Human Existence as Reflected in Ernest Hemingway''s The Old Man and The Sea

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HUMAN EXISTENCE AS REFLECTED IN ERNEST HEMINGWAY’S THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

A THESIS

VENANSIUS PANDIANGAN 040705050

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For every second HE makes for me, I keep my thanks gratefully.

First of all, I would like to thank to my Lord, Jesus Christ, for being my only Savior. For all tears and smiles, sorrow and happiness during my ages, I thank God, gratefully.

I would like also to give my gratitude to Dean of Faculty of Letters, Drs. Syaifuddin, M.A. PhD, the Head of English Department, Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum, the Secretary of English Department, Drs. Yulianus Harefa, Med. Tessol and all of lectures for all guidance during my academic years in English Department.

It is also a high appreciation to my Supervisor, Dra. Martha Pardede, M.A and my Co-supervisor, Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M. Hum, for all positive advises which been given to me and for all your valuable time during the thesis writing. Thank you for everything I learned with.

My deepest thank is highly dedicated for both of my parents; my beloved father, M. Pandiangan and my wonderful mom, Dra. T. Sinaga for all your love and affection, good care and sincerity, for all compassion efforts you have been taking for us. And definitely, my big brothers, Parulian and Paulus, and my cute little sisters, Leo and Krisna. It is always a pleasure for having family of us. I love you all.

My special thanks is also delivered to all of my friends S  B ^ T; Ando ‘Fabregas’, Herbert ‘Napoleon’, Fajar ‘Kerbo’, Angga ‘Muzek’, Patar ‘Kaydee’, Gusti, ‘Goe2k’, Anggi ‘Citozbok’, Ii ‘Patrick’, Eva-Nez and Dee-dee ‘mata brastagi’


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he22. For all memories we have passed together, it’s been a wonderful to me for sharing my time with all of you. My unforgetful thank is also intended to batch ’04 (Damianus, Rudy, Tino, Irman, Irfan, Rosa and Hossa, Siska, Gus, ‘ito’ Erlin, etc), Class of SaStra (Bernard, Kiky, Elma, Wita), frenz of KMK (Bernadetta, Ika, Yakobus, Henny, Romauli, Noni, Dewi) and de dayaX’03 (B’Mario, B’Jeff, B’Memed, B’Joseso, B’Hendra). Thank you for the time we had passed by.

Last but not least, I thank the silence for being my faithful companion of my life. That’s all.

The writer


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ABSTRACT

Skripsi ini diberi judul “Human Existence as Reflected in Ernest Hemingway’s The

Old Man and the Sea yang menganalisa tentang eksistensi manusia dalam

keberadaannya sebagai individu di dunia. Eksistensi manusia ini dipaparkan melalui tokoh Santiago, seorang pelaut tua, dalam novel The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago merupakan representasi seorang individu dengan karakeristik yang menggambarkan eksistensinya sebagai seorang manusia. Karakteristik tersebut meliputi subjectivity,

conscious being in the world, contingency, anti-materialism, humanity dan faith.

Hal-hal tersebut merupakan gambaran karakteristik manusia yang eksis dan Santiago sebagai tokoh utama dalam novel memiliki karakteristik tersebut. Lebih jauhnya, pemenuhan karakteristik melalui tokoh individu Santiago tersebut merupakan representasi manusia yang eksis secara keseluruhan.

Skripsi ini terdiri dari 5 bab, yaitu Bab Pendahuluan, Landasan Teori, Metode Penelitian, Analisis dan Hasil, serta Kesimpulan dan Saran. Pada bab I akan dijelaskan latar belakang penelitian, pembatasan dan perumusan masalah, tujuan dan manfaat penelitian, tinjauan pustaka serta pendekatan yang dilakukan. Sedangkan pada bab II yang difokuskan adalah dasar-dasar teori eksistensialisme untuk mendukung analisis eksistensi manusia dalam novel The Old Man and the Sea. Bab III merupakan metode penelitian yang dipakai dalam menganalisis novel tersebut, termasuk setiap prosedur yang digunakan. Bab selanjutnya merupakan bab analisis yaitu bagian utama skripsi yang menganalisis eksistensi manusia dalam karya sastra

The Old Man and the Sea oleh Ernest Hemingway. Analisis dilakukan dengan cara

mendeskripsikan karakteristik Santiago yang mewakili gambaran karakteristik eksistensi manusia. Hasil dari analisis akan menjelaskan pandangan-pandangan Hemingway mengenai hidup, termasuk perjuangan manusia, tanggung jawab, keunikan, penderitaan, rasa kemanusiaan, keyakinan dan sebagainya. Pada bab terakhir yaitu kesimpulan dan saran, dijelaskan mengenai poin-poin yang diperoleh dari bab bab sebelumnya, sekaligus saran-saran yang diperlukan untuk peningkatan tulisan ini kedepannya


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………...i

ABSTRACT………iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS………...iv

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION……….1

I.1 Background of Analysis………1

I.2 Scope of Analysis………...3

I.3 Statement of Problem……….3

I.4 Objective of Analysis……….4

I.5 Significance of Analysis……….………5

I.6 Review of Related Literature………..5

I.7 Theoretical Approach……….6

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW………..8

II.1 Literature………...8

II.1.1 Literature and Ideas……….9

II.3 A Brief Discussion about Human Existence………...11

II. 3.1 Definition of Human Existence………11

II. 3.2 The Characteristics of Human Existence………12

- Subjectivity……….13

- The Conscious Being in the World……….16

- Contingency………18

- Anti Materialism……….19

- Humanity……….20


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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD………..23

III.1 Source of Data………...24

III.2 Data Collecting Procedure………...25

III.3 Data Identifying Procedure………....26

III.4 Data Analyzing Procedure……….26

CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS……….31

IV.1 Analysis of Human Existence in The Old Man and the Sea.31 IV.1.1 Subjectivity of Santiago and Human Existence………..31

IV.1.2 Conscious Being of Santiago and Human Existence…..37

IV.1.3 Contingency of Santiago and Human Existence……….42

IV.1.4 Anti Materialism of Santiago and Human Existence…..50

IV.1.5 Humanity of Santiago and Human Existence………….53

IV.1.6 Faith of Santiago and Human Existence……….56

IV.2 Findings……….60

CHAPTER V CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ………..64

V.1 Conclusion………..64

V.2 Suggestion………...65

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES BIOGRAPHY, WORKS AND SUMMARY

APPENDIX 1 Biography of Ernest Hemingway APPENDIX 2 Works of Ernest Hemingway


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ABSTRACT

Skripsi ini diberi judul “Human Existence as Reflected in Ernest Hemingway’s The

Old Man and the Sea yang menganalisa tentang eksistensi manusia dalam

keberadaannya sebagai individu di dunia. Eksistensi manusia ini dipaparkan melalui tokoh Santiago, seorang pelaut tua, dalam novel The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago merupakan representasi seorang individu dengan karakeristik yang menggambarkan eksistensinya sebagai seorang manusia. Karakteristik tersebut meliputi subjectivity,

conscious being in the world, contingency, anti-materialism, humanity dan faith.

Hal-hal tersebut merupakan gambaran karakteristik manusia yang eksis dan Santiago sebagai tokoh utama dalam novel memiliki karakteristik tersebut. Lebih jauhnya, pemenuhan karakteristik melalui tokoh individu Santiago tersebut merupakan representasi manusia yang eksis secara keseluruhan.

Skripsi ini terdiri dari 5 bab, yaitu Bab Pendahuluan, Landasan Teori, Metode Penelitian, Analisis dan Hasil, serta Kesimpulan dan Saran. Pada bab I akan dijelaskan latar belakang penelitian, pembatasan dan perumusan masalah, tujuan dan manfaat penelitian, tinjauan pustaka serta pendekatan yang dilakukan. Sedangkan pada bab II yang difokuskan adalah dasar-dasar teori eksistensialisme untuk mendukung analisis eksistensi manusia dalam novel The Old Man and the Sea. Bab III merupakan metode penelitian yang dipakai dalam menganalisis novel tersebut, termasuk setiap prosedur yang digunakan. Bab selanjutnya merupakan bab analisis yaitu bagian utama skripsi yang menganalisis eksistensi manusia dalam karya sastra

The Old Man and the Sea oleh Ernest Hemingway. Analisis dilakukan dengan cara

mendeskripsikan karakteristik Santiago yang mewakili gambaran karakteristik eksistensi manusia. Hasil dari analisis akan menjelaskan pandangan-pandangan Hemingway mengenai hidup, termasuk perjuangan manusia, tanggung jawab, keunikan, penderitaan, rasa kemanusiaan, keyakinan dan sebagainya. Pada bab terakhir yaitu kesimpulan dan saran, dijelaskan mengenai poin-poin yang diperoleh dari bab bab sebelumnya, sekaligus saran-saran yang diperlukan untuk peningkatan tulisan ini kedepannya


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

“But man is not made for defeat’ he said. A man can be destroyed, but not defeated”

(Ernest Miller Hemingway in his novel, The Old Man and the Sea/1966:93)

I.1 BACKGROUND OF ANALYSIS

Literature is the collection of ideas. “Literature is thought of as form of philosophy, as ‘ideas’ wrapped in form; and it is analyzed to yield a ‘leading

ideas’.” (Wellek/1962:110) It conveys the ideas of author in form of writing and

the ideas contain message for readers. In case of leading ideas, it will survive for centuries as global universal value.

Greibstein (1968:161) states that ideas in literature become as important as its form and style of writing. Moreover, the form and writing style of a literature is particularly determined by its ideas. It means there is no great literature, being created in low trivial ideas. Literature is a true essential activity. No great literary work with a low message.

Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Old Man and the Sea is one of the great literary works. It also contains ideas which lead us to a message. For sure, it delivers the message of human existence. This message refers to an understanding of the real essence of human beings, in aspects of life, such as social and economics life. Man, by its nature, has the ability to survive in any circumstances. Man can be destroyed, but can’t be defeated. This term becomes a philosophical idea which is known as human existence.

Human existence is the fact or state of continued being of human life. Muzairi (2002:46) states that there are several chacteristics of human existence.


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They are subjectivity, the conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. Subjectivity is judgement based on individual personal impressions and feeling. Realizing the subjectivity, it will take the human being into the conscious being in the world. Contingency is the effective experience of human being in actual world. The anti materialism is a doctrine which refuses the judgement based on materialistic values only. The anti materialism will be resulted by achieving the human contingency. While, humanity and faith is the commitment of human being towards the values of life. These characteristics reflect the human existence.

As Hemingway’s idea about human existence is genuinely uplifting, Santiago is performed as the main character of the novel. Santiago is the representation of human being who is faced to the fact of the life which is the fact of human pursuit of existence. Santiago has the characteristics which represent the characteristics of human existence. The characteristics of human existence are fulfilled by Santiago by process of life, not only as fisherman but real man. Wholly, Santiago becomes an everyman - an archetypal representation of human being.

The acceptance of Santiago towards the natural order and cycle of life proves the subjectivity and his conscious being in the world. The enduring of Santiago in struggling against nature proclaims contingency and its result reveals the truth of anti materialism. While his success in passing on the values of humanity and faith to the next generation, Manolin as Santiago’s fishing companion; proves the success of passing his existence. In short, Santiago fulfills all of these qualities. Santiago’s proclaim of existence is the representation of


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human existence. This is the most emphasized message of the novel, which is the real essence of human existence.

Since there is relationship between the literature and ideas, the writer feels the importance of making a further analysis about human existence. The Old Man

and the Sea provides a great inspiring message which reveals the existence of

human being. Fundamentally, this becomes the main reason of choosing this thesis as entitled; Human Existence as Reflected in Ernest Hemingway‘s The Old Man and the Sea.

1.2 SCOPE OF ANALYSIS

There are a lot of discussions in applying the human existence. Escaping an ambiguous analysis, it is important to make a clear limitation about human existence. The focus of analysis will be limited to the characteristics of human existence in Santiago’s life. The characteristics are his subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. The analysis will prove Santiago’s existence, which reflects the human existence.

I.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Santiago is the main character of the novel. He has characteristics of human existence. The characteristics are subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. Santiago fulfills all of these qualities. Santiago’s proclaim of existence is the representation of human existence.

The analysis of the thesis will be conducted by explaining the problem below. These are the questions to discuss:


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1. How does the subjectivity of Santiago makes him unique from society show human existence?

2. How does the conscious of Santiago in the world makes him alienated declare human existence?

3. How does the contingency of old man Santiago in struggling and enduring against nature reflect human existence?

4. How does the sense of anti materialism of Santiago among society clarify human existence?

5. How does the success of Santiago in transferring values of humanity to Manolin indicate human existence?

6. How does the success of Santiago in transferring values of faith to Manolin relate to human existence?

I.4 OBJECTIVE OF ANALYSIS

The analysis is intended to answer the problem of the thesis. They are: 1.To explain the subjectivity of Santiago which shows human existence.

2.To describe the conscious of Santiago among society which declares human existence.

3.To prove the contingency of Santiago in struggling and enduring against nature which reflects human existence.

4.To find out Santiago’s anti materialism as result of struggling and enduring against nature which clarifies human existence.

5.To indicate the success of Santiago in transferring the values of humanity to Manolin as the success of human existence.


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6.To relate the success of Santiago in transferring the values of faith to Manolin as the success of human existence.

I.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF ANALYSIS

There are significances in accomplishing this thesis. The first is theoretical. This thesis is expected to enrich the study about literature, especially Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. It is expected to be a source of information in understanding literature in field of knowledge

. The second is practical. This thesis is expected to make the readers comprehend in understanding the literature as inspiring ideas. Hopefully, by analyzing this novel, it will be a substantive knowledge for readers in applying the message of this literature, which is the message of human existence. And it is genuinely expected; as stepping stone for readers in discussing a further analysis about human existence.

I.6 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

There are a lot of discussions on Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and

the Sea, since it is regarded as an exist literature. Some of them are notes and

commentaries. One of the commentaries is made by Muzairi (2002) on his book:

Eksistensialisme Jean Paul Sartre. Another is made by Carey Gary (1973) on his

book: The Old Man and the Sea Notes: Critical Commentaries.

Muzairi states that there are several characteristics of human existence which are subjectivity, the conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. These characteristics represent the characteristics of human being, who stand in existence. The proclaim of these characteristics means proclaim of human existence.


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While Carey Gary notes that human existence is resulted by the process. By a long hard suffering process, Santiago wins his grandeur skeleton of fish and declares his existence among society.

Santiago, the old fisherman, though old, still dares to try, persists in doing the very best he can- and succeeds only to lose. He loses the battle with the sharks and his prize fish, Marlin, but he wins a victory for himself because he knows that he had fought well and that he has the courage to try again. (Gary/1973:10)

According to Carey, Santiago is behaving perfectly while catching and losing his great fish. Santiago expresses most effectively Hemingway’s belief that what counts most in human existence is dignity and courage with which the individual conducts him in the process of life in the world.

In addition, the writer also reviews former thesis researches in which relate to the study of human existence. The researches are made by Wenina (2005) in her thesis: Existentialism in Saul Bellow’s Henderson the Rain King and Lidia Dumaria’s thesis (2005): A Comparative Analysis of Theme between Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Motinggo Boesje’s Tidak Menyerah.

Both of these theses are discussing the application of human existence in literary work.

I.7 THEORETICAL APPROACH

In this thesis, the writer is using the expressive approach. This approach means that literature is also the expression of author’s ideas about life. It means, the literature concerns the existence of author as creator. The literature is expressing ideas of author who is composing the sophisticated thought and feeling into form of writing.


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In Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, it represents the idea of author as creator. Furthermore, it also reveals the perspective of Hemingway in viewing life. Hemingway expresses his idea about human existence by performing Santiago as the main character of the novel. The way of Hemingway’s expressing ideas is the representation of his perspective about life which is formulated by a complex thinking, experiences and his belief in life. All of these are creating the idea of human existence which is reflected in his novel: The Old Man and the Sea.


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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

II.1 LITERATURE

Literature is one of the greatest creative and universal means of communicating the emotional, spiritual or intellectual concerns of mankind. Taylor (1981:1). states in his book, Understanding the Elements of Literature that

Literature is essentially an imaginative act, which is an act of the writer’s

imagination in selection ordering and interpreting life experience. So, it means

that literature also presents the real life. Literature provides a portrayal of human life in writing form, which reflects the human actual experiences and contains philosophical and moral concerns.

Literature can be classified into 3 general divisions. They are poetry, prose and drama. Prose has 2 categories, they are fiction prose and non fiction prose. Fiction prose includes myths, parables, romances, short stories and novels. Taylor (1981:46) states that novel, the most widely form of literature, might be defined as a fiction prose of book length which characters and actions are presented in a plot as if representing persons and events in real life. He says:

A novel is a great art, touching the life of everyone, every where and using not only description but also dialogue that make it more dramatic. It is the form in literature, which has explored more fully the life of ordinary man and found it worthy of portrayal.

The present of novel is performed in further details, rather than other forms of literature such as poetry or play. It also provides additional information of the story; its nature of time, place, or events. The combinations of these details are performed in written text, which picture the human life in detailed narrative


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writing. Peck and Martin Coyle (1984:103) in their book, Literary Terms and

Criticism state this:

“Novels, however, are long works with a great amount of detail in every page. They thus present all the complicating facts that need to be taken into account before we can reach any sort judgment. The effect of this detail is that we can to recognize the complex reality of a character on event in the story.”

II.1.1 LITERATURE AND IDEAS

The concept of literature was developing into specific term. It is not aimed for entertaining purposes only but also concerning the matter of physiological, social, historical and idea of human beings. The concern of these elements brings literary study to be a scientific knowledge or learning. According to Welleck (1962:15), there is a slight difference between literature and literary study.

We must first make a distinction between literature and literary study. The two are distinct activities: one is creative, an art; the other, if not precisely a science, is a species of knowledge or of learning.

Every literary work contains ideas. Ideas represent the thought of author. And it is conveyed to readers as message. After analyzing the ideas of literature, it will deliver readers a message, or known as leading ideas. This message is commonly recognized as philosophy which conveys the essence of literature. Wellek (1962:110).states that, “Literature is thought of as form of philosophy, as

‘ideas’ wrapped in form; and it is analyzed to yield a ‘leading ideas’.” This

statement is also supported by Grebstein (1968:161) who states that a great literature is not only the matter of writing form or style but it is determined by the ideas. Great literatures appear because they have to. No great literary work with a low message.


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Literature and Ideas

The Old Man and the Sea also provides ideas to the readers. The ideas

represent the thought of Ernest Hemingway about life. The ideas of literature will be analyzed to achieve message, and in case of leading ideas it will survive as global universal value.

It is quite interesting that Hemingway used literature to convey his idea of life. The way of Hemingway in viewing life is formulated into a great novel. The

Old Man and the Sea contains Hemingway’s ideas about life; hopes, ideal dream,

responsibility, freedom, struggle, and human belief. By performing Santiago as the main character, Hemingway shows the characteristics of human being who stands in existence. The characteristics are subjectivity, the conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. Santiago’s fulfillment of these characteristics is the representation of human existence. This becomes the philosophical idea of this literary work which is Human Existence.

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA HEMINGWAY’S IDEAS ABOUT LIFE

1. SUBJECTIVITY 2. CONSCIOUS BEING 3. CONTINGENCY 4. ANTIMATERIALISM 5. HUMANITY

6. FAITH

HUMAN

EXISTENCE


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II.2 A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT HUMAN EXISTENCE II.2.1 DEFINITION

Existence comes from ‘exist’ or ‘to exist’. It means the state of being…. In French, it comes from “existo” which are ‘ex’ and ‘sisto’. It means ‘to stand’. So, human existence is state or fact of being real of human life.

The study of human existence is discussed by existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequence of one’s acts. This doctrine formulates human existence into field of study.” As it will be a holistic idea, the existentialist formulates the idea of human existence into concepts. Here are some of them:

Jean Paul Sartre in the book, in a book, A Preface to Philosophy, states: Existentialism is a general orientation in philosophy with no set common principle. Among the theme stressed are the following: the importance of personal existence rather than abstract theorizing; the encounter with freedom and necessity of choosing; the denial of any fixed human nature and of universal moral codes; the desirability of authentic lifestyle; the encounter with death and meaningless (Woodhouse/1975:154)

Descartes formulates the human existence into well-known concept:

“Cogito Ergo Sum” which means I think, therefore I exist..

The fundamental truth of existentialism is in Descartes formula “I think, therefore I exist” (Harmon/ 2000:203)

For Kierkegaard, the concept human existence refers to personal existence. It is exist for every person and existence depends on the quality of man. Wenina (2005:14), in her thesis, quotes the perspective of Kierkegaard. It can be seen from quotation below:


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“…the term existence was reserved for individual human being. To exist, he said, implies being a certain kind of individual, an individual who strives, who considers alternatives, who chooses, who decides and who above all commits himself….existence must refer to a quality in the individual, namely his conscious participation in an act…Truth, said Kierkegaard, is subjectivity”

We can also see the concepts of human existence from several existentialists. Solomon (1987:283), in his book, From Hegel to Existentialism,

states that:

“…Existentialism is not a simply philosophy or philosophical revolt. Existentialist philosophy is the explicit conceptual manifestation of an existential attitude – a spirit of “the present age”. It is a philosophical realization of self consciousness living in a “broken world” (Marcel), an “ambiguous world” (de Beauvoir), a “dislocated world” (Merleau-Ponty), a world into which we are “thrown” and “condemned” yet “abandoned” and “free”

(Heidegger and Sartre), a world which appears to be indifferent or

even “absurd” (Camus).”

From the brief quotations above, it is clear that existentialism as the study of human existence has varied vast concepts. These concepts were formulated into the idea of human existence. In order to make a comprehend analysis; the writer decides to use the characteristics of human existence as the scope of analysis.

II.2.2 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE

Since there are a lot of discussions about human existence, it is important to make a clear limitation about it. The writer takes a certain theory, being made by Muzairi (2002) in his book, Eksistensialime Jean Paul Sartre, who formulates the concept of human existence into several characteristics. The characteristics of human existence are subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity, and faith. The Muzairi’s formulated theory is supported by the ideas of former existentialists and the writer tries to apply this theory to The


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The result is hopefully expected to reveals Hemingway’s ideas which show the Human Existence.

Here are the characteristics of human existence: 1. Subjectivity

Subjectivity is judgment based on individual personal impressions and feelings and opinion rather than external facts.

The definition of subjectivity leads us to an understanding that human existence is emphasized individually as a personal existence. Muzairi (2002:46) says that: “Human existence is always particular and individual- always- my

existence, your existence, his existence” Subjectivity is the representation of

personal existence and it becomes one of the characteristics of human existence. It exists for every person and always depends on the individual quality of a man.

To give a further understanding about subjectivity, we can see the concept of human existence “Existence precedes Essence”. The understanding of subjectivity is similar to this concept. Sartre formulates this concept from Essay

Existence precedes Essence. Wenina (2005:11), in her thesis, quotes Sartre

conception:

“…There is at least one being in whom existence precedes essence, a being who exist before he can be defined by any concept…. What is meant here by saying that existence precedes

essence? It means that, the first of all, man exist, turns up,

appears on scene, and only afterwards define himself… . Man is nothing else but what he makes himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism. It is also what is called subjectivity…”

Sartre emphasizes the subjectivity as first principle of existentialism. Subjectivity which represents a personal existence means a first move of human


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existence. The first move of human existence is to exist first. How? By having own subjectivity. That is called Existence precedes Essence.

We also can see the concept of ‘Existence precedes Essence’ from the example of manufacturing item: a paper cutter. A paper cutter is an object that has been created by someone who gets inspiration and makes it into reality. Sartre (2002:43) states that:

The artist knows what a paper cutter is and what it is used for. So, that he knows recently a paper cutter has to be produced in a certain way, because it has specific use. Thus the presence of a paper cutter in front of us is determined. It has a technical view in its definite process.

The existentialists claim that we can not explain the nature of man in the same way we explain manufacture. The reason is the whole process of manufacture (eq. a paper cutter) states Essence precedes Existence, which differentiates a man from object. But an object can not exist as man does, who exist, emerge in the world and define himself. It is caused by the characteristic of man’s conscious being in the world while an object dispossesses it. Conscious being in the world will be further explained in next characteristic.

It is always interesting to discuss the concept of subjectivity from Kierkegaard perspective. As Kierkegaard says: ‘Truth is subjectivity’, it becomes a concerning question whether human existence is also a subjective truth? Does human existence become a neither subjective, nor objective truth? We can see this hesitancy from the quotations below:


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Solomon (1987:72) in his book, From Hegel to Existentialism

states this:

Indeed, the whole Kierkegaard career might be partially construed as an attack on the notion of “objective truth” – truth that is common, true for anyone and everyone. Kierkegaard had little regard for such a promiscuous theory of truth, and he came to have contempt for much that was defended under the banner of objectivity and rationality, philosophy and theology in particular. He would make no such claims for his own philosophy. It was enough that his truths were true for him—and for an undetermined legion of individual reader.

Karl and Leo Hamalian (1987:17) also concern this term in his book,

Existential Imagination as follow:

Existentialism frequently becomes trapped by its own virtues: for if everyone is motivated ethically by his own subjectivity, then there is not only chaos, but potential immorality.

From the quotations above, it is clear that the concept of Kierkegaard’s subjectivity emphasizes the individual truth. For him, subjectivity is the matter of personal existence. It can be seen from his famous thesis, Concluding Unscientific Postcript: “Truth is subjectivity doesn’t refer to any theory of knowledge, but to a

person’s mode existence. (Muzairi/2002:36). Human existence is truth and Truth

is Subjectivity. Answering the claim of subjective truth, Kierkegaard in Salomon (1987:74) shows the subjective truth is true; even what is believed is objectively false.

When the question of truth is raised in an objective manner, reflection is directed objectively to the truth as an object to which the knower is related. Reflection is not focused on the relationship, however, but upon the question whether the truth to which knower is related. If only the object to which is related is truth, the subject is accounted to be in the truth…..

When subjectivity, inwardness, is truth, the truth becomes objectively a paradox; and the fact that the true is objectively a paradox shows in its turns that subjectivity is the truth.


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Furthermore, Kierkegaard shows the human existence is not only the matter of subjective or objective. Although he emphasizes the personal existence as first act, it doesn’t mean that everything works subjectively, being consequently as potential chaos and immorality. That’s why; Kierkegaard also states the importance of individual quality of a man. The quality of a man is determined by an individual who strives, who consider alternatives, who chooses, who decides and who above all commits himself. These are making the human existence.

“…the term existence was reserved for individual human being. To exist, he said, implies being a certain kind of individual, an individual who strives, who considers alternatives, who chooses, who decides and who above all commits himself….existence must refer to a quality in the individual, namely his conscious participation in an act…Truth, said Kierkegaard, is subjectivity” (Wenina/2005:14)

So, it is clear that subjectivity as one of the characteristics of human existence has a clear concept. The concept states that subjectivity is the first principle of human existence, as ‘Existence precedes Essence’ (Sartre) and subjectivity is always individual. It exists for every person and depends on individual quality (Kierkegaard).

2. Conscious Being in the World

Conscious being in the world is the state of being able to use senses and mental power to understand what is happening in the world.

Realizing the subjectivity, it will take human being into the conscious being in the world. The conscious being in the world means realizing the uniqueness of every individual being. Muzairi (2002:46) says that:

“Individu itu unik, bukan objek dan bukan umum…Karena ia unik, ia adalah --yang berada secara sadar dalam dunia--.


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“An individual is unique, not an object or general…Because of his / her uniqueness, human beings are – individual who exists in a conscious being in the world--”

It is such a dilemma for human being in understanding his/her existence. Since realizing the subjectivity and knowing that every individual being is unique and exist, it doesn’t enough to realize this uniqueness, only. It needs responsibility to respond this uniqueness in stepping for the human existence. This responsibility is a compulsory for the state of conscious being in the world as Sartre says: “I am thus responsible for my self and for all men…”

(Muziri/2002:211). Human being must have consciousness as the responsibility towards his / her existence. The conscious being in the world becomes a moving factor in proving human existence. It states human responsibility and responsibility motivates individual to prove the human existence.

“…that self consciousness is neither a subject aware nor an awareness of an object (the self) so much as it is a motivation, an attitude that illuminates the world as well as the individual in the world” (Solomon/1987:243)

The conscious being in the world contains the sense of responsibility and the power of motivation to prove human existence. But, as dilemma above, self consciousness also encounters rejection from outer world. The rejection comes from dissimilarity of every individual conscious being in the world, as well as the fact of personal existence (subjectivity).

This rejection brings the conscious being in the world into an alienated individual. The person who realizes his / her self-consciousness (of being exist) is dealt with a self alienation. The sense of alienation can be viewed from the quotation below:


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“The existential attitude is first of all an attitude of self consciousness. What is self consciousness? According to some recent existentialist, there is no self as such. And what is consciousness? “It is nothing” Sartre tells us, “To be conscious is to be embarrassed, to be ill at ease”. One feels himself separated from the world, from other people. In isolation, one feels threatened, insignificant, meaningless, and in responsible demands significant through a bloated view of self. (Solomon/1987:242)

From explanations above, it is clear that conscious being in the world is realizing the subjectivity of human being as a personal existence. This consciousness attitude needs responsibility to prove the human existence.

3. Contingency

Contingency is the effective experience of human being in actual world. Human existence is resulted by effective experience in the world. Human beings declare the existence by fulfilling the contingency. It means that human existence is always a process and it is the process of being a real man in actual world.

Muzairi states that:

“Bahwa keberadaan manusia itu bukan observasi, akan tetapi kontingensi; yakni pengalaman efektif dalam hubungannya dengan dunia” (Muzairi/2002:47)

“Indeed, the existence of human being is not an observation but contingency; which is the effective experience in the world”.

“Jadi eksitensialisme betul betul mengungkapkan manusia utuh sebagai eksistensi—eksitensi yang mendahului essensi—sebab eksitensi manusia itu bukanlah selesai mantap, akan tetapi sebaliknya, terus mengada” (Muzairi/2002:42)

“Thus, existentialism is definitely trying to reveal whole human as existence—existence precedes essence—because human existence is not stable finish but on the contrary, always exist”

In applying human existence, it is not only the matter of concept. It is not sum of letters in a paper or speeches on the table. The concept of human existence


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should be applied in reality and it is a must. Human existence is always requiring the actual experience of real life in the world.

Jean Paul Sartre concerns the contingency as he states: “When existentialist talk of existence, they are talking of human existence. Human

existence is actual not conceptual” (Muzairi/2002:42) He also states the

everlasting process of human existence as he states: “I am condemned to exist forever beyond my essence, beyond the causes and motives of my act”

(Muzairi/2002:30)

Furthermore, the importance of contingency as representation of action in actual world is highly appreciated by Sartre. He emphasizes it for multiple times:

“Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself. Man defines himself by his act…He is nothing else but the sum of his

actions, nothing else but what his life is” (Muzairi/2002:182-183).

So, it is clear that human existence is really determined by human contingency. Contingency means the real actions of human beings in actual world.

4. Anti-Materialism

Anti-Materialism is the doctrine which refuses the judgment based on materialistic values, only.

This doctrine contradicts the essence of human being against materialism value. Materialism regards human being as the result of materialistic process, that body, soul, passion and life of man represent the material. While anti materialism regards the existence of human being is quite considerable. It is something called existence beyond the material itself.

J.O. de la Mettrie (1709-1775) in his book “L’ Homne Machine”


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equaled with the function of a machine. Anti materialism denies this perspective that human being can not be equaled with the object or thing. We can’t compare the existence of human being to the existence of an object because man’s existence precedes essence while an object doesn’t. This becomes the source of anti materialism.

5. Humanity

Humanity is the value that affirms the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities.

Humanity is dealing with condition of human being in the life. It concerns the values of lives which determine the existence of human being in the world. When the term of humanity being related with individual being, it will discover the fact of human existence, which is can be understood by fully accepting the human condition.

Only human beings are known to ask themselves questions relating to the purpose of life beyond the base need for survival, or the nature of existence beyond that which is What is the here? Where will I go when I die? The human struggle to find answers to these questions — and the very fact that we can conceive them and ask them — is what defines the human condition in this sense of the term.(Wikipedia/Humanity)

The concept of humanity always emphasizes the dignity of man as a man. It means that there is sense of recognition of equality of all people. This recognition proves the characteristic of human existence which admits the truth of every individual being as a personal existence. Humanity is a sense of recognition of all human beings, respectfuly.

In accordance with human recognition, humanity is also delivers care for every individual. Since it recognizes all human being, it shows the care and love


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in life. This feeling can be seen from affection towards all human being and it is clear that humanity is needed to declare the human existence.

6. Faith

Faith is a

The conception of faith becomes a debating problem of existentialism. This debate brings the study of human existence into 2 sides, religious existentialists and non religious (atheist) existentialists. The concept of faith is defined by the question of God’s existence and the answer of the question separates these sides, contradictory.

Formal usage of the word "faith" is usually reserved for concepts of trusting belief in a said being's role in the order of transcendent, spiritual things.(Wikipedia/Faith)

a. Religious existentialists

The religious existentialists believe God as the source of all existence. Faith becomes the representation of God existence and it is manifested into religions. The study of former existentialism can’t be separated from the Christianity which affected most of existentialists. Some of them are Gabriel Marcel (Roman Catholic), Nicolai Berdyaev (Orthodox) and Martin Buber (Jew). According to them, faith is the commitment towards God, as the source of values and it is represented in religion.

Personalisasi agama sebagai suatu keyakinan; bahwa tidak ada kekuasaan argument rasionil yang dapat mengambil tempat dari

commitment atau “ultimate concern” sebagai syarat memahami


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The personalization of religion as a faith; that there is no rational argument dominance which able to replace the commitment or

ultimate concern” as the first rule in understanding the religion.

b. Non religious or atheist existentialists

The non religious existentialist rejects the perspective above, that their belief is the existence of human being only. Some of them are Jean Paul Sartre, Heidegger, Camus, and Maurice M. Ponty. According to them, man is dealing with himself in an absolute freedom, planning his own future and creating his own values. Sartre, in his book Being and Nothingness, states that:

“Aku ini dihukum bebas, maka Aku bebas….Hanya tinggal pilih, manusia yang bebas atau mengakui Tuhan sebagai sumber nilai…manusia tidak bisa menjadi budak dan pada saat yang sama bebas, dia bebas selamanya atau tidak bebas sama sekali” (Muzairi/2002:83)

“I am condemned to be free, then I am free (Je suis condamne a etre libre)...It is only to choose, a free man or admit God as the source of values….man can’t be a slave while simultaneously he is free, he is free forever or not at all”

This is the conception of faith. It reveals the different view of human being in dealing with existence. It is clear that human being lives by faith, although it differentiates them into different perspective


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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHOD

Conducting the analysis, the writer is performing the descriptive qualitative method. The method is applied by describing the data and analyzing them, related to the focus of analysis.

Descriptive research concerned with the condition for relationship that exist opinion that are held, processes that are going on, effect that are evident or tread’s that are developing. (Best/1997:166)

There are several steps in applying this method. The first step is collecting the books which relate to the human existence. The second step is reading the collected books, including journals, notes and relevant sources to the thesis. The

Old Man and the Sea novel is treated as primary source. The third step is marking

the text related to the idea of human existence and its characteristics as the main data of analysis. The next step is quoting the data and describing them into the analysis. The analysis will be performed by explaining the characteristic of human existence as reflected in Santiago’s character in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old

Man and the Sea. According to Muzairi (2002), there are several characteristics of

human existence which are subjectivity, the conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. Santiago, as main character of novel, has all of these qualities. So, the analysis will be conducted by explaining the characteristics of Santiago which represents the characteristics of human existence.


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III.1 SOURCE OF DATA

There are several books used as source of data. The books are including journals, notes, and commentaries related to the analysis. These source’s books are classified into 2 categories, which are primary data and secondary data. Here they are:

III.1.1 Primary Data

There are 2 books used as the primary data. The books are Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea (1966) novel and Drs. H. Muzairi, MA’s

Eksitensialisme Jean Paul Sartre (2002). These books contain the main data

analysis sources, including theory of human existence, the characteristics of human existence and its application on literature.

The characteristics of human existence will be treated as the main theory and the application of the theory will be conducted to the analysis of The Old Man

and the Sea novel. The characteristics of human existence are subjectivity, the

conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. The analysis of The Old Man and the Sea is conducted by describing Santiago’s character which fulfills these characteristics. Santiago’s fulfillment of characteristics is the representation of human existence.

III.1.2 Secondary Data

In order to support primary data, the writer uses several addition books as the secondary data. The books are journals, notes or commentaries related to the analysis. Some of them are Solomon’s From Hegel to Existentialism (1987), Jean


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and the Sea’s Cliff Notes (1973) and commentaries from several existentialists such as Kierkegaard, Sartre or Descartes.

These books are used to support Muzairi’s formulated theory about the characteristics of human existence and complete the analysis of human existence as reflected in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. An internet explorer source is also conducted as the supplement data for the analysis. All of these are intended to fulfill a reliable source of data and achieve a precise analysis.

“I have always held that any method which could produce the meaning of a work of literature was a legitimate method… I came to the conclusion that …the critic’s task was …to procure a viable meaning appropriate to the critic’s time and place. Practically, this meant employing not any one method in interpreting a work of art but every method which might prove efficient. (Guerin/1987:21)

III.2 DATA COLLECTING PROCEDURE

The beginning of thesis procedures is to collect the books related to the title of thesis. The focus of analysis is about human existence as reflected in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. The books are collected from several sources such as library, book store and internet.

The books which are collected contain vast information about analysis. Thus the writer tries to select the relevant books to the analysis only, which is the study of human existence. These selected books are separated into primary and secondary books as explained above. The duration of data collecting process is about a couple months from March, 2008 to April, 2008.


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III.3 DATA IDENTIFYING PROCEDURE

After deciding the relevant books as the reliable sources, the writer does data identifying procedure. The procedure is done by reading the selected books; primary and secondary, then marking the texts related to the thesis, Human Existence as reflected in The Old Man and the Sea.

The selected marking text becomes the main data of analysis. Afterward, the texts become the analysis of the thesis by describing them and analyzing the data. All of analysis data refers to the characteristics of human existence which are subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. The explanation of these characteristics will be the analysis of the thesis. The duration of data identifying procedure is about 4 weeks, from June to July 2008.

III.4 DATA ANALYZING PROCEDURE

This procedure is the process of describing the data and analyzing them into the thesis’s analysis. The data are including the characteristics of human and The Old Man and the Sea’s selected texts. These characteristics are described by explaining Santiago’s characteristics which represents the human existence. The characteristics are subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti materialism, humanity and faith. Here are the sums of the analysis:

Ex:

1. Subjectivity

Subjectivity is always individual and it emphasizes the personal existence of human being. In accordance to the human nature, subjectivity always recognizes the uniqueness of every human being.


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The Old Man and the Sea also provides the elements of subjectivity as reflected in Santiago’s character. We can see the uniqueness of Santiago, not only as a man in a vast world, but also as a true fisherman.

The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert. Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and

undefeated. (Hemingway/1966:1)

The beginning of novel shows the uniqueness of Santiago as a man. Hemingway introduces the main character, Santiago as a unique man. Santiago is described as an old man with cheerful and undefeated eyes. From Santiago’s physical descriptions, it is a clear that Hemingway tries to introduce a strong character to the readers. He introduces Santiago, who is old but still cheerful and

undefeated. This description shows the uniqueness of Santiago’s character as a

strong man, although he is old now. Carey Gary, in his Critical Commentaries, states this:

Note also how Hemingway has created Santiago for us: he is thin, gaunt even; he has deep wrinkles, discolored blotches, and deep creased scars. Hemingway is emphasizing Santiago’s age to show us that he is indeed old and worn; to all appearances, he seems to be a man ready to be written off as a has been. He is old and, too often, societies dismiss the old as useless. (This, indeed, happened in Hemingway’s own situation; the critics, prior to the publication of this novel, unanimously agreed that he was ‘finished’)…..the old man’s physical features have been worn away like the land, and this emphasizes the idea of Santiago’s age and also his character. Like the land, he is old but he survives, despite the erosion. His eyes perhaps the key of his soul; they are blue like the sea, and “undefeated”. (Gary/1973:14)


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2. Conscious Being in the World

Hemingway also shows the conscious being in the world by describing an ‘alienated’ Santiago. Santiago is alienated by the society because he is old now. The society of local fishermen regard him as a ‘salao’ or ‘very unlucky’ or even ‘useless’. Santiago is being regarded as a useless because he is too old now and can’t make money by catching fish any more. This is the value of society in which Hemingway tries to discover that Santiago is temporary regarded as useless because he is old and unproductive any more.

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally ‘salao’, which is the worst form of unlucky…. They sat on the Terrace and many of the fishermen made fun of the old man and he was not angry. (Hemingway/1966:5-7)

Exactly, Hemingway tries to criticize the value of materialistic society. It is quite surprise that Hemingway attack the materialism by using the defeat of Santiago against shark but Santiago wins his ‘great skeleton’ of Marlin, the fish. Societies of local fishermen regard fishing as the way of making money. Fish symbolizes money and man is nothing without it. But here, Hemingway reverses this materialistic value by only using ‘skeleton’ not ‘fish’ to show his perspective about being a man. It means that everyone can prove existence, not only by using money (as symbolized by the fish) but only a ‘skeleton’ that symbolizes the process of getting our existence.

To most of other fisherman, the old man is ‘salao’ which is Portuguese slang for ‘very unlucky’ or ‘cursed with bad luck’. In fact, we soon learn that most of the men of village do not regard him even as a man. The boy’s father and many of other fishermen put material considerations first: a man must catch fish – otherwise


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he has no money; otherwise he is not a man……Santiago and Manolin are men because of their codes of honor. Each of them is an idealist for whom fishing is more than an occupation. For them, fishing is not merely way making money: it is a way of life. (Carey/1973:12)

Above are some examples of doing the data analyzing procedures. It becomes the main research process of this thesis. For further, the research method procedures of this thesis will be described by the table below.


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TABLE OF

RESEARCH METHOD PROCEDURES

MONTH MARCH

ACTIVITY

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 COLLECTING BOOKS X X X X X X X X

-- P RO P O S AL S E M INAR ---

--- X X

……. .……. .TH ES IS F INAL SE SS IO N ……… .…. ..

SELECTING BOOKS X X X

READING X X X X X X X X X

IDENTIFYING DATA X X X X X

ANALYZING DATA X X X

CONSULTING+REVISING X X X X X X X X


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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Human existence has several characteristics. The characteristics are subjectivity, conscious being in the world, contingency, anti-materialism, humanity, and faith. These characteristics are fulfilled by Santiago, as the main character of the novel. The analysis of the novel will be conducted by describing Santiago’s characteristics which represent the characteristics of human existence. Santiago’s proclamation of existence is the representation of human existence. The result of analysis will reveal the perspective of Hemingway in viewing life and the message about Human Existence as reflected in his novel, The Old Man and the Sea.

IV.1 ANALYSIS OF HUMAN EXISTENCE IN THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

The analysis of the novel will be conducted by describing Santiago’s characteristics which represent the characteristics of human existence. The characteristics are:

IV.1.1 SUBJECTIVITY

Subjectivity is always individual and it emphasizes the personal existence of human being. In accordance to the human nature, subjectivity always recognizes the uniqueness of every human being.

The Old Man and the Sea also provides the elements of subjectivity as

reflected in Santiago’s character. We can see the uniqueness of Santiago, not only as a man in a vast world, but also as a true fisherman.


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The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches ran well down the sides of his face and his hands had the deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert. Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and

undefeated. (Hemingway/1966:1)

The beginning of novel shows the uniqueness of Santiago as a man. Hemingway introduces the main character, Santiago as a unique man. Santiago is described as an old man with cheerful and undefeated eyes. From Santiago’s physical descriptions, it is a clear that Hemingway tries to introduce a strong character to the readers. He introduces Santiago, who is old but still cheerful and undefeated. This description shows the uniqueness of Santiago’s character as a strong man, although he is old now. Carey Gary, in his Critical Commentaries, states this:

Note also how Hemingway has created Santiago for us: he is thin, gaunt even; he has deep wrinkles, discolored blotches, and deep creased scars. Hemingway is emphasizing Santiago’s age to show us that he is indeed old and worn; to all appearances, he seems to be a man ready to be written off as a has been. He is old and, too often, societies dismiss the old as useless. (This, indeed, happened in Hemingway’s own situation; the critics, prior to the publication of this novel, unanimously agreed that he was ‘finished’)…..the old man’s physical features have been worn away like the land, and this emphasizes the idea of Santiago’s age and also his character. Like the land, he is old but he survives, despite the erosion. His eyes perhaps the key of his soul; they are blue like the sea, and “undefeated”. (Gary/1973:14)

Furthermore, Hemingway shows the uniqueness of Santiago as a fisherman. Santiago is described as a unique fisherman. For him, fishing is not only the way of making money but it is a way of life.


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You were born to be a fisherman as the fish was born to be a fish. San Pedro was a fisherman as was the father of the great DiMaggio….You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. (Hemingway/1966:95)

This subjectivity proves the uniqueness of Santiago as a fisherman. His perspective about fishing shows that he is not only a fisherman in common, but also a true fisherman.

Hemingway also shows the uniqueness of Santiago as a fisherman by using Manolin’s compliment towards Santiago. Mandolin praises Santiago as the greatest fisherman and it declares his uniqueness from other fishermen.

“Who is the greatest manager, really, Luque or Mike Gonzalez?” “I think they are equal.” “And the best fisherman is you.” “No. I know others better.” “Que Va,” the boy said. “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you.” “Thank you. You make me happy. I hope no fish will come along so great that he will prove us wrong.” (Hemingway/1966:17)

As the boy and the old man talk of great baseball players, of who the greatest team manager is, the discussion very naturally turns to who is the greatest fisherman. The boy says to Santiago that there are many good fishermen and some great ones, but there “is only you”. It is simple recognition of the old man’s

uniqueness and value.

Subjectivity is also reflecting the dream of a man. It reflects the hopes and idealism of man. Hemingway describes his idealistic hope by using Santiago’s dream about lion.

He was asleep in a short time and he dreamed of Africa when he was a boy and the long golden beaches and the white beaches, so white they hurt your eyes, and the high capes and the great brown mountains (p:19)…..He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach (p:20).….. I wish he’d sleep and


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I could sleep and dream about the lions, he thought. Why are the lions the main thing that is left (p:58)….the old man was dreaming about lions. (Hemingway/1966:114)

Hemingway’s idea about human existence contains ideal dream. He tries to encourage his reader by using the ‘lions’ as the symbol of courage and strength. The concern of Santiago towards the readers becomes his intention. He tries to convey the hope of a man in proving existence with a full courage and strength, as lion is. Lion is the representation of ideal dream of human being which contains qualities of courage, grace and strength. It can be seen from commentary below:

Conventionally regarded as kings of the animal world, the young lions symbolize (represent) qualities such as courage, strength, grace, dignity—in short, all the qualities of a champion that Santiago holds dear in his own youthful memories and would bequeath to Manolin. (Wikipedia)

The sense of subjectivity also can be recognized by the personal existence of Santiago. We can see the individual feeling of Santiago in catching fish and accepting the personal existence of others. This is showing the subjectivity of Santiago which is always individual and personal.

He looked down into the water and watched the lines that went straight down into the dark of the water. He kept them straighter than anyone did, so that at each level in the darkness of the stream there would be a bait waiting exactly where he wished it to be for any fish that swam there. Others let them drift with the current and sometimes they were at sixty fathoms when the fishermen thought they were at a hundred. But, he thought, I keep them with precision. Only I have no luck any more. But who knows? Maybe today. Every day is a new day. (Hemingway/1966:26)

The subjectivity of Santiago in catching fish can be seen from this quotation. Santiago believes in his own feeling of putting his bait under the sea. He believes his own subjectivity that ‘he kept them straighter than anyone did’


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because he thought ‘I keep them with precision’. Santiago trusts himself and his own perspective shows his personal existence.

He always thought of the sea as la mar which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her. Sometimes those who love her say bad things of her but they are always said as though she were a woman. Some of the younger fishermen, those who used buoys as floats for their lines and had motorboats; bought when the shark livers had brought much money, spoke of her as el mar which is masculine. They spoke of her as a contestant or a place or even an enemy. But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favors, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought. (Hemingway/1966:24)

The quotation above also shows the individual feeling of Santiago in viewing the sea. For him, sea is a feminine creature; a woman or ‘la mar’ who gives great favors. While the other fisherman regard sea as ‘el mar’ or masculine. It means that sea is a contestant of a place or even an enemy. These 2 quotations prove that Santiago has the sense of personal judgment based on individual feeling rather than external facts. This is called as subjectivity.

Santiago’s concern on his own subjectivity proves his personal existence. He also regards others’ subjectivity by accepting Manolin parent’s decision towards his son to stay in a lucky boat. This acceptance shows that Santiago receive others perspective about personal existence. It also proves that ‘Truth is subjectivity’ and it depends on every individual feeling.

.” The old man looked at him with his sun-burned, confident loving eyes. “If you were my boy I’d take you out and gamble,” he said. “But you are your father’s and your mother’s and you are in a lucky boat.” (Hemingway/1966:8)

Subjectivity is always individual and personal. Instead of its individual, it sometimes describes the irrationality of human being. The sense of irrational


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human being shows the feeling of subjectivity as one of the characteristics of human being who stands in existence.

The Old Man and the Sea also contains the sense of irrational. It can be

seen from the conversation between Santiago and Manolin which seems to be irrational. Santiago and Manolin are talking about ‘a pot of yellow rice’ and ‘cash net’ as if they were real. In fact, they are only a fiction.

What do you have to eat?” the boy asked. “A pot of yellow rice with fish. Do you want some?” “No. I will eat at home. Do you want me to make the fire?” “No. I will make it later on. Or I may eat the rice cold.” “May I take the cast net?” “Of course.” There was no cast net and the boy remembered when they had sold it. But they went through this fiction every day. There was no pot of yellow rice and fish and the boy knew this too….?” “I’ll get the cast net and go for sardines. Will you sit in the sun in the doorway?” “Yes. I have yesterday’s paper and I will read the baseball.” The boy did not know whether yesterday’s paper was a fiction too. (Hemingway/1966:11)

Furthermore, Hemingway also emphasizes Santiago’s irrational behavior on the sea. He shows the irrational Santiago by describing an inanimate conversation between him and animal, such as fish, bird, or shark.

“If you are not tired, fish’ he said aloud, ‘You must very strange’ (p:59)…….“How do you feel fish; he asked aloud ‘I feel good and my left hand is better and I have food for a night and a day. Pull the boat fish. (Hemingway/1966:65)

In another condition, Santiago’s irrationality can be seen from his conversation between him and the bird. Santiago is speaking as if the bird is able to understand him.

. “How old are you?” the old man asked the bird. “Is this your first trip?” The bird looked at him when he spoke.?” (Hemingway/1966:47)


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The sense of irrationality is also shown by Santiago when he speaks to the shark, and soon he realizes that he becomes so irrational but he never remembers when he had first started to talk alone.

“Albacore,” he said aloud. “He’ll make a beautiful bait. He’ll weigh ten pounds.” He did not remember when he had first started to talk aloud when he was by himself…..He had probably started to talk aloud, when alone, when the boy had left. But he did not remember……“If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” he said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care.” (Hemingway/1966:32)

All of the conversations are illogic and they seem to be ‘absurd’ conversations. The conversations prove the irrationality of Santiago. Hemingway describes the illogical conversations between Santiago and the fish, or bird or shark, as if they are human. In glance, Santiago’s behavior makes him judged as a ‘crazy’ person but Santiago emphasizes that he is still a normal, although sometimes he seems to be irrational.

From all of explanations above, we can know that subjectivity has the sense in discovering the truth of human existence. It contains the uniqueness of human being, hopes and dreams, recognition of personal existence and the sense of irrational individual being. These are the perspective of Hemingway in viewing subjectivity of man in his pursuit of existence.

IV. 1. 2 CONSCIOUS BEING IN THE WORLD

Realizing the subjectivity, it takes human being into self-consciousness. Conscious being in the world means the sense of responsibility in dealing with the world. It shows the awareness of human being towards his/her uniqueness as an individual.


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The Old Man and the Sea reveals the conscious being in the world by describing Santiago’s responsibility in proving his uniqueness. Santiago realizes that he must responsible to his own subjectivity, that he is a unique fisherman, in order to declare his existence in the world. We can see the sense of Santiago’s responsibility from the quotations below:

I worked the deep wells for a week and did nothing, he thought. Today I’ll work out where the schools of bonito and albacore are and maybe there will be a big one with them. (Hemingway/1966:24)

Santiago proclaims his responsibility by giving his commitment that he will work out for the fish. This responsibility also can be seen when he convinces himself not to think baseball now because he must only think for being a true fisherman, which he was born for.

Now is no time to think of baseball, he thought. Now is the time to think of only one thing. That which I was born for. There might be a big one around that school, he thought (p:33)….Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for. (Hemingway/1966:43)

Santiago also needs to prove his uniqueness of being ‘a strange old man’ as he said to the boy. It can be seen from quotation below:

Although it is unjust, he thought, but I’ll show him what a man can do and what a man endures. ‘ I told the boy that I was a strange old man, he said, ‘ Now is when I must prove it'. (Hemingway/1966:57)

Santiago has the sense of responsibility in doing his work as a true fisherman. He needs to prove that he is a ‘strange’ old man as he said to the boy. That’s why he must not think of baseball because he needs to work out in order to get his Marlin. This shows his consciousness that he is born to be a fisherman. Even, Santiago should prove his existence as a true fisherman not only once, but


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APPENDIX 2

• THREE STORIES AND THREE POEMS, 1923

Works Of Ernest Hemingway

• IN OUR TIME, 1924

• THE SUN ALSO RISES, 1926 (GB title: Fiesta)

• MEN WITHOUT WOMEN, 1927

• A FAREWELL TO ARMS,1929

• DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON, 1932

• WINNER TAKE NOTHING, 1933

• THE GREEN HILLS OF AFRICA, 1935

• TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, 1937

• THE SPANISH WAR, 1938

• THE SHORT STORIES OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY, 1938

• FIFTH COLUMN, 1938

• THE SPANISH EARTH, 1938

• FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS,

• THE PORTABLE HMINGWAY, 1942

• THE ESSENTIAL HEMINGWAY, 1947

• ACROSS THE RIVER AND INTO THE TREES, 1950

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA, 1952 (Pulitzer Prize in 1953), Published in

1966

• COMPLETE STORIES, 1954

• TWO CHRISTMAS TALES, 1958

• THE WILD YEARS, 1962

• THE SHORT HAPPY LIFE OF FRANCIS MACOMBER, 1963

• A MOVEABLE FEAST, 1964

• THE FIFTH COLUMN AND FOUR STORIES OF THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR, 1969

• HEMINGWAY'S AFRICAN STORIES, 1969

• ERNEST HEMINGWAY, CUBA REPORTER: KANSAS CITY STAR STORIES, 1970

• ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, 1970

• THE NICK ADAMS STORIES, 1972

• THE ENDURING HEMINGWAY, 1974

• 88 POEMS, 1979

• SELECTED LETTERS, 1917-1961, 1981

• THE DANGEROUS SUMMER, 1983

• ERNEST HEMINGWAY ON WRITING, 1984

• THE GARDEN OF EDEN, 1986

• THE COMPLETE SHORT STORIES OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY, 1987


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APPENDIX 3

There is an old fisherman

Summary The Old Man And The Sea

catch. He is "thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck,...and his hands had deep-creased scars from handling heavy fish on the cords. But none of these scars were fresh. They were as old as erosions in a fishless desert" (10). Santiago's lack of success, though, does not destroy his spirit, as his "cheerful and undefeated" eyes show (10). He has a single friend, a boy named helped him during the first forty days of his dryspell. After forty days, though, Manolin's parents decide the old man is unlucky and order their son to join another boat. Despite this, though, the boy helps the old man to bring in his empty boat every day.

Santiago tells Manolin that tomorrow he will go out far in the Gulf to fish. The two gather Santiago's things from his boat and go to the old man's house. His house is very simple with a bed, table, and chair on a dirt floor. The two friends speak for a while, then Manolin leaves briefly to get food. Santiago falls asleep.

When Manolin returns, he wakes Santiago. The two eat the food the boy has brought. During the course of the meal, the boy realizes the squalor in which the old man lives and reminds himself to bring the old man a shirt, shoes, a jacket, and a blanket for the coming winter. Manolin and Santiago talk baseball for a while, and the boy then leaves to be woken in the morning by the old man. Santiago sleeps.

Santiago dreams of Africa, where he traveled as a shipmate in his youth. "He lived along that coast now every night and in his dreams he head the surf roar and saw the native boats come riding through it....He dreamed of places now and lions on the beach" (24). The old man wakes and retrieves the boy from his house. The two take the old man's supplies from his shack to his boat and enjoy coffee at an early morning place that serves fisherman. The boy leaves to fetch the sardines for the old man. When he returns, he wishes the old man luck, and Santiago goes out to sea.

Santiago leaves shore early in the morning, before sunrise. "He knew he was going far out and he left the smell of the land behind and rowed out into the clean early morning smell of the ocean" (28). Soon, Santiago rows over the Œgreat well,' a sudden drop of seven hundred fathoms were shrimp, bait fish, and squid congregate. Moving along, Santiago spots flying fish and birds, expressing great sympathy for the latter. As he queries, "Why did they make birds so delicate and fine as those sea swallows when the ocean can be so cruel? She is kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel...." (29).


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Santiago keeps pressing out, past the great well where he has been recently unsuccessful. Santiago sees a man-of-war bird overhead and notices that the bird has spied something in the water. The old man follows rows near the bird, and drops his own lines into the area, hoping to capture the fish the bird has seen. There is a large school of dolphin traveling fast, too fast for either the bird or Santiago to capture. The first bite is hard, and the stick to which the line is connected drops sharply. The next tug is more tentative, but Santiago knows exactly what it is. "One hundred fathoms down a marlin was eating the sardines that covered the point and the shank of the hook where the hand-forged hook projected from the head of the small tuna" (41). Encouraged by a bite at so deep a depth so far out in the Gulf, Santiago reasons that the fish much be very large.

The marlin nibbles around the hook for some time, refusing to take the bait fully. Santiago speaks aloud, as if to cajole the fish into accepting the bait. He says, "Come on....Make another turn. Just smell them. Aren't they lovely? Eat them good now and then there is the tuna. Hard and cold and lovely. Don't be shy fish. Eat them" (42). After many false bites, the marlin finally takes the tuna and pulls out a great length of line.

Santiago waits a bit for the marlin to swallow the hook and then pulls hard on the line to bring the marlin up to the surface. The fish is strong, though, and does not come up. Instead, he swims away, dragging the old man and his skiff along behind. Santiago wishes he had Manolin with him to help.

As the sun goes down, the marlin continues on in the same direction, and Santiago loses sight of land altogether. Expressing his resolve, Santiago says, "Fish,...I'll stay with you until I am dead" (52). He expresses ambivalence over whether he wants the fish to jump, wanting to end the struggle as quickly as possible but worrying that the hook might slip out of the fish's mouth. Echoing his former resolve though with less certainty, Santiago says, "Fish,...I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends" (54).

A small bird land on the boat, and while Santiago is speaking to the bird, the marlin lurches forward and pulls the old man down, cutting his hand. Lowering his hand to water to clean it, Santiago notices that the marlin has slowed down. He decides to eat a tuna he has caught in order to give him strength for his ordeal. As he is cutting the fish, though, his left hand cramps. "What kind of hand is that," Santiago says, "Cramp then if you want. Make yourself into a claw. It will do you no good" (58). The old man eats the tuna, hoping it will renew his strength and help release his hand.

Just then, the marlin comes out of the water quickly and descends into the water again. Santiago is amazed by its size, two feet longer than the skiff. He realizes that the marlin could destroy the boat if he wanted to and says, "...[T]hank God, they are


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not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and more able" (63). Santiago says prayers to assuage his worried heart, and settles into the chase once again.

As the sun sets, Santiago thinks back to triumphs of his past in order to give himself more confidence in the present. He remembers a great arm-wrestling match he had at a tavern in Casablanca. It had lasted a full day and a night, but Santiago, El Campeon (The Champion) as he was known then, eventually won.

Recalling his exhaustion, Santiago decides that he must sleep some if he is to kill the marlin. He cuts up the dolphin he has caught to prevent spoiling, and eats some of it before contriving a way to sleep. Santiago wraps the line around himself and leans against the bow to anchor himself, leaving his left hand on the rope to wake him if the marlin lurches. Soon, the old man is asleep, dreaming of a school of porpoises, his village house, and finally of the lions of his youth on the African beach.

Santiago is awoken by the line rushing furiously through his right hand. The marlin leaps out of the water and it is all the old man can do to hold onto the line, now cutting his hand badly and dragging him down to the bottom of the skiff. Santiago finds his balance, though, and realizes that the marlin has filled the air sacks on his back and cannot go deep to die. The marlin will circle and then the endgame will begin.

At sunrise, the marlin begins a large circle. Santiago holds the line strongly, pulling it in slowly as the marlin goes round. At the third turn, Santiago sees the fish and is amazed by its size. He readies the harpoon and pulls the line in more. The marlin tries desperately to pull away. Santiago, no longer able to speak for lack of water, thinks, "You are killing me, fish....But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills you" (92). This marlin continues to circle, coming closer and pulling out. At last it is next to the skiff, and Santiago drove his harpoon into the marlin's chest.

"Then the fish came alive, with his death in him, and rose high out of the water showing all his great length and width and all his power and his beauty" (94). It crashed into the sea, blinding Santiago with a shower of sea spray. With the glimpse of vision he had, Santiago saw the slain beast laying on its back, crimson blood disseminating into the azure water. Seeing his prize, Santiago says, "I am a tired old man. But I have killed this fish which is my brother and now I must do the slave work" (95).

Having killed the Marlin, Santiago lashes its body alongside his skiff. He pulls a line through the marlin's gills and out its mouth, keeping its head near the bow. "I want to see him, he thought, and to touch and to feel him. He is my fortune, he thought" (95).


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Having secured the marlin to the skiff, Santiago draws the sail and lets the trade wind push him toward the southwest.

An hour after Santiago killed the marlin, a mako shark appears. It had followed the trail of blood the slain marlin left in its wake. As the shark approaches the boat, Santiago prepares his harpoon, hoping to kill the shark before it tears apart the marlin. "The shark's head was out of water and his back was coming out and the old man could hear the noise of skin and flesh ripping on the big fish when he rammed the harpoon down onto the shark's head" (102). The dead shark slowly sinks into the deep ocean water.

Two hours later, two shovel-nosed sharks arrive at the skiff. After losing his harpoon to the mako, Santiago fastens his knife to the end of the oar and now wields this against the sharks. He kills the first shark easily, but while he does this, the other shark is ripping at the marlin underneath the boat. Santiago lets go of the sheet to swing broadside and reveal the shark underneath. After some struggle, he kills this shark as well.

More sharks appear at sunset and Santiago only has a club with which to beat them away. He does not kill the sharks, but damages them enough to prevent their return. Santiago then looks forward to nightfall as he will be able to see the lights of Havana, guiding him back to land. He regrets not having cleaved off the marlin's sword to use as a weapon when he had the knife and apologizes again to the fish. At around ten o'clock, he sees the light of Havana and steers toward it.

In the night, the sharks return. "[B]y midnight he fought and this time he knew the fight was useless. They came in a pack and he could only see the lines in the water their fins made and their phosphorescence as they threw themselves on the fish" (118). He clubs desperately at the fish, but the club was soon taken away by a shark. Santiago grabs the tiller and attacks the sharks until the tiller breaks. "That was the last shark of the pack that came. There was nothing more for them to eat" (119). Santiago "sailed lightly now and he had no thoughts nor any feelings of any kind" (119). He concentrates purely on steering homewards and ignored the sharks that came to gnaw on the marlin's bones. When he arrives at the harbor, everyone was asleep. Santiago steps out of the boat, carrying the mast back to his shack. "He started to climb again and at the top he fell and lay for some time with the mast across his shoulder. He tried to get up. But it was too difficult and he sat there with the mast on his shoulder and looked at the road" (121). When he finally arose, he had to sit five times before reaching home. Arriving at his shack, Santiago collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.


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That afternoon there are tourists on the Terrace. A female tourist sees the skeleton of the marlin moving in the tide. Not recognizing the skeleton, she asks the waiter what it is. He responds in broken English "eshark," thinking she wants to know what happened. She comments to her partner that she didn't know sharks had such beautiful tails. Meanwhile, back in Santiago's shack, the old man "was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. The old man was dreaming about lions" (127).

Santiago: Santiago is the protagonist of the novella. He is an old fisherman in Cuba

who, when we meet him at the beginning of the book, has not caught anything for eighty-four days. The novella follows Santiago's quest for the great catch that will save his career. Santiago endures a great struggle with a uncommonly large and noble marlin only to lose the fish to rapacious sharks on his way back to land. Despite this loss, Santiago ends the novel with his spirit undefeated. Depending on your reading of the novel, Santiago represents Hemingway himself, searching for his next great book, an Everyman, heroic in the face of human tragedy, or the Oedipal male unconscious trying to slay his father, the marlin, in order to sexually possess his mother, the sea.

Character List

Manolin: Manolin is Santiago's only friend and companion. Santiago taught Manolin

to fish, and the boy used to go out to sea with the old man until his parents objected to Santiago's bad luck. Manolin still helps Santiago pull in his boat in the evenings and provides the old man with food and bait when he needs it. Manolin is the reader's surrogate in the novel, appreciating Santiago's heroic spirit and skill despite his outward lack of success.

The Marlin: Although he does not speak and we do not have access to his thoughts,

the marlin is certainly an important character in the novella. The marlin is the fish Santiago spends the majority of the novel tracking, killing, and attempting to bring to shore. The marlin is larger and more spirited than any Santiago has ever seen. Santiago idealizes the marlin, ascribing to it traits of great nobility, a fish to which he must prove his own nobility if he is to be worthy enough to catch it. Again, depending on your reading, the marlin can represent the great book Hemingway is trying to write, the threatened father of Santiago's Oedipus, or merely the dramatic foil to Santiago's heroism.

The Sea: As its title suggests, the sea is central character in the novella. Most of the

story takes place on the sea, and Santiago is constantly identified with it and its creatures; his sea-colored eyes reflect both the sea's tranquillity and power, and its inhabitants are his brothers. Santiago refers to the sea as a woman, and the sea seems to represent the feminine complement to Santiago's masculinity. The sea might also be seen as the unconscious from which creative ideas are drawn