Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

“But man is not made for defeat," he said. "A man can be destroyed but not defeated. (Hemingway 103).” This quote, written by Ernest Hemingway in the short story The Old Man and the Sea, captures the theme perseverance in numerous ways. This quote describes when the old man Santiago was struck down physically, with the injuries of his hands and the pain of staying awake for a number of days. However, he mentally kept pushing forward, leading to his ultimate survival and his arrival home. Ernest Hemingway wanted the readers of this story to learn about the rewards of perseverance because of the hardship Santiago and the marlin had to endure, rather than themes such as luck, pride, and suffering.

“He did not truly feel good because the pain from the cord across his back had almost passed pain and into dullness that he mistrusted.”(74) Once both the fish and Santiago had reached the breaking point of conflict the story seemed to slow down in time to exemplify the adverse conditions that both characters were suffering from. The old man proves himself worthy of personal suffering with the cuts and scars on his hands and back along with all of the pulling and slipping the cords had upon his fragile body. Hemmingway shows in a big way how an out of proportioned conflict with an old fisherman and an 18 foot long marlin helps to magnify the significance of Santiago searching for his rebirth to manhood. With constant abstraction describing the fish and the sea in relation to brotherhood create interesting questions for Santiago to ponder. His rationalization for his fishing is that he was born to do it. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (103) Hemmingway proves that this fish represents all of Santiago’s built up tension to total the size of a gigantic marlin that is perceived as devastating but not unconquerable. The old man’s hopes and aspirations can overcome the adversity of the marlin’s size, along with the conditions of the old, hungry, and exhausted fisherman. Through outright suffering Santiago achieves a goal above his previous manhood by combating pain and

Abraham Maslow was an American philosopher who was born in the early 1990 's in Brooklyn, New York. He was one of the leading theorists that promoted humanistic psychology during his era. Maslow sought to understand what motivates and inspires individuals. He theorized that individuals possess and hold a group of motivation and incentive systems not related to plunder or insensible desires. Maslow declared that people are motivated and provoked to attain certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fulfill the next one, and so on. The earliest version of Maslow 's hierarchy of needs includes five motivational needs, often viewed as hierarchical levels inside a pyramid. The five stage representation can be separated into basic needs and growth needs. The deficiency or basic needs are said to motivate and stimulate individuals when they are unmet and not fully attained. Also, the desire to fulfill and accomplish such wants and needs will become stronger the longer the duration they are denied. Once these needs have been relatively satisfied, an individual may be capable of reaching the highest level of the pyramid called self-actualization. Maslow though that self actualization is a state that exists when an individual is acting in harmony with his or her full capabilities. In Cormac McCarthy 's novel, The Road, we will examine the character 's physical journey towards self-actualization on Maslow

It is ambiguous whether the old man succeeds or fails. At first, it seems that if Santiago has failed. “He sailed lightly now and he had no thoughts nor any feelings of any kind” (Hemingway 119). It is almost like he has lost everything that he has worked for. The old man accepts defeat as is, without mourning or grief Fortunately, after all the damage has been taken, he keeps fishing. He built some sort of relationship with the marlin, but was later broken. He has since moved on.

Hemingway has a way of making his readers believe that the feats and strengths that his characters obtain in his novels are actually possible. Although this statement may be too critical, and maybe there is a man out there, somewhere on the coast of Cuba who at this very moment is setting out to the open sea to catch a marlin of his own. The struggle many readers have is believing the story of Santiago’s physical powers and his strength against temptation bring forward the question of whether or not The Old Man and the Sea is worthy to be called a classic. Hemingway’s Santiago brought Faulkner and millions of other readers on their knees, while to some, believed Hemingway

While santiago is in land he is a fragile old man and depends on the boy. “The boy took the old army blanket off the bed and spread it over the back of the chair of the old man’s shoulder”.When santiago is at sea he has no one to depend on and works really hard in order to accomplish his goal of catching the marlin. “He held the line tight in his right hand and then pushed

The nobility of character of the old man prevents him from feel hate and rancor toward the other fishermen. Despite the taunts of the other fishermen, Santiago is quiet and admits having a bad streak of luck. This makes him an honorable man, which avoids any conflict and is able to recognize his flaws as a fisherman. Although the sea has given him several bitter drinks, he is able to keeping on loving it. “A man is honest when he acts honestly, he is humble when he acts humbly, he loves when he is loving or being loved.” (Waldmeir 165). Perhaps, the crowning act of humility in Santiago is when he is forced to recognize that by his own forces he will not be enough to grab the fish, and decides to carry out prayers to the Almighty. At the end of the hunting of the big animal, Santiago does not become conceited. His simple and humble soul thanks with a prayer for the outcome of his effort. Although the fighting has been severe and bloody, the old man was not self-styled "hero”. Santiago humbly considers himself as one fisherman more, and the categorization as a hero depends on the readers. “It is the knowledge that a simple man is capable of such decency, dignity, and even heroism, and that his struggle can be seen in heroic terms, that largely distinguishes this book.” (Young 131). The evident relation between his humility and dignity helps to place Santiago as a perfect

Although Santiago continuously sails home empty handed after his fishing trips, he possesses true pride that keeps him from being discouraged despite his failures. Many people look down on Santiago with pity while others “[make] fun of the old man,” (Hemingway 11) but he is not affected by the people around him because he knows his abilities as a fisherman and he has a view of himself that is neither boastful about his success in the past, nor self-loathing over his current unlucky streak with fishing. Santiago wonders to himself “when he had attained humility. But he knew it was not disgraceful and carried no loss of true pride,” (Hemingway 14) and in thinking this statement about himself, he suggests that there are two different kinds of

Disregarding the numerous themes found in this short novel, written by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago’s battle with his emotions versus nature is significant because this book mainly focuses on life’s personal defeats and triumphs. Santiago deliberately reconsiders his options of either freeing the marlin or capturing it and breaking his salao streak, the worst form of unlucky. He is torn as he declares to the marlin, “I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends”(54). His love and respect for the fish is masked underneath his duties as a fisherman, but his worries and sorrows for the marlin is further complicated as he battles between his love for nature and his duties. Another example of Santiago’s struggle between his profession and his emotions includes when he consoles to himself that, “The fish is my friend too,” he said aloud. “I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him”(75). Likewise, his love for the sea and nature obscures with his

Santiago feels unlucky, but he is determined to return to the sea. He is not going to give up. He wants to prove to everyone in his village, including himself, that he will not return empty-handed. Hemingway gives the reader a sense of excitement because this time the old man plans to go out fishing, further than he had ever been. Psychologically, the old man knows that he has to prove to himself and to the other fishermen in the village that he has to do this. He does not want to be defeated by nature.

One of the predominate dreams that Santiago has during the book takes place on the coast of Africa with lions playing around with each other. The book tells us this is the only dream he has and the dream connect Santiago with memories of his childhood. Like the lions, Santiago is a hunter at heart with him being a fisher. But since his dream depicts the lions playing instead of hunting, the dream serves as a break from the real world.In the Old Man of the Sea, one of the main themes in the book is modernism. One of the characteristics of modernism found in the book is when Santiago is stuck on the boat while he is fishing. It is only him and his thoughts and the readers get to read everything. Through his thoughts we are able to understand how he feels. Despite the the fish Santiago

Throughout “The Old Man and the Sea”, written by Ernest Hemingway, Santiago displayed attributes of leadership and determination which ultimately lead to him winning the battle with the “great fish”. Santiago’s character has gone through a series of mental, physical, and emotional tests while on his journey. Santiago’s journey out to sea had an impact on how he viewed the aspects of life, and he was left with everlasting memories about his adventure. In the real world, many people believe that their experiences are made based about the journey, and not the destination. This real-world belief is heavily implied as many readers question whether Santiago was victorious in the end.

Ernest Hemingway uses the characters in The Old Man and the Sea to demonstrate how perseverance is necessary for survival. After battling with the fish for several days, Santiago wishes the circumstances could be different: “‘Be patient, hand,’ he said. ‘I do this for you.’

The Old Man and the Sea In “The Old Man and the Sea”, Hemingway shows the fisherman Santiago as the ideal person. He’s independent in his action, eager to follow his calling, and willing to take a chance on a goal that seems impossible. Throughout the book we see Santiago endure much physical abuse, and pain.

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” Hemingway’s novel “The Old Man and the Sea” tells about an old man and his battle in the sea to catch the most colossal fish he’s ever seen. The themes presented in this novel include the honor in struggle, defeat and death. The protagonist in “The Old Man and the Sea” is a weak and gaunt, yet optimistic old fisherman named Santiago who hasn’t caught any fish for 84 days. In the novel, Santiago goes further out to the sea than he’s ever been and he manages to hook an enormous marlin, facing the biggest trial of his life; catching the marlin and taking it home without meeting his own death first. This trial reveals the extent of his strength as hinted in the quote above. Through Santiago’s endurance, perseverance and knowledge he proves to the reader that anyone is capable of achieving their ambitions even when it seems impossible to do so.