tries to fight off the sharks. He was a fisherman all his life and therefore knew the fate of his catch was inevitable, yet he persists on fight the sharks. The battle between him and the sharks was about principles, not just a mere fish. And finally Hemingway’s description of Santiago further illustrates a Christian symbol. The relationship between Santiago and Manolin can be compared between the relationship of Christ and his disciples. Manolin is Santiago’s disciple and Santiago teaches Manolin about fishing and life. One the greatest lesson Santiago teaches him is that of simple faith. “Have faith in the Yankees my son.” This type of faith reflects the basic principles of Christianity. Hemingway also compares Christ and Santiago by making reference to the nail-pierced hands of Christ by stating that Santiago’s hands had deep creased scars. Hemingway also compares Santiago’s suffering to that of Christ by stating, “he settled… against the wood and took his suffering as it came.” Even more profound is the description of Santiago’s response when he saw the sharks, “just a noise such a man might make, in voluntarily feeling the nail go through his hands and into the wood.” Further symbolism is shown when Santiago arrives home and carries the mast across his shoulders as Christ carried the cross. Also, like Christ, Santiago could not bare the weight and collapsed on the road. When he finally reaches his cabin, “he slept face down on the newspapers with his arms out straight and the palms of his hands up.” Hemingway puts these themes together in such a way that they do not conflict with each other. He does allow Christianity to be a more dominant theme than the other but instead makes it more symbolic than intentional. He does not smother the relationship between the old man and the young boy but instead separates them for a large part of t...
