The Old Man and the Sea: Symbolism

The fish that Santiago spends days trying to catch, a fifteen-hundred or more pound marlin, is the next subject in this book with a symbolic connection.  Like the turtle, Santiago also compared the fish to himself.  One similarity that he mentioned is that he and the fish both went where each thought that he would be safe.  The marlin was in deep waters, away from the fishermen who would stay fairly close to the bay.  The old man went to the deep waters because for the first eighty-four days he had no success in the shallower waters and he needed to find a big fish that would support himself both financially and by the means of food- some days he only drank a cup of coffee (Hemmingway 10).  Also, neither one of them had any help (Hemmingway 18).  The fish, of course, did not and Santiago went fishing without Manolin that day.  Also, they would be together until one of them dies; Santiago had thoughts that maybe he would die before the fish.  The old man and the fish, in addition, were also both hurt.  Santiago noticed blood on the line, meaning the marlin was cut, and his hands had been cut, too.  He says, “You’re feeling it now, fish,” he said. “And so, God knows, am I.” (Hemmingway 20)  Santiago also calls the fish strange just as he calls himself strange.  “If you’re not tired, fish, you must be very strange.” (Hemmingway 25)  Finally, the old man calls the fish “calm, strong, and confident”.  Right after saying this he also says, “You better be fearless and confident yourself, old man, you’re holding him again but you cannot get line.” (Hemmingway 25)  It is clear by Santiago’s actions that although he is old, he is also quite strong. 

Lastly, Santiago, in a way, can come to symbolize a sort of Christ character.  He prays while he is fishing (Hemmingway 25), gets cuts on his palms (Hemmingway 43) (representing how Jesus was pierced at his palms), and when he eventually returns back on the island, he carries the mast across his shoulders (Hemmingway 45) (Jesus had to carry a cross across his).

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