The Old Man and the Sea - 6

One thing that the old man proves in this novella is his unwavering determination. He proves it throughout the entire book. He proves it when he is fishing and when he is resting. He proves it when he is out at sea and when he is back in the village. He proves it when he is with the boy and when he is alone. This old man is one determined guy, and he proves it in this book.

The old man in The Old Man and The Sea is very determined. When he is at home, he talks with the boy about fishing and how he will eventually catch fish. He is so determined, even after eighty-five days of not catching any fish, that he will indeed catch more fish. So many people would give up and give it a rest and try later. But this man goes out every day to catch fish. This man is so determined and sure in his ways that he does not even change his fishing routines and habits. He keeps them exactly the same because he is determined that it is not his fault that he has not caught any fish, it is just luck; he proves this right at the end of the book when he catches the biggest fish anyone had ever seen.

While he is out at sea fighting with the big fish, the man is still determined. While he is fighting the big fish the man is more determined than the reader ever sees him anywhere else in the entire novella. This man becomes more and more determined by the fighting fish instead of more afraid. The old man is so determined to catch the fish that he decides he is willing to give his life to catch the fish. He decides that even if he has to die to try and bring the fish in, he will do it to prove his determination and not let down his pride.

The old man's willingness to die helps him to avoid defeat. If he was not willing to die, then there would be a certain point where the man would try no longer because of the uncertainty of life or death. But this man was so determined, that he decided he could die in the fight. Because of his determination and willingness to die the man experienced great victory. Without the man's vulnerability and willingness to die, he could have not conquered the fish as he did and come out with such a victory and a confidence booster as he did.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1996. Print.