Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea isn't just a book about an old man and the sea. There are many meanings to it. Each element represents different things. The marlin, for example, represents strength, beauty and the last challenge we all go though. The lions in his dreams resemble youth, freedom, and also strength. Santiago, himself, symbolizes Christ in many ways.

The marlin represented many different things. For example, he symbolized strength and durability by putting up such a struggle. By doing this he also made Santiago a legend among the other fishermen. This struggle would be Santiago's last challenge. However, since Santiago would end up tricking the marlin, the marlin seemed nobler in Santiago's mind. Santiago thought that since the marlin was fighting for his life he had a more noble cause. Santiago thought of him as his equal, and called him "brother." The marlin could also represent the great struggle we all go through. We then must be careful of going out too far comparable to Santiago. Accomplishing or obtaining something does not always end one's journey. Once Santiago hooked the fish he still had to bring it home. Bringing home the marlin brought further complic

Like the marlin and the sharks, the lions also symbolized different attributes. The lions in Santiago's dreams represented his lost youth and his decreasing strength. For instance, when he needed strength on his long and strenuous voyage he thought of his dreams of the lions, and of them playing on the beach without a care in the world. With this in his mind it seemed to make him stronger and gave him endurance to continue. The lions could also symbolize pride. Like the lions Santiago had pride. He was proud of his fishing skills. He was able to keep his lines straight and at varying levels to improve his catch of fish. He was better at this than the younger, richer, generation. Santiago knew however, that too much pride was not good. It could lead to feelings of arrogance and a "know it all" attitude. He was humble simultaneously with being proud. For instance he knew that he depended upon other people for food and other sustenance. Once the weather was going to turn cold Manolin was planning to bring Santiago shoes, clothes and a blanket.

The importance of Hemingway's story was more than just parables of animals and characters. However, Christ did his most effective teachings usin

Some common words found in the essay are:
Santiago Accomplishing, Santiago Santiago, Christ Santiago, Hemingway's Sea, santiago pride, santiago cramps,
Approximate Word count = 803
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)