Santiago's character

1. Describe Santiago’s character in regard to the adversity he faces. What political or historical person could you compare him to? Explain. Santiago faces many adversities in the novel but the main one that makes up the plot is Santiago being shunned as a fisherman in his village by all of the people because he can not catch one fish. A political person that compares to Santiago is Elizabeth Anne Seton. She fought for women’s right to vote and did not care what people called her and what men thought of her. 2. Draw three parallels between Santiago and the marlin. Choose one quality both share and discuss in detail the impact of this quality on the fate of both the man and the fish. Three parallels between Santiago and the marlin are they are both decisive about what they want. Santiago refuses to stop fishing even though the people of the village are very discouraging, and the marlin will not stop fighting Santiago when he is trying to capture him. Another parallel is that Santiago and the marlin are both old and weak. The last is that there is a lack of faith. Santiago has not caught a fish a very long time and people think the marlin is a legend and it could never exist. 3. Explain why Hemingway would make the game of baseball and baseball hero, Joe DiMaggio, such important components of a novel about fishing. Hemingway makes the game of baseball and the baseball hero, Joe DiMaggio such important components of the novel because DiMaggio had the attitude of a hero. Also, it was set that when DiMaggio lost his streak in baseball that Santiago set of to go fish and find the marlin. 4. What is the role of Manolin? Why would Hemingway choose to portray this character as a child rather than an adult? The role of Manolin is one of a caretaker. He is always there for Santiago even though Santiago never asks for help. Hemingway chooses to show Manolin as a child to show how immature the people in the village are, and also to show that children of all ages can be just as respectful and responsible as adults. 5. List three conflicts presented in the novel. Which one do you think is the most significant? Why? Three conflicts that are present in the novel are Santiago verses society, Santiago verses the fish and Santiago verses himself. The most important conflict though is Santiago verses society because with their lack of faith in him to fish, Santiago sets out for an adventure that tests his strength and confidence. 6. Ernest Hemingway is known for his creation of the ” Hemingway hero” or the ” code hero” who shares common traits in several of his stories. Describe the qualities of the hero (Santiago) specifically. Give five examples from the book that exemplify the Hemingway hero. A ” code hero” is one that never speaks what he wants to believe in. Also a ” code hero” is a person of action. Santiago is a ” code hero” in the fact that he does not listen to the people in the village that attempted to dampen his attitude towards to fishing. Also he shows this characteristic when he refuses to give up on the fish, and he is not upset when he loses the marlin because he has not caught a fish in a very long time. He shows the characteristics of a humble person. 7. A motif is a recurring structure, contrast or literary device that develops the major themes. Identify one motif. Use quotations from the book and explain how Hemingway developed the motif. A motif that is recurring in the novel is faith and trust. ” The Yankees cannot lose,” and another quote that shows this motif is ” Have faith in the Yankees my son.” Hemingway developed this motif because it shows the real essence of the book. If only the people had faith and trust in Santiago, like the boy, Santiago would not have to go out and prove himself. 8. How does the old man show his love for, and understanding of, the sea? The old man shows his love and understanding for the sea but always going out there to capture fishes even when he hasn’t caught any fish in quite awhile and he never loses faith in himself and believes the sea while provide him with a catch when the time is right. 9. There are several religious images mentioned in the story. Select one and discuss its significance. A religious image in the story that is mentioned is Santiago having a follower. This is religious because Santiago is being portrayed has Christ. Jesus had followers even when people had no faith in him and thought him a fraud. Santiago’s follower that has faith in him and loves him is Manolin. Manolin plays the role of a disciple. 10. How does this story exemplify Hemingway’s belief in the significance of every human being, regardless of whether that person wins the battle he or she fights? Hemingway’s belief in the significance of every human being is that it is important for one to try to succeed in whatever one tries to do. One has different reasons for wanted to succeed in something but it is important to have faith in themselves.