Acceptance
A man once said, "Acceptance is not defeat, it is understanding." Ernest Hemingway shows this incredibly well in his novella The Old Man and the Sea, where an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago suffers from a streak of bad luck. Santiago, for the 85th day without a catch, catches a marlin which tugs him out to sea for many a days, only for his catch to be eaten by sharks on his trip returning home to Havana. He returns, exhausted, only to find his young companion at his aid, which he responds to him that his luck has run out. The boy does not want to accept it, but Santiago realizes his time is up, and is pleased with his life of globetrotting to Africa and fishing, even though it has come to an end. Acceptance of defeat is not acknowledging
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you have lost, it is knowing you have reached the pinnacle, and that you should be thankful for it.
Acceptance goes hand in hand with reflection. This can be seen at the beginning of the story, where Santiago constantly reflects on his time in Africa when he was younger, he thinks of the "long golden beaches and white beaches...the high caps and the great brown mountains"[Pg. 24]. Places in his prime, places like nowhere he has ever been. Now, at a very old age, it is the only place he can find peace. He doesn't even dream of "great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife"[Pg. 25]. It is Africa which he longs to return, return to the time when he was young and strong, and adventurous. But he cannot. And it is only at the end his journey, beaten and tired, where he rests at his shack, and once again dreams "about the lions"[Pg. 127] of Africa. Santiago is only able to accept his defeat when he reflects on his great past, and realises his life was good, and there is no reason to attest to that.
Acceptance can be forced by society.
In Havana, Santiago has to deal with the fishers around him who do not look upon him fondly. The young fisherman laugh and make "fun of the old man"[Pg. 11], thinking his weak and pathetic, yet it does not bother him. The older fisherman look "at him and were sad"[Pg. 11], yet Santiago stays humble and docile. The old man is unaffected, and knows he is out of his prime, but pushes to reclaim it, just to have a swan song. In the end, Santiago is defeated, but the fisherman find the skeleton of the marlin, 18 feet from nose to tail. Santiago notices they are impressed, but shows no attention. One of the fisherman eventually says "Tell him how sorry I am"[Pg. 123]. Santiago allows society to humble him, which allows for a much easier path to acceptance.
Loss after gain is the only way acceptance can be truly gained. Santiago finally catches the marlin, the greatest catch of his life. He is weak after the battle, and they are "sailing together lashed side by side"[Pg. 99]. Then, the sharks came. The old man stabs one shark "in his left eye"[Pg. 109], and another between the nose, but there is too many. So the fish is mangled, and eventually destroyed. It was over, and the old man "knew he was beaten now finally"[Pg. 119]. Santiago goes through a lot of pain only to get thwarted, and only after his loss can he finally acknowledge acceptance of
defeat.
Acceptance is not an ideology, it is a journey and reward which can only be achieved at the end of greatness. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway shows this exceedingly well. Santiago is burdened by his old age, society, and his past. He is unable to defeat it, and wishes to suppress it. He then takes a challenge which he conquers, but is soon taken away from him by galanos. He returns home weak, wise, and accepting of his life and fate. This story shows that when you think you are unstoppable, that you are impervious, you are not. You are as weak as anyone else, and you can just as likely fall. And accepting this fact is the key to a life of peace.
you have lost, it is knowing you have reached the pinnacle, and that you should be thankful for it.
Acceptance goes hand in hand with reflection. This can be seen at the beginning of the story, where Santiago constantly reflects on his time in Africa when he was younger, he thinks of the "long golden beaches and white beaches...the high caps and the great brown mountains"[Pg. 24]. Places in his prime, places like nowhere he has ever been. Now, at a very old age, it is the only place he can find peace. He doesn't even dream of "great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife"[Pg. 25]. It is Africa which he longs to return, return to the time when he was young and strong, and adventurous. But he cannot. And it is only at the end his journey, beaten and tired, where he rests at his shack, and once again dreams "about the lions"[Pg. 127] of Africa. Santiago is only able to accept his defeat when he reflects on his great past, and realises his life was good, and there is no reason to attest to that.
Acceptance can be forced by society.
In Havana, Santiago has to deal with the fishers around him who do not look upon him fondly. The young fisherman laugh and make "fun of the old man"[Pg. 11], thinking his weak and pathetic, yet it does not bother him. The older fisherman look "at him and were sad"[Pg. 11], yet Santiago stays humble and docile. The old man is unaffected, and knows he is out of his prime, but pushes to reclaim it, just to have a swan song. In the end, Santiago is defeated, but the fisherman find the skeleton of the marlin, 18 feet from nose to tail. Santiago notices they are impressed, but shows no attention. One of the fisherman eventually says "Tell him how sorry I am"[Pg. 123]. Santiago allows society to humble him, which allows for a much easier path to acceptance.
Loss after gain is the only way acceptance can be truly gained. Santiago finally catches the marlin, the greatest catch of his life. He is weak after the battle, and they are "sailing together lashed side by side"[Pg. 99]. Then, the sharks came. The old man stabs one shark "in his left eye"[Pg. 109], and another between the nose, but there is too many. So the fish is mangled, and eventually destroyed. It was over, and the old man "knew he was beaten now finally"[Pg. 119]. Santiago goes through a lot of pain only to get thwarted, and only after his loss can he finally acknowledge acceptance of
defeat.
Acceptance is not an ideology, it is a journey and reward which can only be achieved at the end of greatness. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway shows this exceedingly well. Santiago is burdened by his old age, society, and his past. He is unable to defeat it, and wishes to suppress it. He then takes a challenge which he conquers, but is soon taken away from him by galanos. He returns home weak, wise, and accepting of his life and fate. This story shows that when you think you are unstoppable, that you are impervious, you are not. You are as weak as anyone else, and you can just as likely fall. And accepting this fact is the key to a life of peace.