old man by the sea

Sea "The great DiMaggio is himself again!"(21), in Ernest
Hemingway's novel, The Old Man and the Sea, which takes place near
Havana, Cuba in the Caribbean Sea, a very old, unlucky, fisherman sets
out for the big catch. The great DiMaggio is seamed throughout the novel
to symbolize the old man and his struggle to catch the big fish, yet also
he poses as a role model for Santiago (the old man).
The old man is using the great DiMaggio
for a role model. At a certain point in the struggle to catch this great fish,
the old man begins to cramp up in his left hand, do to the fish pulling so
strenuously on the line. Where as the great DiMaggio (during this time) is
struggling with a bone spurn his ankle, yet still continues to play baseball,
and plays well. The old man looks at DiMaggio as a role model in the
sense that if DiMaggio can play with a bone spur in his ankle and tough
things out, then he will work around his cramp and continue to fight the
fish, as would the great DiMaggio. This is what the old man thought, "Do
you believe the great DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay
with this one? I am sure he would and more since he young and strong.
Also his father was a fisherman. But would the bone spur hurt him too
much?"(68). "But I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the
great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly, even with a bone spur in his
heel"(68), this particular quote from the old man shows that the image of
Joe DiMaggio works in fulfilling its role in the old man's challenge of
catching the fish. When thinking of the great DiMaggio, the old man
remembers to give himself more confidence, and in doing so thinks back
to his younger years when he was referred to as the champion because
of an arm wrestling match. This gave the old man more strength and will
to push on and fight the fish until he wins. Also this image of DiMaggio
reminds him he must be very strategical, and do everything right, despite
any cramps in his hand. There is hard evidence that shows that
DiMaggio symbolizes the old man. Previously Joe DiMaggio had been
struggling in his profession of baseball, due to a bone spur in his heel.

The whole team struggled because DiMaggio was the main hope to the
Yankee's team. Now in the case of the old man, who had previously
struggled to catch a fish because of his newly developed unluckiness,
struggles in his life because he has not caught a fish and in turn, has no
money to buy the necessities for life. Well as soon as DiMaggio picked
up his game and started to play at a whole new level, the old man hooked
into a great big marlin, and started a fight that would change his life. Not
to mention the fact that DiMaggio played outstanding even though he
suffered from a bone spur in his heel. As did the old man out struggle
and out think the fish even though he suffered from a temporary cramp in
his left hand. All of this shows how DiMaggio "is" the old man "The great
DiMaggio is himself again"(21). In conclusion to Hemingway's novel,
The Old Man and the Sea, the great DiMaggio is most definitely a symbol
of the old man himself, and his struggle to catch a fish. Also DiMaggio
poses as a role model for the old man. Within this paper there were great
facts from the novel to prove that my thesis is indeed strong, and
something to think about. But one could ask himself, "Is it possible to
take a model figure, such as the great DiMaggio, and use him in such a
way to give yourself courage, confidence, and strength to succeed in your
goals?" The old man would tell you so, and so would I!