The Old Man and the Sea is a short story that “should be read easily and simply and appear short,” Hemingway wrote in a letter to his friend Charles Scribner , “Yet they have all the dimensions of the visible world and of the world of a man’s mind” (738). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay Out of admiration for Santiago's 3 days of hand-to-hand combat, his dream of the African lion and his famous "destroyed but not defeated", "the spirit of a man" is often seen as represented by Santiago's courage, strength, dignity, wisdom and endurance, Philip Young praises Santiago's struggle as "heroic" and his capacity for “such decency, dignity” and “such heroism”. (100, 113). Likewise, Leon Gurko celebrates the Old Man's “emphasis on what man can do” on a world “where heroic acts are possible” and Santiago's struggle as “transcended” (377-82). Gerry Brenner summarizes that Old Man is often seen as a fantasy intended to "feed our imaginative capacity to marvel, marvel, and be awed" and "satisfies the conventional human desire to perform in larger-than-life ways" (10) . But is Santiago really such a courageous and confident hero, even a bit of a fable as we believe? Is the hidden message of the “heart of man” really an unrealistic, heroic and powerful message? Hemingway's own words might suggest another story: "I tried to create a real man, a real boy, a real sea, a real fish and real sharks" (74). If he is meant to be "real," then it might be necessary to re-examine Santiago, a heroic figure too often taken for granted for rising above the ordinary. A close reading of Hemingway's fiction reveals that Santiago is not a hero but a hero. like an old man desperately fighting against age, like any other ordinary old man. Santiago's maritime experience highlights old age as its real adversary. The calm, seemingly confident appearance and violent fight with fish and sharks are self-deception and self-defense. Strong extrinsic actions have served, contrary to what they are intended to cover, as a lens through which we can see what is fragile and troubled within. This discovery not only reveals the fierce and desperate inner struggle beneath Santiago's calm and confident exterior, but can also serve as a way to see the sadness that is part of "the spirit of man", thus enriching the character and making him more human. Santiago's loss of confidence is illustrated in the first paragraph of The Old Man: "The sail was patched with sacks of flour and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat" (5). The sail patched from flour sacks is the symbol of a man. As the next paragraph describes, Santiago has “deeply wrinkled scars” and “none” of which “[are] fresh” (6). When the old and worn sail is considered "the flag of permanent defeat", it could rather be understood as a sign of its defeat. In the same way, the shadow that old age casts on Santiago's mind is truly haunting: it announces not a simple defeat but a "permanent" defeat - which every old man receives as a final sentence - which youth, with the confidence of youth, is gone forever, even if we wish it or even beg it to stay. It is a “permanent defeat”. It may not be a problem to accept the fact that Santiago is old, but it may take some effort tounderstanding that Santiago's apparent confidence is a disguise, as the message that Santiago is confident and strong is well established. in the minds of readers through Hemingway's carefully crafted description. This effort is visible throughout the short story, particularly at the beginning. From the beginning, readers are constantly reminded of Santiago's "joyful," "undefeated," and "confident" eyes (6, 8) and that "[h]is hope and confidence never faded" (8). These descriptions trap readers into believing that Santiago is always full of strength, confidence, and power. A more careful reading, however, neutralizes any assertions that are intentionally concealed. Below are two dialogues between Santiago and Manolo: “But are you strong enough now for a very big fish? » “I think so…. » (9) “There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But it's just you. " " THANKS. You make me happy. I hope no fish comes up so big that it proves us wrong. ""Such a fish doesn't exist if you are still as strong as you say. "Maybe I'm not as strong as I think." added)When his strength and confidence become the subject, Santiago gives a weak and helpless "I think", other than a definitive and positive answer. In the second dialogue, he cautiously tries to make excuses for his possible failure – this happens before he even goes to sea and meets a fish – revealing very clearly his lack of confidence. The reason why he doesn't answer "no, I can't anymore" can be twofold: he doesn't want to disappoint Manolo and not meet his expectations; More importantly, he himself refuses to admit that he has lost confidence. The inner struggle, which begins long before any physical fight with fish and sharks, constitutes the real battlefield. It is not a potential encounter with a “fish” “so big” that makes him greet with confidence; it is old age itself that leads him to doubt, even if he is reluctant to admit and accept it. This point can be best demonstrated by examining another of Hemingway's short stories, "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place": "You have youth, confidence, and a job," said the older waiter. “You have everything. » "And what are you missing?" » “Everything except work. » "You have everything I have." " " No. I never had confidence and I'm not young. (105) This dialogue between two waiters – one old, the other young – directly reveals that the reason for an old man's hesitant confidence is the passing of "youth"; in other words, "not young", not being young anymore becomes the old man's real problem, and it is devastating. The old boy is as helpless as Santiago; the only difference might be that, while the old waiter gives up the struggle and recognizes the sad truth, Santiago still tries to deny it, although he does so with wisdom, calm and dignity. The struggle Santiago has to understand his waning confidence and refuse to acknowledge that it happens time and time again during his fight with the big fish. Santiago's encouraging monologues show his struggle: “…I can last. You have to last. Don’t even talk about it” (65); “I'm not good for many more rounds. Yes, you are, he told himself. You are good forever” (68). These words, rather than being a demonstration of his strength and confidence, actually reveal his weakness. His repeated self-deception by forcing himself to think positively and to believe that he is capable and good reveals the inner battle he is waging against his weakness and fatigue. Although Santiago tries hard to deny that he is old and tired and wary of his words, there are still slips of the tongue. After a long exhausting struggle with the..