Preview

Ernest Hemingway Code Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
683 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ernest Hemingway Code Hero
Hemingway 's Use of Code Hero in The Old Man and the Sea

Hero is a simple-sounding two-syllable word, which many people freely use to name and describe others. But, how many people really know what a hero is? One of the most know codes for defining a hero would be Ernest Hemingway 's code, which can be seen in his novels. "The code hero is a man who lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful." (CodeHeroDefinition). Ernest Hemingway uses Santiago, the main character in The Old Man and the Sea to symbolize his code hero.

In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago lives his life with honor, not only for others but for himself as well. Even though he
…show more content…
Despite knowing that he hasn 't caught any fish in 84 days, he continues to go out in his boat every morning, never with a negative attitude. His persistent actions show his ability to go on every day even when the odds were against him. After catching the marlin and being out so far for almost two days, Santiago is extremely tired, but he won 't give up to the fish, or go to sleep. "He felt very tired now and he knew the night would come soon" (Hemingway 67). Even though he could have slept, he mostly stayed awake with the fish, and kept all of his courage so that he would be able to get home with the great marlin. His courage showed when he had to stay in the ocean alone for three days with little protection, and his small food supply. He could have turned back to shore safely at any time, but he didn 't. Santiago faced possible death at any moment, but his courage allowed him to continue on his journey. When the sharks attack the carcass, he does everything in his power to fight them off when it 's obviously a battle lost from the start, but he gives it his all. After loosing his harpoon when fighting with the sharks, he still continues to go on and make a new weapon (out of the few materials on his boat, for example an oar and his knife) and uses all of the energy he has left in him to protect the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Santiago is an outsider due to his age and his streak of bad luck. While some pity him for this, others mock his repeated and failed attempts to catch fish each day.…

    • 2637 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is a hero? No words can truly define what a hero is. A hero can be many different things to different people. Webster defines a hero as "a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability." It is known to this day and age that no such legendary creature exists. But that has all changed since the events that took place on September 11, 2001.…

    • 734 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The definition of hero varies among people but, in my definition of a Hero is a person who is able to achieve the difficult task regardless of the resistance of society or sacrificing themselves in risky situations. A hero is not a person who is easily scared, gives up easily and selfish. In my opinion, when people are described as “hero” we neglect their bad behaviors, but this doesn’t imply to every hero we should be aware of such things because we all have our own flaws.…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Old Man and the Sea

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago is challenged to fight his way through multiple forces. Him trying to overcome these obstacles are not just because of the threat to his survival. He does it for his own personal content and confidence. All throughout the book, the Old Man has to face the power of the Marlin, the sharks, the ocean, and his lack of energy. His peaceful fishing adventure changed to a not so happily ever after ending, unfortunately. Without breaking down these barriers one at a time, Santiago would never have been able to progress like he did. Though he did not end up bringing home the Marlin as proof, Santiago is motivated with his determination.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “No one should be alone in their old age, he thought. But it is unavoidable. I must remember to eat the tuna before he spoils in order to keep strong. Remember, no matter how little you want to, that you must eat him in the morning. Remember, he said to himself.” Yet again, Santiago pairs one of his burdens with the optimism that to acutely characterizes him. He freely admits to being a lonely, old man, and yet it is this common theme of determination that presents itself here, yet again, to help the old man overcome his obstacles. He has the mindset that he is going to preserver until the end of time, which literally for him could mean his death. On page 52, he actually confirms this notion, saying “Fish…I’ll stay with you until I am dead.” His pure strength of mind is so unbelievable fortified here that he has no trouble in bluntly admitting to his own likely demise. There is a significant difference between admitting to something, and succumbing to it, however. Santiago In this case, however willing to admit to his flaws and handicaps, is in no way yielding to his own demise. He is ready to give all he’s got in the name of this war of fish versus man. He confirms this fact on page 54 when he says “Fish…I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The dictionary definition of a hero is “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Now, while all of this is true, a hero can be so much more. A hero can be someone who would risk himself for the better of humanity, get what they need need accomplished done well, be a great leader, know when to do the right thing, and be morally balanced and virtuous.…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pat Tillman A Hero

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page

    A hero can mean many different things to a person. But to me a hero is someone that i think would risk their lives, someone who isn't selfish and puts others in front of them, instead of themselves. That is what i think of what a hero is to me. Heros are just like us, but would do anything to help others as long as they’re okay.…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    What is a hero? A hero to me is a person who is brave, has a bunch of courage and knows right from wrong. You don’t have to have a mask or a suit to be a hero. A hero is willing to help a person at anytime. A hero can kill their enemy with kindness. For an example I believe Jackie Robinson is an incredible, life changing hero. He had been the first African American to play in the Major League Baseball. He had played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. They played him and they had ended racial segregation.…

    • 243 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When I think of a hero, I think about The Incredibles or Simba in The Lion King. A hero is someone who sacrifices their life to help other people. Heroes come in all forms. Heroes are leaders. They stand up when life gets tough, and they are someone people can count on.…

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Harriet Tubman Qualities

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages

    "What defines a hero?" one might ask. A hero is someone who is selfless, brave and determined. It is someone who has experienced something…

    • 1154 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Chocolate War

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Webster's dictionary defines a hero as any man admired for his courage, qualities or exploits, especially in war. Some people attribute the term hero mostly to war. My personal definition of a hero is someone who takes a stand against evil or an unjust cause. The term hero can be applied to anyone, it isn't…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero is defined as the main character of a literary work who combats adversity through impressive qualities of ingenuity and bravery, often sacrificing his or her own personal concerns for those of the greater good.…

    • 329 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Santiago's Unlucky

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Even though Santiago didn’t end up catching a fish he still had confidence and hope of catching a fish. He went a very long time without catching one and when he finally did he lost it. Not every fisher is going to be lucky like others. The point is he never gave up, and that is all that matters. "But a man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated." (pg 103) You have to keep trying until you achieve your goal. You may fail but you must keep going. Confidence is the…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero is someone who is admired or idealized for their courage, achievements and noble qualities, however, the definition of a hero can vary depending on the situation or person. A hero in the real world functions by persevering and sacrificing for the better. For instance, a real-life hero is a firefighter. They go out into dangerous fires to save the lives of thousands of people and animals. Joseph Campbell illustrates this when he says, ¨A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something better than oneself.¨(Joseph Campbell)…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the box office hit movie, Spider-Man II, the character of Aunt May said, “I believe there’s a hero in all of us.” Unfortunately, the famous author Ernest Hemingway did not see it that way at all. This man, who had written A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises, believed that there were certain characteristics that made up the hero, or the code hero as he called it. Hemingway’s code hero was a character who demonstrated three characteristics that included grace under pressure, honor, courage, and endurance, and last but not least need for ritual. Santiago, Brian Piccolo, and Theodore Roosevelt are all great examples of code heroes.…

    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays