Santiago: The Conventional, Resilient Hero

“A man can be destroyed but not defeated”. A man may face strife and suffering, but courage, hope, and the strength to carry on can overcome any obstacle, no matter how big or small. Santiago, the protagonist of Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, has had his share of bad luck at the start of the story, but his strength of mind and character and his many heroic attributes enable him to achieve success despite physical destruction. Through his descriptions of Santiago’s stamina, pride, and positive attributes in The Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway relates his protagonist’s heroism to the philosophy that “a man can be destroyed but not defeated”.

Santiago displays many of the traits associated with the conventional hero. At the start of the story, the reader has it clear that Santiago has had his share of bad luck. He has been on the water for 85 days straight without any catch, he has been getting sunburned and worn out physically. But, mentally, he possesses the strength and stamina of a thoroughbred racehorse. The opening paragraphs say of Santiago, “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated” (2). His face may be wrinkled, and he may be worn out, but his gaze reflects unmatched mettle and optimism. Hidden beneath the outer layer of physical weakness lies a young, strong, cheerful heart beaming with pride and courage. These are qualities which he never loses and prove to be the most powerful weapons he carries with him. As a conventional hero, Santiago possesses pride and courage From the early points of the story, Santiago already shows that he is a man who, despite suffering the worst of luck, the worst of conditions, the worst of physical destruction, his spirit remains optimistic. He is destroyed, but not defeated.

Santiago is a man who, throughout his journey, showcases unmatched pride and courage, and strength in the face of adversity. The situation Santiago is in requires a lot of courage from his part. Getting up every morning to get on the boat, with the sun staring down, is an extremely difficult and demanding physical and mental task. But Santiago has the courage of taking the risks and accepting whatever comes. He motivates himself to continue for the sake of what he loves. “I am not good for many more turns. Yes, you are, he told himself. You are good forever” (34). He continually self-motivates and gives himself the strength and the determination he needs to continue his quest. Being able to cope with hardship in a daily basis without giving in is proof of a truly brave and honorable person, so Santiago is brave and honorable just for having the courage to resist, and to love, and to live. Santiago lacks athletic prowess, but he compensates this with his mental ability and confidence in himself, which are qualities every heroic, worthy man possesses.

His stamina, courage, and resilience are not the only qualities which accompany Santiago. The old fisherman also carries with him a lot of positive attributes fundamental to his profession and his quest. Santiago is one with the sea; he possesses unmatched knowledge and a close connection with the sea, and all its inhabitants. As a fisherman, Santiago sees the sea as his one true home and sole means of support; it gives him a purpose to carry on with life. Santiago is deeply in love with the sea. As the text describes, “He often thought of the sea as ‘la mar’ which is what people call her in Spanish when they are in love with her” (10). Akin to the conventional hero, Santiago feels a close connection and commitment to the place he frequents. He would fight and die for the sea, just as the typical hero would fight and die for his country or his beliefs. Santiago seems to have compassion for his prey; his profession is more motivated by love than by hate. He even expresses sympathy for his catches. “Blessed Virgin, pray for the death of this fish. Wonderful though he is” (25). Sympathy and devotion are as important to heroes as courage and optimism, so Santiago adds two more great weapons to his arsenal, as the archetypical hero would do, and further gains the admiration of readers.

Besides his deep connection to his main place of work, Santiago also has a great dedication to mental craft and ability over material gain or loss. He is extremely dedicated to his wit, seeing it as a means of success, and maintaining a belief in being exact over being lucky. “Only I have luck no more. But who knows? Maybe today. Everyday is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready” (12). Santiago is a man who sees life as an adventure, caring more about the journey than the destination, favoring mental ability over material possessions, and making the best out of his work and his fascination with what he does. Santiago lacks physical strength or virility, but his use of wits and his favoring of brain over brawn are another proof of the undefeated nature of his spirit and further establish him as a heroic figure.

To better establish Santiago’s status as a hero, a comparison is made between Santiago and another man who, in real life, was a hero too. Santiago is fond of baseball and his main sports hero is Joe DiMaggio from the Yankees. Just like Santiago, DiMaggio goes through a lot of physical pain while playing baseball. Santiago frequently talks about the great DiMaggio and compares his physical suffering to the centerfielder’s heel spurs. Santiago uses this as further self-motivation. “But I must have the confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spurs in his heel” (68). The inclusion of DiMaggio as Santiago’s idol is an interesting one. Hemingway is explaining that, if DiMaggio has made a name for himself as a sports legend and hero, then Santiago, who goes through the same effort and physical suffering as him without backing down, is equally, perhaps even more heroic.

Hemingway has already established Santiago as a typical hero by showcasing his multiple heroic qualities. However, the character is also an unconventional hero in his own right. When the reader analyzes Santiago’s behavior and the motivations for his actions, he can realize Santiago is a complex character. He functions as the perfect combination between the experience and wisdom associated with his age, and the relentless spirit associated with youth. This perfect balance is what makes Santiago unique, what makes him stand out in virtually every area: His age, his profession, and his community. Throughout all the descriptions of his virtues and his undying optimism, Hemingway creates an unconventional hero which is the perfect summary of his philosophy: “A man is destroyed but not defeated”. Hemingway is explaining how, in a world filled with hardship and suffering, quitters do not survive. Santiago is not a quitter, so he survives and, even though he loses the big fish, his greatest triumph is the strength of his mind and his character. As Manolin tells Santiago at some point in the story, “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only one you”. (23). Santiago is not ordinary, but rather extraordinary. He is the ultimate hero who overcomes the odds, and in the process, becomes a role model to the readers.

Santiago, the protagonist of The Old Man and the Sea, is a conventional hero whose unmatched pride, abilities, and physical and mental strength, enable him to overcome his run of bad luck and prove that, indeed, a man can be destroyed but never defeated. Despite the sun burning his eyes and the skin, and the conditions which would cause someone else to back out, he does not back out, he carries on using his virtues to his advantage and focusing on the positive. In a world ruled by suffering, chaos and physical destruction, endurance, optimism and strength of spirit are enough to overcome the slightest obstacles and find success at a mental and spiritual level. Santiago never gives up on his positive attributes and fights for what he wants, and in the end his mental victories are more important than his physical victories. Through his actions he gives important lessons about endurance, suffering, and success, and becomes a role model to the readers.

Do you see yourself in Santiago? Do you possess his positive attributes? Do you see him as a role model for your everyday life?