Santiago's Isolation
The Isolation of a Fisherman
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway presents a captivating look at the most isolated regions in the human mind. Santiago, an old fisherman who has not caught a fish in 84 days, heads out to sea alone with nothing but a bottle of water, bait, and faith in his heart. Indeed, Santiago’s isolation serves to highlight the capacity of the human will to go on, even when all luck runs out and there is no one there to help push through.
One instance in which Santiago experienced true loneliness is when he was out on the sea and he had just hooked the marlin. Looking out, Santiago sees a small warbler come and rest on the stern of his skiff. After a few moments, Santiago begins to talk to the tiny animal.
‘Stay at …show more content…
Throughout their meeting period, the bird acts as a conduit to free Santiago of his complete and utter solitude. For example, the old fisherman invites the bird to his home, as if the animal was an actual person. He even feels sorry for the warbler and wishes that he could “hoist the sail and take you in with the small breeze that is rising”. Additionally, the imagery of the bird flying up when the line jerked, causing the old man to bleed represents the way that his life has been “jerked” in every which way, causing the people that he loves to “fly” away, like the bird, leaving him alone. Finally, Santiago’s aloneness functions as a reflection of his humanity. This is displayed when, even though he has nothing to offer, he invites the bird to “stay at his …show more content…
One occurrence of this is when, while struggling with the fish he remembers the boy. He talks aloud to himself, “‘I wish I had the boy,’ the old man said aloud. ‘I’m being towed by a fish and I’m the towing bitt’”(45). This text displays the old man’s need for human interaction, particularly the boy. By talking aloud, the fisherman exhibits the strong impression that the boy has left on him and continues to talk on as though Manolin were listening. Additionally, when Santiago is fixing the lines on his skiff, thinks to himself, “But you haven’t got the boy, he thought. You have only yourself and you had better work back to the last line now” (52). This passage depicts Santiago’s mental reminder that he does not have the boy’s support on the skiff and the thought pushes him to work harder. In this scenario, his isolation functions as an incentive to work harder. This is expressed when he thinks to himself “you have only yourself and you better work back to the last line now.” Later in the novel, when Santiago’s left hand cramps, he thinks “If the boy were here he could rub it for me and loosen it down from the forearm, he thought. But it will loosen up” (62). This verse exemplifies Santiago’s growing acceptance of being secluded from the rest of humanity, but still illustrates his more humane side by wanting
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway presents a captivating look at the most isolated regions in the human mind. Santiago, an old fisherman who has not caught a fish in 84 days, heads out to sea alone with nothing but a bottle of water, bait, and faith in his heart. Indeed, Santiago’s isolation serves to highlight the capacity of the human will to go on, even when all luck runs out and there is no one there to help push through.
One instance in which Santiago experienced true loneliness is when he was out on the sea and he had just hooked the marlin. Looking out, Santiago sees a small warbler come and rest on the stern of his skiff. After a few moments, Santiago begins to talk to the tiny animal.
‘Stay at …show more content…
Throughout their meeting period, the bird acts as a conduit to free Santiago of his complete and utter solitude. For example, the old fisherman invites the bird to his home, as if the animal was an actual person. He even feels sorry for the warbler and wishes that he could “hoist the sail and take you in with the small breeze that is rising”. Additionally, the imagery of the bird flying up when the line jerked, causing the old man to bleed represents the way that his life has been “jerked” in every which way, causing the people that he loves to “fly” away, like the bird, leaving him alone. Finally, Santiago’s aloneness functions as a reflection of his humanity. This is displayed when, even though he has nothing to offer, he invites the bird to “stay at his …show more content…
One occurrence of this is when, while struggling with the fish he remembers the boy. He talks aloud to himself, “‘I wish I had the boy,’ the old man said aloud. ‘I’m being towed by a fish and I’m the towing bitt’”(45). This text displays the old man’s need for human interaction, particularly the boy. By talking aloud, the fisherman exhibits the strong impression that the boy has left on him and continues to talk on as though Manolin were listening. Additionally, when Santiago is fixing the lines on his skiff, thinks to himself, “But you haven’t got the boy, he thought. You have only yourself and you had better work back to the last line now” (52). This passage depicts Santiago’s mental reminder that he does not have the boy’s support on the skiff and the thought pushes him to work harder. In this scenario, his isolation functions as an incentive to work harder. This is expressed when he thinks to himself “you have only yourself and you better work back to the last line now.” Later in the novel, when Santiago’s left hand cramps, he thinks “If the boy were here he could rub it for me and loosen it down from the forearm, he thought. But it will loosen up” (62). This verse exemplifies Santiago’s growing acceptance of being secluded from the rest of humanity, but still illustrates his more humane side by wanting