The old man Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea is a character seen in many perspectives, as a hero, an ordinary fisherman, an unlucky old man, and a wise man. ... The Old Man and the Sea" is a heroic tale of mans strength pitted against forces he cannot control. ... Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the "Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader. ... Hemingway puts these themes together in such a way that they do not conflict with each other. ... In the end the old mans perseverance and faith pay off. ...

• Word Count: 1434
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

He was looked at from many different respects from writers and critics alike: "an old wise man, a brilliant stylist, a "culture hero," a fraud and a phony, an anti-intellectual, a courageous man who took chances with the violent world around him, a drinker with a metal stomach, a fun loving sportsman, and a strange primitive man." ... He continued to say, The Old Man and the Sea could have been over a thousand pages long and had every character in the village in it and all the processes of the way they made their living, were born, educated, bore children, etc. ... Jake's conflict...

• Word Count: 2253
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School