gonegone

• His remaining strength is primarily His remaining strength is primarily what keeps him independent in his what keeps him independent in his old ageold age

PridePride

• Santiago’s pride is restored at the Santiago’s pride is restored at the end of the novelend of the novel

• Santiago remained proud despite the Santiago remained proud despite the destruction of the fish by the sharksdestruction of the fish by the sharks

• Santiago refused to look at the fish Santiago refused to look at the fish after it had been mutilated—he after it had been mutilated—he preferred to remember the fish in all preferred to remember the fish in all its gloryits glory

SymbolsSymbols

• The marlin: represents SantiagoThe marlin: represents Santiago– Santiago refers to the fish repeatedly as Santiago refers to the fish repeatedly as

his brother or friendhis brother or friend– The fish has ‘great dignity’The fish has ‘great dignity’– No one is ‘worthy’ of eating the fishNo one is ‘worthy’ of eating the fish– Santiago realizes this is the greatest fish Santiago realizes this is the greatest fish

he has ever caughthe has ever caught

• The marlin contains all the traits of The marlin contains all the traits of the code herothe code hero

SymbolsSymbols

• Santiago: represents everyone who Santiago: represents everyone who chooses to live independentlychooses to live independently– The characteristics of the code hero separate The characteristics of the code hero separate

the old man from the other fishermenthe old man from the other fishermen– Contrast Santiago with the old man Manolin Contrast Santiago with the old man Manolin

has to fish withhas to fish with• Santiago does not have bad eyesSantiago does not have bad eyes

• Santiago is kindSantiago is kind

• Santiago is trustingSantiago is trusting

• Santiago wishes for help, but does not really need itSantiago wishes for help, but does not really need it

SymbolsSymbols

• The bloody handsThe bloody hands– Represent sufferingRepresent suffering– Every hero must endure suffering Every hero must endure suffering

without complaintwithout complaint

SymbolsSymbols

• The sail and mastThe sail and mast– Upside down, they are the burden Upside down, they are the burden

Santiago must carry everyday of his lifeSantiago must carry everyday of his life– The code hero shoulders his ‘cross’ The code hero shoulders his ‘cross’

without complaintwithout complaint– Notice how Santiago even stumbles on Notice how Santiago even stumbles on

the hill leading up to his hutthe hill leading up to his hut