The True Meaning of Luck

This is an essay prompt for The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. The novel contains many forms of symbolism revolving the protagonist. Luck being one of the more clear ones.

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck saved you from”- Cormac McCarthy. Take Santiago, the unluckiest man in Cuba, but he has the most optimistic view about life. In a town in a state of poverty, an unremarkable, old fisherman named Santiago has gone without catching a fish for 85 days. While most of the other fishermen shunned him and the bad luck he carries, a young boy named Manolin has hope for Santiago and knows that he will catch a fish. In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, one motif is displayed repeatedly by Santiago and Manolin: Luck. Hemingway manipulates luck in an intricate manner, such that the novel revolves around the motif of luck and its effects on everyone. He introduces a theme: People may question a person’s luck, however, their luck does not define them, but their hard work and skill do. 

In The Old Man and the Sea, our protagonist, Santiago, symbolizes the bad aspect of luck. The narrator states at the beginning of the book: “But after forty days without a fish, the boy’s parents had told him that the old man [Santiago] was now definitely and finally salao, which was the worst form of unlucky. The boy’s parents had told him [After he and Santiago were unable to catch fish for 40 days]” (Hemingway, pg.1). The narrator says that Santiago was salao which, according to the novel, was the worst form of unlucky. Hemingway displays Santiago being a symbol of bad luck and misfortune because of his futile efforts to catch fish. On the contrary, Santiago believes that his hard work, skill, and experience could turn the tables as he says, “ It is better to be lucky. But I’d rather be exact.” (Hemingway, pg.11). Unlike other peoples’ beliefs in his salao, Santiago knows that his skill and experience in fishing will end his streak of bad luck. Thus, Hemingway uses Santiago as a symbol of bad luck, and how Manolin, alone, sees past it at the real Santiago. 

The novel may show the old man as a symbol of bad luck, but it also manifests good luck in the form of the protagonist’s friend and follower: Manolin. While Manolin was still fishing with Santiago, they had many great experiences, but it ended when Manolin’s parents stopped him because the old man’s luck was changing, he reminded Santiago,  “But remember how you (Santiago) [the boy] went without fish for eighty-seven days without fish, and then we caught big ones every day for three weeks,” (Hemingway, pg.10). When the old man was alone he couldn’t catch much fish because his salao prevented him from doing so, but with Manolin there, even if it was after his bad luck stopped him, they caught big fish for every day for three weeks., Furthermore, Manolin believes in Santiago’s skill so much that he tells him, “..And the best fisherman is you (Santiago)..” (Hemingway, pg.23). Hemingway demonstrates Manolin’s belief in Santiago’s abilities, and how no one could change that. In short, Manolin symbolizes good luck and fortune, and the book shows his understanding of Santiago’s true skill and the efforts put into fishing. In conclusion, Hemingway chose Manolin as the symbol for good luck to help bring balance to Santiago and to create a “father-son” bond with them, using their aspects of luck as the foundation of their bond. Hemingway also uses Manolin’s care and affection for Santiago to demonstrate how they would stand up to the whole world together, all because of their aspects of luck. 

  Throughout the novel, Manolin and Santiago’s care for each other is shown in many ways, one of which is through luck. When Manolin had to stop fishing with Santiago and asks if he could go fishing with him despite his father’s wishes, Santiago replies “No… You’re with a lucky boat. Stay with them.” (Hemingway, pg.10) Santiago knows that fishing with Manolin is what he enjoys but, because of his salao and Manolin’s parents, he agrees not to. His affection for Manolin is displayed, as he is willing to give up his happiness for Manolin’s sake, all for something that wasn’t even his fault. All in all, the author portrays the bond between Santiago and Manolin, by showing how Santiago would sacrifice so much for Manolin, even if it is because of his luck, something he cannot control. 

All in All, Ernest Hemingway uses luck to define the story as a whole. Such as when he uses it to define the protagonist of the novel. And when he symbolizes Manolin with luck. And lastly, how he shows the connection between two opposite characters: Manolin and Santiago. In summary, Ernest Hemingway uses luck as the motif of the story, however, he displays one theme throughout the book as the realization that Santiago makes: Luck may be good, but only the knowledge, skill, and effort a person have put in truly matter.

Word count: 872

Work Cited Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1995