What is the thematic and symbolic significance of The Old Man and the Sea?

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway has symbolic significance. The symbolic significance of this book is mainly the marlin. The marlin is a huge fish that is hooked on one of Santiago's fishing line (Hemingway 44). The marlin is all that Santiago had imagined and more because Santiago has gone eighty-four days without catching a fish (Hemingway 9). Even though Santiago plans to kill the fish, he grows to love and respect the marlin (Hemingway 54). Santiago is able to kill the fish, but disaster strikes when he is taking the fish back to shore (Hemingway 94). Sharks begin to come and eat the marlin (Hemingway 100). After this Santiago fully realizes what he has done to the marlin. The marlin in this story represented dignity and the beauty of nature, and when the sharks attacked him he lost this dignity. Santiago blames himself for this and even says to the fish, "Fish that you were. I am sorry that I went too far out. I ruined us both."(Hemingway 115). This represents both the dignity and fragility of nature. The marlin was once noble, but was desecrated when the sharks began to feed off them. Had the fish been alive he could have defended himself. Santiago may have been able to save the marlin the humiliation of being torn apart by sharks, but he was desperate enough to risk the fish's dignity and lost.

Not only does The Old Man and the Sea have symbolic significance, but it has thematic significance as well. The thematic significance of this book is its message about karma. Santiago dreaded killing the marlin, but he did it anyway for his own benefit (Hemingway 94). The marlin was a good and noble creature, and did not deserve what happened to him. Santiago even called the marlin his brother, but killed him anyway (Hemingway 95). What goes around comes around, and in the end sharks came and took all of the marlins meat (Hemingway 100). This is what Santiago's punishment is for killing a creature that he loved, and Santiago seems to realize after the sharks attack. He knows that what he did to the marlin led to both of their downfalls, and even apologizes to the marlin for it (Hemingway 115).

Bibliography:Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. 2003 ed. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.