The old man and the sea

A detailed Summary of The old man and the sea


The traditional hero is a mythological or legendary figure who is "endowed with great strength and ability."(498) Most often born to the role, the heroes' skill, strength and courage rises above those of ordinary men. They are fearless and willing to put others

lives before their own. In Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Old Man and The Sea, Hemingway introduced a new kind of hero to American Fiction; "this Hemingway hero is a man of action, a warrior and a tough competitor."(498)

The old man, Santiago, may not look like the typical hero, but he is tough and refuses to give up. In spite of misfortune, the old man withholds the will to continue and the courage to try and overcome what is believed to be impossible. He sailed for 83 days without catching a fish. He never once gave up and believed that, "It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes, you are ready."(32) He also never took the town's gossip to heart. He kept on going no matter what they said abo


Santiago has the obligation to avoid death at almost all cost. Life is valuable, and enjoyable, and death his nothing. "Grace under pressure"(77) is the idea that Santiago must act in a way that is acceptable when he is faced with death. "A man is not made of defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."(103) Santiago must have fear of death, but he must not be afraid to die. He can never show that he is afraid or frightened in the presence of death, "You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who."(92) This shows to the fish that he is not afraid to die, and will flight at all costs. Santiago shows the calmness, the grace, the courage, and the discipline that has given him "grace under pressure."(77)

There are many kinds of heroes today in the world. Superman is a well-known hero of great strength on the outside. He is muscular, and w

Some common words found in the essay are:
Fiction Hemingway, Negro Cienfuegos66, , Sea Santiago, Sea Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway's, afraid die, grace pressure77, santiago typical,

Approximate Word count = 684
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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