The Old Man and the Sea - Discussion Question 2

The main conflict in Old Man and the Sea is that between Santiago and the marlin. For days, the old man is out in the Gulf struggling to keep him and the enormous marlin alive. Each suffers extensive injuries through the process of the catch. The old man strains himself while trying to manage the fishing lines on the boat along with the skiff, and the marlin ends up getting nibbled on by countless sharks. The cause for the conflict in the novella is due to the old man’s dedication to fishing. He has gone a total of eighty-four days without a catch, but on the eighty-fifth day decides sets sail for what will be the most imperative journey at sea for him. He knows by catching a big fish, he will be back up on his luck.

In the end, the marlin is killed and eaten by multiple sharks in the Gulf. Despite his bad luck at sea, not all is lost for the Santiago. Much is gained personally for the old man from his experience with the marlin. For three days, the old man perseveres in the fight to keep his new prized possession safe until he returns to land. Because of this profound dedication, he ends up gaining a sense of admiration for the eighteen foot marlin. For each ounce of energy the old man puts into keeping the fish alive and well, the marlin responds with an equal amount of its own energy and devotion. Santiago realizes that he is not the only one in the battle at sea. Before all is said and done, the old man is left with a special bond between himself and the marlin. He gains much respect for the innocent creature that, like the old man, never gives up the fight.

Although Santiago gains personal and emotional feelings on his journey at sea, he unfortunately loses something physical, too. The old man tries his hardest to protect the fish. Toward the end of the novella the connection Santiago has with the marlin is everlasting. He uses every bit of strength he has left to protect the great fish. Unfortunately his strength is not enough to save the fish from the jaws of the unrelenting sharks who also reside in the Gulf with the marlin. Santiago loses the fish, the one he had bonded with so extensively for three days. Regardless of the loss he endured, he still has a positive mindset in the end and is ready to head back out to sea.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.