Santiago Stereotypes

Until November 4, 2008, no African American was ever elected as the President of the United States of America. Barack Obama defied the stereotype that the President of the United States was a white man, as he rebelled against this century old, metaphorical barrier after he was elected. President Obama proves to the world that rebellion does not have to involve violence, and can be expressed as defying the stereotypes that exist in the path to achieve a goal. In terms of individual responsibility, Barack Obama proves that the difference in skin color does not stop him from completing the duties of the President of the United States in the best possible way he can, and he always fulfills his job at hand. Santiago, the old fisherman in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, lives under the same philosophy as President Obama, in terms of rebelling to stereotypes and fulfilling his own individual responsibility. …show more content…
In an eighty-five day drought without catching any fish, which is his individual responsibility as a fisherman, he is left stuck and without any income or a decent way of life. Through Santiago’s persistence, strength, and determination, The Old Man and the Sea illustrates the importance of rebelling against stereotypes and fulfilling individual responsibility, along with the impact of these attributes for the individual. Rebelling through the stereotype against him and fulfilling his individual responsibility as a fisherman, Santiago reels in the largest marlin ever, and gains support from his community as he is left with only the skeleton after a multi-day