The Old Man and the Sea: Themes

I think that the main theme of Old Man and the Sea is struggle, determination, honor, and death. The struggle is obviously the fight between Santiago and the Marlin and how brutal is it for both combatants. By the end of their fight Santiago is wounded and extremely fatigued and he still has to continue a fight with the sharks. The books shows that even through the greatest battles determination is a must have in the face of great struggle. Even the fish has determination as he fought against Santiago but despite his greatest efforts Santiago finished him off and won the battle. Determination alone is not always the victor in a fight. Honor is another important theme in the novel. Despite Santiago killing the fish he never once loses his respect for the fish which is a very honorable quality. He views the fish as his brother and his equal throughout their battle. Death is another important theme in the novel. Death is mainly in the form of the fish but their is also the thought of the imminent death of Santiago due to his old age and failing health. The fish's death is a major event in the novel. One of the two's death is an unavoidable event in the novel because of their struggle. Santiago knows the entire time that either the fish or he will perish at the hands of the other. Death is a prevalent theme this entire time as the two struggle against one another. The novel has many themes but these four are the ones that I found to be the most prevalent throughout it's course. I think that death and honor are the two most important out of the four as well because of the importance they play in Santiago's character and his development. All of them are important in their own ways and I think the themes of the novel add much to it's entertainment value and lasting impression.