Theme Of Grit In The Old Man And The Sea

Grit, grit is when someone is knocked down over and over again but they get back up and try again. Santiago has to have much grit to be able to reach his goal of catching a marlin. Santiago has gone 84 days without catching one fish, he does not back down, he gets back up and keeps moving along. Santiago had one tuna fish, and one water bottle throughout his whole treacherous journey. On his way to accomplish his goal he runs into some major roadblocks, but he defeats them with grace. Santiago from “The Old Man and the Sea” shows grit throughout his journey in the boat, during the shark attacks, and toward the marlin. Santiago was an old man who fished for his basic needs, all he had was a tiny skiff, and a young boy named Manolin, the two men ran out of luck, and Manolin left the old man with despair. “He was an old
“But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” I am sorry that I killed the fish though, he thought. Now the bad time is coming and I do not even have the harpoon. The dentuso is cruel and able and strong and intelligent. But I was more intelligent than he was. Perhaps not, he thought. Perhaps I was only better armed” (102). The old man is convincing himself that he cannot be destroyed and will not be destroyed. But he is starting to regret killing the fish because he knows how much labor it is going to take. “The Old Man and the Sea” shows grit throughout his journey in the boat, during the shark attacks, and toward the marlin. When Santiago is sailing along the dangerous sea, he talks to the birds, and talks to himself just trying to keep his perseverance. When bunches of sharks keep coming toward him, he beats them and he feels glorified. Grit is needed in Santiago and in life to beat challenges that come towards you, if you believe you can you