Santiago Aggressiveness Quotes

6.1. Wisdom that turns him into a calm and humble man
The first factor which distinguishes Santiago from his younger colleagues is the wide knowledge that he has of the local marine environment. It is undeniable that having devoted himself entirely to fishing has provided him with a deep understanding of the seascape and a “preterite ability to see through and beyond what is immediately apprehended by the physical eye” (Strychacz 243).
As Gurko claims, Santiago is “a superb craftsman who knows his business thoroughly and practises it with great skill” (11). He holds to his own abilities and knowledge, and he depends upon himself alone, which is the basic premise for a man “to assert his manhood” (Strychacz 236). The younger fishermen, on the
Aggressiveness, which is one of the characteristics of hegemonic masculinity, is not present in Santiago’s character. On the contrary, he is a very calm man who adopts a humble attitude towards other human beings. This humility, which also derives from the deep understanding of his own identity, allows him to acknowledge and accept his limits. Santiago’s humility, which can be read as “an essential component of mature masculine grace” (Stephens and Cools 80), can be noticed in first place in his relationship with his younger comrade, Manolin, who provides him with food, drink and clothes, and always tries to cheer him up. But receiving those cares is not as important as the fact that “all this the old man accepts gratefully and without shame, knowing that such help is not demeaning” (Burhans 450). This implies that Santiago is perfectly aware that he is no longer a strong and buoyant youth, but an
Firstly, the literal act of going far in the Gulf proves that the Cuban fisherman is not afraid of taking risks. His willingness “to go beyond safe spaces” (Stephens and Cools 91) contrasts starkly with the attitude of both Manolin and the younger fishermen in the village. Manolin, as a young boy, cannot decide for himself since he is subjected to parental control. Manolin has the guts and enthusiasm which are so typical of youth, but he still needs to learn many valuable lessons before he can enjoy the power of his old friend and venture to go as far as him. In turn, the fishermen, despite being brave and courageous, prefer not to drift too far from the shore in order to avoid peril. This is to say that, although “the world contains the possibilities of heroic adventure and emotion to which everyone, on whatever level, can respond” (Gurko 12), the inexperienced and fearful fishermen do not take advantage of such great opportunities because they are too scared to go into uncharted territory. As Hollenberg points out, the young fishermen have a “destructive view” of the sea, since they see it “as a contestant or a place or even an enemy” (38). That is why, whenever they go into the sea, they need to be accompanied by their group, so that they can prove their validity and demonstrate