Why Does Santiago Describe The Marlin Study Guide

1. How does Santiago describe the marlin he has caught? Santiago describes the marlin he has caught in many ways. One way that Santiago describes the marlin is that ," He was so big it was like lashing a much bigger skiff alongside." This shows the marlin that Santiago caught was enormous in length. Another description was that "The fish had turned silver from his original purple and silver, and the stripes showed the same pale violet color as his tail." This shows that the marlin was very colorful. Lastly, Santiago describes the fish as, "He’s over fifteen hundred pounds the way he is, he thought. Maybe much more." this tells the reader that the fish was very heavy and difficult to catch. These are the details that Santiago used to describe …show more content…
One reason is said that, "With his prayers said, and feeling much better but suffering exactly as much, and perhaps a little more, he leaned against the wood of the bow and began, mechanically, to work the fingers of his left hand." This shows that his religious beliefs gave him a little power. Another reason is that, "I promise to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Cobre if I catch him. That is a promise." This shows that Santiago is willing to do anything in hopes of catching the majestic marlin. Lastly, Santiago says “I am not religious.” This shows that he is willing to resort to religion to pull off a miracle as big as this one. This is how the role of Santiago's religious beliefs played a critical role in the …show more content…
In the story, it states that, " The old man had seen many great fish. He had seen many that weighed more than a thousand pounds and he had caught two of that size in his life, but never alone." This tells us that although the ocean is cruel, it can bring us joy, and that is what we strive for. Another example is that, " I told the boy I was a strange old man,” he said. “Now is when I must prove it.” This shows that being empowered to do something will make that person want to succeed more than ever. This is how the quote, "The ocean can be so cruel." become words of empowerment. Hemingway's words aren't only words of inspiration, but they are also words of optimism. The story states that, “But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” This shows that Santiago kept going even when he lost part of his marlin. Also, it is said that, " “Think about something cheerful, old man,” he said. “Every minute now you are closer to home. You sail lighter for the loss of forty pounds.” This shows that even in a time of loss, you must not keep your head down, but keep it up. This shows us all that ""The ocean can be so cruel." are words of