Choices

In life everyone has to make hard decisions that can change the out come in someone’s life. Santiago in the old man and the sea makes many decisions that change the outcome of the story. One can only wonder what would have happened if Santiago brought the boy with him, or if he was prepared to catch a huge fish, or if he let the fish go and didn’t chase the fish for six days.

In The Old Man and the Sea Santiago goes out to sea by him self because his helper “The boy” has been switched by his parents to a “lucky boat.” His parents have no faith in Santiago, the boy is confident in Santiago’s ability’s. The day before Santiago hooks the fish the boy offers to switch back to Santiago’s boat, but the Old Man turns the boy down. “No, you’re with a lucky boat. Stay with them” (10). What if he didn’t turn the boy down? Through out the story the man consistently says “I wish I had the boy” (51). Santiago says this when he is lonely, when his hand cramps up, when he cuts his hand, when he forgot to bring seasonings, and when the shark ate his trophy size marlin. If Santiago had the boy he would not have been lonely and would have been more comfortable because he would not have cramped up because the boy could have took the line, he would not have cut his hand because the boy would of wet the line. The biggest difference would be that the boy could have seen the shark and save the marlin and than the boy and Santiago would be legends.

Santiago goes out to sea unprepared for a six day chase of a great marlin but using the supplies he had he did a great job of surviving. Santiago was unprepared in many was such as lack of food, no help, and lack of comfort. If Santiago was totally prepared for the six day expedition he would have brought more food and more bait to catch fish. Santiago would have brought at least some help like the boy or a fisherman friend. He was never comfortable during the chase, Santiago always had a thin line cutting into his back and hands, he got hand cramps and cuts, Santiago had to eat unseasoned and raw fish because he was unprepared. “What an excellent fish dolphin is to eat cooked, and what a miserable fish raw. I will never go in a boat again without salt or limes” (80). Santiago is unprepared and in two ways lack of food, and lack of comfort.

Santiago also makes a choice of sticking with a fish for six days. The fish caused Santiago a lot of pain, and at some points the fish taunted Santiago by being patient, unlike other fish. What if Santiago was not patient or devoted and had decided to let the fish go, Santiago would have gone home that night without a fish once again, and he would still be alone the next day, to do the same routine. Would Santiago ever catch another fish again? He would still be that old man who had run out of luck and never catch another fish. Would the old man become lonely and depressed, and pass away? “But remember how you went eighty-seven days without catching a fish and then we caught big ones everyday for about three weeks” (10) If Santiago did not catch any thing great on this eighty-seven day were he had not caught a fish, he may have got depressed and passed away.

Santiago makes some key decisions to influence the events of his and others lives. Santiago changes the out come of catching his great Marlin and he may regret or enjoy his decisions. He may regret his decisions because he spent six days chasing a great marlin which caused him great pain, caused him to be uncomfortable, and to lose the best marlin ever. He may have enjoyed it thought; maybe he liked just being alone at sea peacefully doing what he loves, fishing, when Santiago is at sea he fells carefree and he is carefree except for the fish he’s trying to catch. This adventure also makes a great story, so he could retire and be a wise story teller. The Sea can be suspenseful, tense, and soothing all in the same day. The sea can be suspenseful and tense when there is huge fish puling you out to sea and there is a stressful situation. The sea can be soothing on a sunny day with a slight wind and calm water