The Old Man And The Sea
...he faces as his "luck" runs out.
Through the novel, the fisherman, Santiago, replicates Hemingway's ideal man,
a noble hero. Hemingway had a Code of Behavior that he himself followed. He
had morals that were strict and an appreciation for instinct and human
nature. He had a specific way of living life and an understanding of time.
He believed in taking risks and acting upon instinct. He believed that a
person who followed his Code of Behavior was a noble hero. In Hemingway's
Code of Behavior, a noble hero is a master craftsman. This means that he is
not dependent on other people or on technology. It also means that he is a
master at his art and he keeps practicing it in order to better himself. The
second characteristic of a noble hero is that he struggles in order to remain
undefeated. This means that he does anything possible to reach his goal. He
struggles and suffers in order to perfect his art and therefore, himself, "No
matter what kind of suffering and trial he has to go
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through he has to fulfill his destiny
"(Harada 270). The third
characteristic of Hemingway's noble hero is that he accepts defeat. Once he
is defeated, once he can better himself no more, he should stop trying
because, "He lives in time. And the goal of time is death and
destruction"(Harada 276). He should accept that he is no longer useful and
that he has been defeated. These three characteristics define Hemingway's
ideal man. In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago exemplifies Hemingway's Code
of Behavior for a noble hero.
In the novel, Santiago is a master craftsman. He is only dependent on
himself. While the other fishermen use motor boats, Santiago uses his skiff.
While the other men have many workers and helpers who hold several lines,
Santiago has three lines all operated by his own hand. He is an...
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