The Old Man and the Sea is a rather well-known short novel created by Ernest Miller Hemingway and published in 1951. This work is one of the most exciting ones in modern literature. In his best novel, the author tells the story of an old Cuban fisherman. In The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway describes the battle of an old man with sharks for a big fish caught by him. This novel is a story of bravery and lust for life. It is also a story of hope: the fishers hope of the happy end of the situation.
In the novel The Old Man and the Sea, my favorite figure is an old fisherman, who is also the main character of this story. Santiago is a skilled fisherman, but now he is unlucky. An old fisher did not catch anything for a long time. That is why parents disallowed fishers apprentice Manolin to accompany an old man in his work. That day Santiago fished without his apprentice. In his boat, an old fisher reached the Gulf Stream, and there, the fortune returned to him, at first he caught a little fish, then after some time he caught a very big fish. The fish tried to escape, but Santiago struggled with it in spite of the fact that the huge fish pulled the boat far off the sea. Finally, Santiago managed to kill the big fish with a harpoon. During three days of this struggle, suffering from pain and being exhausted, Santiago was showing his bravery, firmness and purposefulness. An old fisherman also shows these qualities in a battle with sharks for his life and his food. Being very tired after a three-day struggle with a fish, he was fighting for his own life with a great bravery and lust for life.
During the long time of the battle, he didnt want to stop fighting, despite the feeling of loneliness and the necessity of his apprentices help. And eventually, after a long battle, he returned home alive, but without the major part of the caught huge fish. And only after he rolled up the sail and put away the mast, he could have a rest.
I like the character of an old fisherman because of his courage and purposefulness. Santiago didnt give way. He didnt allow the fish escape and the sharks to kill him. And an old fisher taught his apprentice to act the same way, which helped the boy continue fishing with his tutor.
Santiago didnt lose his optimism even after he found out that the giant fish caught by him was almost completely eaten by the sharks. He hoped that he would return home alive, and this hope helped him in his struggle.
Santiagos story taught us not to give up whatever happens. He taught us to fight till the end and not to escape the difficulties and hardships. The figure of an old fisherman is also an example of courage and firmness. So the reader understands the necessity of these qualities, too.
To conclude, I must say that the main character of the story shows the best personal qualities. Through the figure of Santiago, Hemingway teachers his readers to be strong enough to live a life as they want. He teaches his readers that there is no time for despair and hesitation. This story teaches us to be determined and purposeful.
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