Symbols Used

"But I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel. What is a bone spur? Can it be as painful as the spur of a fighting cock in one's heel? I do not think I  could  endure that or the loss of the eye and of both eyes and continue to fight as the fighting cocks do."

One of the symbols used in "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway is Joe DiMaggio. He represents the pertinacious will of the human spirit. As it is said in the book, DiMaggio is suffering from a bone spur and still prostrated his opponents, much in the same way the old man overcomes his despite his injuries.



"But what a great fish he is and what will he bring in the market if the flesh is good. He took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male and his fight has no panic in it......I wish I could feed the fish, he thought. He is my brother. But I must kill him and keep strong to do it."

Another symbol used by the Hemingway would be the marlin. It represents the ideal opponent, one that brings out the best of the old man: his love, courage, strength, and respect.


Lastly, the sea would be another symbol used in the novella by Hemingway. According to Hemingway, man can only achieve true greatness in isolation, so the sea represents the old man's isolation. It is as sea, without any support that the old man faces his empyrean challenge.