The Old Man and the Sea: Characters

There are only three main characters in the novel The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago, the Boy, and the Marlin. Other characters are mentioned but no only these three play a pivotal role in the novel.

Santiago: Santiago is the main character of the novel and the novel is centered around his encounter and ordeal with the fish. He is a quiet and reserved old fisherman from Havana, Cuba who has lived a very full life but has been going through a rough patch in his career after 45 days of not catching any fish. He is a very kind and hardworking man. He is good friends with the boy who usually helps him with his fishing related actives. He encounters the fish while out fishing and begins a struggle lasting for days attempting to catch the fish. He is finally successful, and kills the fish but before he can make it home sharks devour over 90% of his catch. Despite his loss he nevertheless remains optimistic about his endeavors. He is also a baseball fans and Joe DiMaggio is his favorite player.

The Boy: The boy is a young man who assists Santiago with his fishing. He is not allowed to work for him during the novel because his father believes he is bad luck due to Santiago's streak without fish. The boy is extremely devoted and loyal to Santiago helping him to get food and drink and always talking baseball with him.

The Fish: The fish is the largest marlin that Santiago has ever encountered. He is hooked by Santiago and for three days drags Santiago and his skiff out to the middle of the ocean. He is finally killed by Santiago and his corpse is completely devoured by sharks on Santiago's voyage home. The fish is a magnificent creature in Santiago's eyes and he views him as his equal and his brother. He is extremely saddened that he must kill him, but he appreciated the beauty and the nobility of the creature.