Hemingway Heroes

Code Heroes aren’t people who scurry about defending the planet from aliens and monsters; they are people who follow a strict code of behaviors which allows them to live their life to the fullest, following the ideas of honor, courage, and endurance in a world that is chaotic, stressful, and sometimes painful. In Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel, The Old Man and the Sea, the protagonist, Santiago, is depicted as a modest and tolerant old fisherman.

Although he is mocked by the younger fishermen, Santiago remains modest and assures himself that he should not be ashamed because it didn't really matter what other people thought. “He was too simple to wonder when he…” (Hemingway 13-14). Hemingway uses powerful diction in this passage to describe how Santiago isn't bothered by others' thoughts and feelings towards him. After his great struggle with the uncommonly large and noble marlin, the old man comes home with the skeleton of the marlin, and goes home to his shack to take a rewarding nap. Although he feels that he has lost his battle, and that the sharks have beaten him, the other fishermen are shocked at the size of the fish, and how great it is. Unlike the beginning, on page 122, it reads that many fishermen crowded around the skiff to get a good look at the fish, but Santiago remained modest, and didn’t seem to care. The other fishermen soon grow to respect Santiago, and show great admiration, but Santiago isn’t worried about honor because he has lost literally everything.

Throughout the novel, Santiago is proved to be very tolerant even though he is very old and poor. “‘Fish,’ he said softly, aloud, ‘I’ll stay with…’” (Hemingway 52). The vow that Santiago