oed

oed

On the eighty-fifth day Santiago rows far beyond the customary fishing area and he hooks a huge marlin. The account of Santiago's struggle with the marlin has a tragic quality because of the suffering that Santiago undergoes, because, of the suffering of the marlin, and because of the endurance of both the fish and the fisherman. Our admiration and our pity are aroused both for Santiago and Marlin. From the very first Santiago shows determination. "Fish", he says, " I 'll stay with you until I am dead." Next, he says, " Fish, I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends." His left hand becomes cramped, and the marlin proves to be bigger than he had thought it to be. He wishes to sow to the marlin what sort of a man he is. " But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures." The fish, on the other hand, inspite of the agony it is undergoing, has proved obstinate and tough.
When at last Santiago kills the big marlin there come the sharks to eat it. Santiago has hardly enjoyed the feelings of victory when this another series of problems befell him. But proving a true tragic hero, he does not lose heart. He fights heroically. There he speaks those memorable and historic words: "But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated." He knows he has performed another heroic act. So we see that Santiago's heroic quality does not forsake him till the end.
Like most tragic heroes, Santiago experiences what is called an inner conflict. Having killed the marlin, he asks himself whether he has committed a sin. Yes, it was a sin even