The Old Man and The Sea - Descrizione dell'opera e dei personaggi

Santiago's Perseverance

This Hemingway’s novel follows the story of an old Cuban fisherman, Santiago, who has gone through 84 days without a catch. However, instead of giving up, he manages to stay firm, especially with the help of Manolin, a young boy that he was mentoring, and that supports Santiago during the first 40 days of his dry spell. He is then forced to leave by his parents, convinced that this mischance will hinder their son’s future in this field.

The Dream of a Final Catch

While Santiago daydreams about his younger days as a fisherman in Africa, he comes up with the idea of attempting to fish on last time in the Gulf. Therefore, supported by Manolin, he gathers his belongings and sets off first thing in the morning. He finds nature’s heaven, an idyllic place with chirping birds, shiny water, and after a few attempts, a marlin swallows the hook, Santiago tries to pull him out of the water but it puts up resistance.

The Struggle with the Marlin

He is "thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck...and his hands had deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert". Santiago's lack of prosperity, though, does not destroy his spirit; in fact, he has "cheerful and undefeated" eyes.

He undergoes a stressful fight with an uncommonly large marlin only to lose the fish to rapacious sharks on his way back. Despite this disappointment, Santiago ends the novel with his spirit undefeated.

The Friendship with Manolin

Manolin is Santiago's only friend, his apprentice, the only companion he used to fish with. Even after his parents’ restriction, Manolin still shows his support by helping Santiago, pulling in his boat in the evenings and providing the old man with food and bait when he needs it.
Although he is an animal and therefore doesn’t think nor speak, the marlin certainly plays a fundamental role. The marlin is the fish Santiago spends the majority of the novel attempting to conquer. The fisherman idealizes it, showing his devotion with respect over its traits of great nobility.