The Old Man and the Sea: Obstacles

People are constantly running into obstacles, whether it’s everyday life, or even a special occasion. There are disadvantages to almost everything we do, and sometimes we just need to face them. People must make decisions, and sometimes they are horrific mistakes. Something like getting into an accident because you were texting while driving could have been easily avoided. Santiago ran into a number of challenging obstacles while out at sea, firstly, he was alone, also the lack of advanced technology, and the size and strength of the Marlin. Santiago wasn’t prepared to be out at sea for as long as he was, and he was very resentful of this. The old man faced things that he couldn’t handle, and he paid for it in the end.

Sometimes people can’t handle things on their own.This is one of those cases because Santiago was alone for several days on the skiff by himself, with no crew or help. He obviously needed Manolin’s assistance because it was nearly impossible to catch a fish the size of the Marlin all alone. The old man was very wise, and he managed catch the fish anyway, but “’if the boy were [there] he would wet the coils of the line, he thought’” (83). If the boy were on the boat with Santiago and assisting him, then catching the Marlin would’ve been much easier and faster.

Manolin could’ve assisted Santiago on the skiff, but instead the old man is regretful that he didn’t come along. The old man thought about the boy, and talked about him and how much easier it would’ve been with his help. “Aloud he said, ‘I wish I had the boy’” (51). Any type of crew or help would’ve been helpful to the old man, but in the end it was just an obstacle.

Even the simplest technologies help people when they have no attendants. Something as little as a walkie-talkie could save a life or influence a decision. In Santiago’s case, the most helpful piece of technology would’ve been a radio. If he had a radio, he could have let others know his lonely and haunting situation. “And the rich have radios to talk to them in their boats and to bring them the baseball.’” (39). He would have brought many other tools with him, but the most important would be a radio so he could be entertained by sports and, more importantly, contact others to get the aid he needs.

The Marlin was massive, and very strong. The old man was astonished by its strength and size, since he has never seen anything like it. “’No,’ he said. “He can’t be that big’” (90). But the Marlin was about eighteen feet long, and fifteen hundred pounds. It had threatening strength, and its every move was suspenseful. It was a very tense situation, and there was no way out.

The old man stayed very controlled yet anxious throughout the entire book, his every move had to be precise. People face obstacles that are stronger than them, such as bully or boss. Santiago struggled to catch the fish, but he had patience and beat the odds of the Marlin’s immaculate size. Not everyone believed what they saw when the skiff was in the water and the old man was back. “Many fishermen were around the skiff looking at what was lashed beside it and one was in the water, his trousers rolled up, measuring the skeleton with a length of line” (122). The Marlin was an incredible miracle, and the old man had proof of his existence.

The sincere old man had to make unexpected decisions, and some seriously affected his life. If he caught the Marlin and was able to bring it home safely, then he would have enough food to go on the table and money to go around. But he faced obstacles such as the size and strength of the Marlin, being alone, and the lack of technology. His unprepared ness caused him to lose a life-changing Marlin, and he was remorseful due to his obstacles. But obstacles are everywhere, and people just have to try to find the best way through them.