It's the Climb

In life, there are many obstacles that will face us. Overcoming obstacles is part of basic life. There are things we can swerve around and clear out of our way, or some slow us down, keeping us from pursuing what we want, not what we need to. Obstacles can be as simple as waking up late from school, or missing the bus. They can also be as complicated as losing someone close to you or becoming very ill. We have to find the strength in side of us to battle these obstacles.

In the novella, The Old Man and the Sea, there are many obstacles working against Santiago. He is faced with many challenges that he has to overcome. Some weaken his ability to fish drastically, and others weaken his strength to keep going. The obstacles that Santiago had to face were the power of the marlin, being alone, and the sharks. Santiago finds determination within him to stay strong and not give up.

When Santiago set out on his 86th trial to catch a good fish, he succeeded. However, one obstacle did not allow him to arrive home with his "trophy". The sharks put up a good fight against Santiago. "The skiff was still shaking with the destruction the other shark was doing to the fish..." (108). The sharks were relentless, and unwilling to leave with anything but a piece of that marlin. But Santiago was the same; he was going to put up a brutal fight. The sharks swarmed around the small skiff, shaking it as they swam beneath. The blood of the poorly fastened marlin spilling into the water lured the sharks in more.

Another obstacle was the fact that Santiago was by himself so far out from shore. He had declined Manolin's offer to come along, stating that he did not need to be on such an unlucky boat. Santiago regrets his unwillingness to allow Manolin on the boat when he says, "'I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this" (48). As much as Santiago probably did not want to admit it, he needed the boy there with him. Even though he managed on his own, it would have been a better success with Manolin there. Together they could have fought off the sharks and brought home more of the marlin.

Early on in his trip, Santiago had a tough battle to face. When Santiago first hooks the marlin, it does not let go for three days. The man has to stay up with the fish, and never ceases. His determination breaks through here and he does not want to lose an opportunity at a prize catch. "He is wonderful and strange and who knows how old he is, he thought. Never have I had such a strong fish nor one who acted so strangely" (48). Santiago believed the fish was strange because it was not jumping; it was just circling through the water. Santiago waited for the fish to jump, but it was not happening. This confused Santiago but it may of also made catching the fish easier.

In conclusion, there are giant road blocks holding us back in whatever we do; in sports, school, and just daily life. Santiago found strength within him to get past these obstacles, even if he did not get the outcome he wanted. He did not give up on himself, no matter how terrible his hand, body and mind felt. Maybe the glory does not come from catching the marlin, but his lonely pursuit. As Miley Cyrus' song goes, "it's not about what's waiting on the other side, it's the climb".