the old man and the sea

Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” is a tale about and old Cuban fisherman and his physical, emotional, and spiritual battle with a giant marlin. It is a tale of courage and endurance in the face of adversity. Santiago, the old fisherman, is regarded as unlucky and defeated by the men in his village because he has caught no fish in eighty-four days. However, he is still full of confidence in himself. His …

…Santiago set his own virtues by facing life courageously, acting honestly, and avoiding self-pity. He looked for no alternative to hardship. He defined manhood not solely by physical strength, sexual potency, or wealth, but rather by dignity, pride, and the ability to face defeat and victory truly, without complain nor boasting. Even in ultimate destruction when man is faced with adversity, he need not accept total defeat if instead he chooses to achieve spiritual victory.