Who is the hero of The Old Man and the Sea?

The hero of The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is an old fisherman named Santiago. Santiago at the beginning of the story seems to be an unlikely hero because he is so old. The reader soon finds that looks are deceiving, and that Santiago is full of life and is very strong in his determination. In this book, Santiago is a hero because of how he defends the marlin that he has caught from sharks. In the middle of the story, Santiago hooks the marlin on one of his fishing lines and begins a long struggle of trying to catch the fish (Hemingway 44). The longer Santiago struggles with the fish the more he feels connected to it. Santiago grows to love the fish (Hemingway 54). He admires how beautiful and strong the marlin is (Hemingway 63). He also knows that the marlin is a noble creature full of dignity (Hemingway 63). When Santiago finally catches the fish and is taking him back to the harbor, when sharks attack the marlin's body that is attached to the boat (Hemingway 100). Santiago sees the sharks as mindless killers and scavengers, and not worthy of the marlin (Hemingway 108). They are not as noble as the marlin, and are taking away the dignity of the dead marlin. Santiago soon regrets that he sacrificed the fish and decides to fight the sharks to death for respect for the marlin (Hemingway 115). This is what makes Santiago a hero. He is willing to fight for an innocent. He is also willing to fight for the marlin's dignity and pride.

Some of the qualities that help Santiago make his decision to fight for the marlin are his respect for nature and his sense of determination. Santiago's respect for nature helps him defend the marlin because through this respect he has come to love the marlin (Hemingway 54). It also makes the reader see that his struggle with the fish was more natural since it was about survival. It makes the sharks seem evil though because they do not respect the struggle and are not noble. Santiago's sense of determination also helps him because it gives him strength. This determination leads Santiago to find any way to kill the sharks so they do not eat the marlin.

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