What is the importance of the fish in Old Man and the Sea?

At the beginning of the novella, it is revealed that the old man has gone 84 days without catching a fish. This means that for nearly three months, the old man, who is a fisherman, has been defeated by the sea. Toward the end of the novella, Santiago is once again bested by nature.

What does the fish symbolize in The Old Man and the Sea?

Magnificent and glorious, the marlin symbolizes the ideal opponent. In a world in which “everything kills everything else in some way,” Santiago feels genuinely lucky to find himself matched against a creature that brings out the best in him: his strength, courage, love, and respect.

Why does the old man respect the fish?

The old man respects the fish because the fish has all the attributes he himself lost in old age. The old man persists in killing the marlin simply because he wants the respect of others.

What happens to the fish in The Old Man and the Sea?

The old man thinks that the fish is killing him, and admires him for it, saying, “I do not care who kills who.” Eventually, he pulls the fish onto its side by the boat and plunges his harpoon into it. The fish lurches out of the water, brilliantly and beautifully alive as it dies.

What are Santiago's thoughts during the journey with the fish?

Santiago wonders if the fish jumped to show itself to him. He wishes he could show himself to the fish but then decides that if the fish thinks Santiago is more man than he is, he will be so. Santiago momentarily wishes he were the fish, which has so much going for it against his intelligence and will.

The Old Man and the Sea | Short, Animation

Why does Santiago want the fish to jump?

Santiago hopes that the fish will jump, because its air sacs would fill and prevent the fish from going too deep into the water, which would make it easier to pull out.

Why did Santiago want the fish to turn and swim with the current?

Why did Santiago want the fish to turn and swim with the current? The fish would swim with the current when it got tired. That would mean that Santiago's battle would be almost over.

How does the last battle suggest Santiago's respect for the fish?

He admires the fish for its strength even as he prays for its death. He respects his foe without fearing it. The begins to turn east and this tells Santiago its moving with the current perhaps because it is getting tired.

What happened when the fish lurched?

What happened when the fish lurched? The fish pulled Santiago over in the boat. He fell on his face and got a cut below his eye. The second lurch caused a cut in Santiago's right hand.

What second fish did the old man catch?

What second fish did the old man catch, and what will he do with it? He caught a dolphin and saved it to eat later. Santiago tries to justify killing the big fish by thinking of how many people he will feed.

What are the choices before the fish and the old man?

The choice of the fish is to stay safe and secure in the deep dark water, far beyond all traps. The old man's choice is to go out there and find the fish beyond all people in the world. Now they are joined together with no one to help.

Why did the two fishermen decide to fish till dusk?

So here, the reason they set out at night is because wind is favourable and also they reach the fishing point at dawn so that fish comes up seeing the light. These fishermen do not have any ice to store the fish. They simply put the fish on the boat and come back by around 2 pm to sell the fish.

How does Santiago feel about the fish that he is doing battle with?

Answer: Santiago feels honoured to go to battle with such a great fish. The fish validates Santiago as a fisherman once again. Santiago respects the Marlin as his brother.

What does fishing symbolize?

Being a positive omen, it was chosen as a symbol of prosperity and good luck. Also, associated with fertility and femininity, the fish's meaning is motherhood. The fishing meaning for Christians is related to Jesus Christ, and thus ultimately, the fish symbolizes love.

What does the fish symbolize in the fish?

These fish lines show fish's persistence, strength and battle for its life, and they look like medals with their ribbons. This is the moment when the fisherwoman begins to realize her victory, because those fish lines are what connects her to the creature in a strongly human sense, and she decides to let it go.

What does a marlin fish represent?

The marlin is no exception. In addition to symbolizing redemption for Santiago's unlucky stretch of fishing, it also symbolizes redemption in a religious context. The marlin is a symbol for Christ and Communion, the symbolic ritual of The Last Supper.

Did the old man catch the fish?

The old man expertly hooks the fish, but he cannot pull it in. Instead, the fish begins to pull the boat.

How much does Santiago guess the fish weighs?

How much does Santiago guess the fish weighs? Over 1,500 pounds and has 1,000 pounds of meat.

How many days did Santiago go without catching a fish?

The central character is an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago, who has not caught a fish for 84 days. The family of his apprentice, Manolin, has forced the boy to leave the old fisherman, though Manolin continues to support him with food and bait.

How does Santiago know the fish is getting tired?

Santiago knew the fish was about to circle because it moving with the current, signaling its exhaustion. He's headed almost east, he thought. That means he is tired and going with the current.

Why the boy's parents refuse to let the boy fish with the old man?

Manolin's parents refuse to let the boy fish with the old man because they believe Santiago is salao.

What is the main message of The Old Man and the Sea?

“A man is not made for defeat.”

A man continues to do whatever he must do to the best of his ability, no matter what tribulations befall him. While challenges and setbacks can strip a man of all outward signs of success, still his spirit can remain undefeated.

What type of fish did Santiago catch?

One of his most famous works, it tells the story of Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba.

What happens upon the old man's return to his fishing village?

What happens upon the old man's return to his fishing village? Manolin promises to sail with him. The fishermen mock Santiago for the folly of sailing out so far. Tourists ask the old man to recount his adventures.

Which strange habit the old man has developed when he is fishing alone?

Santiago says aloud that the fish will make a good bait, which prompts him to begin thinking about his habit of talking aloud to himself at sea, a habit that he began after Manolin stopped fishing with him.