santiago as a hemmingway code hero in the old man and the sea

Mueller
1Ross MuellerMr. HarocoposAP. English 11
29 September 1996 An Anylization of Santiago as a Hemmingway
Code Hero in The Old Man
and the Sea Ernest Hemingway had a
specific type of character in each and every one of his works of literature.
These characters were called the Hemingway Code Heroes. Hemingway
Code Heros followed a strict code of behaviors which allowed them to live
their life to the fullest. These Heros lived simple lives without all the
luxuries that others had. They concentrate on the problem at hand and do
not get swayed by outside events. Avoiding intense personal relationships
allows the Hero to stay focused. In The Old Man And The Sea, Santiago
is considered the Hemingway Code Hero for many reasons. Santiago
lived an extremely simple life, the life of a fisherman. Although sometimes
he wished for some of the modern conveniences others had, he was able
to do without them. Other fishermen had radios to pass the time while all
Santiago had were his thoughts and sometimes the boy. The old man
asked for the help of no one, for he did fine without the others. Santiago
learned how to make due with the supplies that he had. On the boat while
he is battling the mighty fish,he is able to deal with limited food and drink.
He realizes he may be out at sea for a long time, so he rationalizes his
supplies. Santiago copes with what he has. The sail on his boat is torn
and tattered, consisting of countless rags stitched together.
Mueller 2Although a nicer
sail would have been nice he knew that he could get by with the one he
has. Santiago displayed a great deal of grace while under the pressure
of catching his great adversary. While battling the marlin he always keeps
his eye on the goal, and figures out new ways to get through the tight
spots. Even when it seem that all hope is lost, he continues to persevere,
so he may achieve his goal. When he is out at sea his hands cramp, and
it looks as if he has to give up the fish, but he decides to stick with it in a

hope that he may strive through the area of difficulty. His hands finally
free up and he continues on his mission, just glad that he did not give up.
Sharks attack the marlin on his voyage back to his small town, he works
his hardest to keep them away. Santiago finds unique ways to keep them
away. He makes a spear out of his knife, a paddle, and some cloth.
When that breaks, he then uses the other paddle as a club to beat the
sharks away. When food is low, the old man figures out ways to get more
without losing his marlin. He sets up another rig while still concentrating
on the task at hand. Santiago's relationships with others never go into
deep personal information, they always stay friendly and never get
intimate. His relationship with the boy is one of great importance in The
Old Man And The Sea. Their relationship is a great friendship which has
grown over years. The old man was the first person to ever go fishing with
the boy. He was a teacher to Manolin, and showed him everything he
knew. The boy would occasionally bring the old man food when he
returned if he had not caught anything that day. Santiago read to the boy
about baseball. Manolin enjoyed this immensely. He enjoyed being in the
old man's company for he cared for this man because he was always kind
to him. The boy prepared the old man's bait some of the time. They both
offered each other the best of company. While out at sea Santiago is
constantlywishing the boy was there to talk to or to help with the mighty
fish. Santiago does not have relationships with any of the other
fishermen,
Mueller 3outside of polite conversation. His perseverence to catch his
prey implicates the importance of his relationship with it. Santiago's
humility in The Old Man And The Sea should be an example for all to
follow. He fishes to be a fisherman. His goal was not to catch a huge fish.
It was to fish and try to catch a fish of any size. He did not pride himself
on catching the fish. He did not go running to tell the other fishermen of
the town about it, he just went home and fell asleep. Landing the fish did

not matter to the old man only to get it as far as the side of the boat.
The Old Man And The Sea portrays Hemingway Code Heros to
their fullest potential. As Heros they try their hardest to persevere under
pressure and achieve the goal in front of them. They show the
characteristics of a stoic, working hard in the hardest of situations.
Hemingway Code Heros are very rare in real life, but in fiction they
survive, setting good examples for all.