TheOldManandtheSeaisaheroictaleofman'sstrengthpittedagainstforceshecannotcontrol.ItisastoryaboutanoldCubanfishermanandhisthree-daybattlewithagiantMarlin.Throughtheuseofthreeprominentthemes;friendship,bravery,andChristianity;theOldManandtheSeastrivestoteachimportantlifelessonstothereaderwhilealsoepitomizingSantiago,theoldfisherman,asaHemingwaycodehero.TherelationshipbetweenSantiagoandtheboyisintroducedearlyinthestory.Theyareunlikelycompanions;oneisoldandtheotheryoung,yettheyshareaninsuperableamountofrespectandloyaltyforeachother.SantiagodoesnottreatManolinasayoungboybutratherasanequal.Ageisnotafactorintheirrelationship.Manolindoesnotevenactasayoungboy;heismatureandsensitivetoSantiago'sfeelings.HeevenofferstodisobeyhisparentsandaccompanySantiagoonhisfishingtrips.Santiagoisviewedasanoutcastinhisvillagebecausehehasnotcaughtanyfishformorethaneighty-fourdaysandisthereforeunlucky.NonethelessManolinisloyaltoSantiagoandevenwhenhisparentsforbidhimhewantstohelphisfriend.Theirconversationsarecomfortable,likethatoftwofriendswhohaveknowneachotherforalongtime.Whentheyspeakitisusuallyaboutbaseballorfishing,thetwothingstheyhavemostincommon.TheirfavoriteteamistheYankeesandSantiagoneverlosesfaithinthemevenwhenthestarplayer,JoeDiMaggioisinjuredwithaheelspur.InthiswaySantiagonotonlyteachesManolinaboutfishingbutalsoaboutimportantcharacteristicssuchasfaith.InthestorySantiago'sbraveryisunsurpassedbutitisnotuntilhehooksthegreatfishthatwetrulyseehisvalorandperseverance.ThroughSantiago'sactionsHemingwayteachesthereaderaboutbraveryandtenacityinthefaceofadversity.Hedemonstratesthatevenwhenallislostandseemshopelessafaithandwillfulheartwillovercomeanything.Santiagohadlosthisluckinessandthereforetherespectofhisvillage.ThroughthedescriptionofhiscabinwealsosuspectthatSantiagoisawidower.AlthoughSantiagohashadmanytroublesheperseveres.HehasfaithinManolin,intheYankees,inJoeDiMaggio,andmostimportantlyinhimself.ThisisperhapshisgreatestattributebecausewithoutithewouldneverhavehadthestrengthtopersevereanddefeatthegiantMarlin.Faithisnottheonlythingthatdriveshisperseverance.Santiagoalsodrawsuponhispastvictoriesforstrength.AfterhehookstheMarlinhefrequentlyrecallshisbattlewithanativeinwhathecallsthehandgame.Itisnotjustanarmwrestlingvictoryforhimitisareminderofhisyouthfuldays.Hisrecollectionsofthiseventusuallyproceedafavoritedreamofhisinwhichheseesmanylionsonapeacefulshore.Theselionsrepresenthimwhenheisyoungandstrongandcouldovercomeanychallenge.AlthoughheisanoldmanandhisbodyisnolongerlikeitusedtobehisheartisstillgreatandheeventuallydefeatstheMarlin.Santiago'sperseveranceandbraveryarefurtherillustratedwhenhetriestofightoffthesharks.Hewasafishermanallhislifeandthereforeheknowsthatthefateofhiscatchisinevitableyethepersiststofightthesharks.Thebattlebetweenhimandthesharksisaboutprinciplesnotamerefish.Santiagoisstillagreatwarrioratheartandwarriorsfightuntiltheend.OneofthegreatestandmostobviouspiecesofsymbolisminthestoryisChristianity.Fromthebeginningofthestorythereaderisshownauniquerelationshi