The Old Man and the Sea: Manolin Character Description

Manolin is the boy from The Old Man and the Sea that was Santiago’s friend, perhaps his only friend, and protégé.  He had been fishing with Santiago since he was five-years-old.  Manolin could be described as polite, thoughtful, caring, and helpful.  He always offers to help carry some of Santiago’s equipment, go with him in the morning to help him get set up, and get anything that Santiago needed.  He was working with a different fisherman now and had no obligations to Santiago, but he loved and respected him and that is why he chose to go out of his way to help and spend time with the old man.  In addition to the character traits listed above, Manolin was also faithful.  A good example of his traits of politeness, thoughtfulness, helpful, and faithful can come from this passage, “‘I know you did not leave me because you doubted.’ ‘It was papa made me leave. I am a boy and I must obey him.’  ‘I know,’ the old man said…‘He hasn’t much faith.’ ‘No,’ the old man said. ‘But we have. Haven’t we?’  ‘Yes, Can I offer you a beer on the Terrace and then we’ll take the stuff home.’” (Hemmingway 3)  A glimpse at the boy’s considerate nature can be seen when the old man is about to go without food one night before Manolin shows up with supper for himself and Santiago.  He says, “Come on and eat…You’ll not fish without eating while I’m alive.” (Hemmingway 6)  The boy is always willing to make sure that the old man has everything that he needs and is taken care of.  Manolin is everything that Santiago could hope for out of a friend and apprentice.  He does not do as he is told, he asks to help long before he would ever have been told or asked.  He is always thinking of the wellbeing of Santiago.  When Santiago returns from fishing and Manolin notices that his hands are cut, he leaves to get the old man some coffee and cries all the way down the road (Hemmingway 46). 

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