Free Term Paper on The Old Man and the
Sea
The Old Man and the Sea compared to “Shipwrecked Sailor”
In the stories, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest
Hemmingway and
Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel Garcia
Marques, there are so many similarities,
like their losses and their love for the creatures of the sea, that it its
eerie. Although, there are many similarities, there are also some differences,
such as the main characters’ love for the creatures of the sea. There are more
similarities in these stories than differences, in my opinion.
A difference
between Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea and the sailor in “Shipwrecked
Sailor” is their knowledge of the sea. Santiago is expressed well as a fecund
and resourceful old fisherman of the sea. This is prodigiously expressed when
Santiago, ”Hooked a patch of yellow Gulf weed with the gaff as they passed and
shook it so that the small shrimps that were in it fell onto the planking of the
skiff” (Hemmingway p.98). This is the act of a very intellectual and experienced
fisherman. Unlike Santiago, the sailor in “Shipwrecked Sailor” is rather
ignorant. Although, this is excused because the man hadn’t the experience at sea
that Santiago had. His imbecility is shown when he, “Lay down at the side of the
raft and took a few swallows of seawater” (Marques p.45). This was a rather
fatuous action, because the salt dries the body and retains water. That action
proves that he is not sea-worthy. So, Santiago is the more experienced seaman of
the two.
A similarity between The Old Man and the Sea and “Shipwrecked
Sailor” was their losses. In the “Shipwrecked Sailor”, “The sharks had made off
with my prey” (Marques p.44). This event marked the loss of the man’s food
supply. It wasn’t a very crucial part of the story, because the man had earlier
devoured some raw meat, which had satiated him. In The Old Man and the Sea, “He
did not want to look at the fish. He knew half of him had been destroyed”
(Hemmingway p.144). This was a very similar method of loss, which the
shipwrecked sailor had faced. This was a tragic loss and abasement to both
Santiago and his pride. He was tenacious and worked so hard to obtain the fish,
only to have it taken away by sharks. The old man lost the fish, even though he
fought valiantly to fend off the attacking sharks. Although, the action and loss
was similar in both stories, the importance varied.
Another similarity
between Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea and the man in ”Shipwrecked Sailor”
is their kindness and love toward the creatures of the sea. Santiago treats the
creatures of the sea with great respect and love, as if they are his brothers
and his sisters. ”Fish,” he said, “ I love you and respect you very much”
(Hemmingway p.54). The sailor in “Shipwrecked Sailor” is very amiable to the
fish and creatures of the sea, but he doesn’t show as much respect and love
toward them as Santiago does. The sailor feels that, “The fish accompanying me
on my journey on my journey were my friends” (Marques p.42). They both are kind
and love the creatures of the sea, but in my opinion, Santiago loves them and
respects them more than the sailor.
In conclusion, I feel that the books are
very similar. I also feel that because of the uncanny similarity, that the last
of the two stories was influenced and based upon the first of the two. The Old
Man and the Sea was the better of the books, in my opinion. I feel this way
because The Old Man and the Sea was better planned out and has a better theme.