by Nick Brulport

Created on: January 05, 2009   Last Updated: December 03, 2009

"A man can be destroyed, but not defeated." (Hemingway 103)

Santiago is trying to fend off the sharks from eating the swordfish. He is so weak and injured from fighting with the fish that he is unable from defending off the sharks from eating the swordfish. Santiago lies in his boat hoping this is all a dream. He is thinking about the fight he had with the fish and that he might die because he is so exhausted that he can not go on. He is close to death and he his is not proud that he caught the fish because he won't be able to sell it because all the sharks it. Even though he might die from this experience, he was still able to triumph over the fish.

This quote supports the theme statement because it he persevered for several days to catch a huge fish. He suffered for days by getting his back and hand severely cut from the line used to catch the swordfish. He also had to catch food for himself while fighting this fish. Having all this happening to him, shows that he needed strong perseverance to overcome this obstacle.

"Back in the stern he turned so that his left hand held the strain of the line across his shoulders and drew his knife from its sheath with his right hand. The stars were bright now and he saw the dolphin clearly and he pushed the blade of his knife into his head and drew him out from under the stern." (78)

Santiago is still fighting the swordfish and is starving. He is able to kill a dolphin and drag it onto his boat with one hand. He cleans the dolphin out and finds two flying fish in its belly, which he eats first. He eats the fish raw because he needs energy from food but does not have anything to cook the fish.

This quote supports the theme statement because he needs to find something to eat or else he will not be able to complete his goal and catch the fish. Having to hold onto a line that is cutting into your back and hand takes strong perseverance, which he needed to have to be able to catch some food. He also needed perseverance to be able to kill, haul up onboard, and clean a heavy dolphin with one hand.

"He took all his pain and what was left of his strength and his long gone pride and he put is against the fish's agony and the fish came over onto his side and swan gently on his side, his bill almost touching the planking of the skiff and started to pass the boat, long, deep, wide, silver and barred with purple and interminable in the water." (93)

Santiago has put all of his energy into one last pull to try and reel in the sword

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