Old Man And The Sea Symbolism

Even though the old man has been unsuccessful for eighty-four days in a row, he treats every day as a new day and fishes to the absolute highest level possible for him each day. He is meticulous and precise with his fishing. It truly seems that he has not, and will not ever give up his pride as a fisherman. This determination and perseverance shown by the old man is nothing short of inspirational. When a fish finally swims near him, it is no surprise that the old man manages to hook the fish. After all, he was as prepared as a man could be. The next big use of imagery is the description of the fish. The fish is a very prevalent character in the story, so the moment when its body is first shown is very important; [The fish] came …show more content…
The first of these symbols is the marlin. The marlin is the rival of a lifetime for the old man. During his struggle against the fish, the best of the old man is brought out: his willingness to do whatever necessary to remain unconquered, such as eating raw fish and dolphin to sustain himself, and his resourcefulness, which is displayed when he lashes two oars against the line to slow the marlin while he sleeps. The second symbol is the lions. The old man often dreams about lions at play on African beaches, a memory from his youthful days in which he was on a boat that sailed and fished the coast of Africa. The old man loves the lions like he loves the marlin. Since his youth-filled days are long past, the old man can only see the lions in his dreams. The third symbol in the story is the shovel-nosed sharks. They represent violence and destruction. Unlike the marlin, they are not graceful or admirable. The fourth main symbol is the mast on the old man’s skiff. The old man bears much pain when carrying it to his shack, but also carries it in the position that Jesus Christ was forced to drag his cross on the way to crucifixion (LitCharts). Both of these men have unconquerable spirits allowing them to do such things. The last main symbol is Joe DiMaggio himself. The old man considers DiMaggio to be unbeatable and the very personification of the indomitable will …show more content…
This first character to be analyzed will be Santiago. The old man proved to be a person of incredible pride, mental fortitude and self-confidence. ‘“But are you strong enough now for a truly big fish?’ ‘I think so. And there are many tricks.”’ The old man is confident in his knowledge and his physical capabilities. One quote displaying the old man’s determination to kill the marlin, brotherly love towards the marlin, and respect for the marlin is as follows. ‘“Fish,’ he thought, ‘I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”’ The old man will not let the marlin conquer him by surviving the day. The next character, Manolin, will be analyzed. Manolin is not present for much of the story. In fact, he is only present at the beginning and at the end. Manolin considers the old man to be the best fisherman alive, as shown in this quote: “There are many good fisherman and some great ones. But there is only you.” Manolin dedicates himself to helping the old man in various ways, such as buying sardines, getting coffee, getting meals, and by helping the old man carry objects. Manolin is filled with nothing but love and devotion for the old