The Old Man and the Sea-Manolin

In The Old Man and the Sea there are very few characters. The two characters that the average reader would assume are the most important would probably be the old man the fish that he has found himself struggling with. But do not be to quick to judge a book by it's title! Manolin, the boy or, the old man's apprentice, is a very vital character in this novella. Ernest Hemingway, with his declarative sentence structure and what not, directly told us that the old man loves the boy. It does not get much more clear than that folks. The old man teaches Manolin how to fish and that creates a special bond between the two. I know that I can think of a teacher or two who has impacted my life greatly and I would almost consider them 'friends.' The relationship between the boy and the old man if very similar to that teach and student bond that I have experienced myself.

Since the old man is a widower he needs someone in his life to make it meaningful again. His passion lies in fishing but nature can not always give back to you what you give to them. Plus, he is killing the fish. A relationship is not going to last long if you kill one half of the pair. That is where Manolin comes into the picture. He is a human. He needs a teacher and Manolin is the best at what he does. Now, when I say that they have a good relationship I am not talking about that old man and young boy Dateline stuff that makes you never want to go on the internet again. It is more of a grandfather and grandson type of relationship. The boy takes care of the old man when he is tired or sick. When the old man is out on his three day journey he often wishes that the boy were around to help him. This relationship makes the book a little bit more sweet throughout the hard times.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.