NON AFRICAN PROSE ERNEST HEMINGWAY: The Old Man and The Sea What role does Manolin play in Santiago's domestic life?

Answer Details

In Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, the boy Manolin plays a vital part in Santiago's domestic life. Though he is not the old man's son, he cares for Santiago with the devotion of a son, and his presence lights up the loneliness of the old fisherman's existence on land.

Practical care in the home. Manolin looks after Santiago's daily needs. He helps carry the fishing gear, the mast, the sail, the harpoon and the coiled lines, up from the boat to the old man's shack. He brings Santiago food and coffee, worries about whether the old man has eaten, and even arranges meals, sometimes obtained from Martin at the Terrace, so that Santiago will not go hungry. He tends to the shack, the blanket and the equipment, easing the hardships of Santiago's poverty.

Loyalty and faith. Manolin's role is emotional as well as practical. Although his parents, believing Santiago to be salao (unlucky) after eighty-four days without a fish, have made him fish in a luckier boat, the boy's loyalty never wavers. He continues to seek out the old man, insists on his belief in him, and longs to return to fishing at his side. This unshaken faith comforts Santiago and sustains his self-respect.

Companionship. The boy is Santiago's chief companion at home. They talk together of baseball and of the great DiMaggio, recall past catches, and share an easy, affectionate intimacy. In his solitude Santiago repeatedly wishes aloud that "the boy were here," showing how much Manolin's company means to him during the ordeal at sea.

Symbol of continuity and hope. Manolin represents the passing on of skill and love from one generation to the next. At the end, weeping over the exhausted old man and the ruined marlin, he vows that they will fish together again, promising continuity and hope beyond Santiago's defeat.

Conclusion. Manolin is, in effect, Santiago's surrogate son and caretaker. Through practical service, unwavering loyalty and warm companionship he brings comfort, dignity and hope to the old man's domestic life, making their bond one of the tenderest elements of the novel.