On the outside, "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway appears to be just another fish story. Underneath the fish, however, lies a much deeper meaning. It is a story about an old man searching for purpose in the autumn of his life. It is a story about a battle between a noble character and a noble foe. It is a story about the good and the bad found in pride. But most of all, it is a story about finding greatness in a world that seeks to deprive one of it. Although the old man suffers greatly throughout his ordeal, he is far from defeated.
Some readers would say the old man is defeated because he loses the marlin, his trophy. However, the old man, Santiago, kills the fish not only to sell for food but also to satiate his pride (pg.105). His eighty-four days of salao (the worst form of unlucky) in catching fish are certainly an affront to his pride. In the end, Santiago stands as proof that pride motivates men to greatness. It is his pride that leads him well beyond the boundaries normal fishermen would follow, and it is his pride that forces him to hold on to the marlin at all costs. Pride becomes the .
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greatest source of Santiago's strength and determination. Because he is willing to die in order to bring in the marlin and battle the sharks, he is able to avoid defeat.
Santiago's hubris is what enables him to endure all his struggles. He is an expert fisherman who is determined to stick to his way of fishing. He has his opinions about the younger fishers who mock him. However, Santiago, who has never owned a fishing pole, has perfected his art of fishing. He keeps his lines straight up and down. This way he always knows exactly how deep they are. He calls the sea "la mar"; feminine instead of masculine like the younger fishermen. Santiago has lived his life on the sea and loves her, yet he does not completely know her. She is cruel and kind; whichever way the wind blows her. Manolin, the old man's young apprentice, deeply loves Santiago and learns from him.