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TheoldmanSantiagofromTheOldManandtheSeaisacharacterseeninmanyperspectives,asahero,anordinaryfisherman,anunluckyoldman,andawiseman.Throughoutthenovellaheismadeoutasapersonofmotivation,passion,andhope.Despitewhatothersdoordonotthinkheisamanofaction,andnotoneconsumedbyregret.Theyoungandoldvillagers’viewofSantiagoisanimportantone,butnotadifferentiatingone.Thevillagersaresplitintotwogroups.TheolderfishermenthatrespectSantiagoandwishhimluck,andtheyoungerfishermenthatseehimaslittlemorethanbadluck.Whileneithergroupisparticularlyimportanttotheplot,eachoftheirviewssetsanambianceofSantiago’sforthcomingadventure.WithouttheirviewsSantiagowouldbelittlemorethanaluckyoldfisherman.Santiagohasaresolutegripuponrealityandlivesbyit.Heseeshimselfasamanwithlittledirectionbutenoughdeterminationandexperiencetolive.Hechosenottoseewhatothersthoughtbutinsteadlivedbyhowheperceivedtheworld.Hisconstantstrugglesandhispersistentresolvetoovercomethemarlinandhimselfshowhisearnestdesirestoliveandfish.TheboyisacrucialelementtoSantiago’sworld.ManolinisalwaysattheedgeofSantiago’smindwhenhethinksofconvenience.Attimeswiththefish,Santiagothinkstotheboyandthentohisownlackofability.Hemaydenyit,butattimesitishisrelationshipwiththeboythatbothmakeshimrealizeheneedshelp,andcompelshimtogoon.Christianimageryandconceptsareimportantassetstotheoldfisherman’spersonality.Heisseenasakindman,andalthoughexpresseshisfrustrationtowardscertainpoints,onlyconveyshisangertowardstheevilrepresentationofthesharks.Hiskind,infiniteeyes,andhecarryinghismastlikeJesusandhiscrossonlyaugmenthisChrist-likepersonage.HislonelinessandgreatnessarebothshownasManolinisassignedanewboatafter40dayswithSantiago,thesamelengthoftimeasChristspentinthewilderness.Santiago’schangeattheendofthenovellaturnshimintoalmostauniversalhero.Bybeingatsea,hisventureswereneverlimitedandtheeventsofthestoryjustseemedtohappen.Afterherebukeshimselfforhisarrogancewiththemarlin,SantiagogoeshomeanddreamsofthelionsplayinginAfrica,signalingacycleofachild-likerebirththroughManolin.ThroughoutthestorymanyaspectscanbefoundaboutSantiago’spersonalitymerelybythecontentofhis3-dayfightwiththemarlin.TheideologythatencompassesthestoryisonlyconsumedbySantiago’spurewilltopersevere.CertainlySantiagoisamanofmanythemesandpersonalitytraits.Ibelievethatinthepastthreedecades,thewaysocietyhastreatedheelderlyhasremainedprimarilythesame.Someyoungercitizenshavelookeduptotheelderlywithrespect,yetmostcontinuetoshunthemandconsiderthemuselessandhopelessinasocietysuchasours.Ithinkthattheelderlypopulationiscontinuallylosingrespectfromthenewgenerations.Santiago,theelderlymaninthenovelTheOldManandtheSea,isrespectedbyayoungboy,Manolin,yetheisalsolookeddownuponbymanyoftheyoungerfishermenintheCubanfishingvillagewherehelives.Thisbookissetinthelate1930'sand,IasIseeit,showsthatsocietiesallaroundtheworldhavehadadeclineinrespectfortheolderpeopleintheirenvironmentsincethebeginningofthenineteenthcentury.AnenormousnumberofissueshavechangedsinceSantiago'stime,allowingtheelderlytohavetheabilitytodomoreintheiroldageandliveinareasspecificallydesignedfortheirneeds.However,thereisstillanenormouslackofrespectfortheolderpeopleinsociety,anditisbecomingworseeveryday.Youngercitizensofourcountrymakefunofolderpeople,callthemnames,andbelievethattheyareincapableofdoingmostthingsthattheyoungeronesarecapableofdoing.Whenwebelievetheycannolongersupportthemselves,weplaceourelderlyrelativesintoretirementhomesandoldfolks'homesasmanycallthem.Sometimesthey,themselves,donotwishtogotosuchaplace,butweforcethemto,whichmanytimesisthewrongchoice.Someyoungerpeoplehelptheelderly,though,andtrytosupportthem,butfewofthesepeoplecanbefound.Itisafactthatwhenpeoplegetbeyondacertainage,theirmemoriesbegindepletingandtheyatrophyphysically.However,asSantiagoshowsinthenovel,olderpeoplehavemuchknowledgeabouttheworldaroundthemandenoughstrengthtomakeitthroughhardsituationsiftheyaredeterminedandhavethewillandcouragetobelieveinabettertomorrow.InSantiago'scommunity,itisshownthattheirisstillanaturalrespectforelders,asisseeninManolin'ssupportoftheoldman.Hewasoneofthedyingbreedthattrulylookeduptohiseldersandregardedtheirfeelingsandexperienceswithmuchrespect.HegreatlyaidedSantiagobygivinghimsupportandcourageandhelpinghimthrougheverydaychores.Theirarestillsomepeoplewithsuchfeelingsintheworldtoday,yetmanyhavehadtheiropinionsswayedbyothersandbegintothinkbadlyoftheelderly.TheirisalsoalackofrespectforSantiagoandtheelderlyinthenovel,whichcanbefoundintheactionsoftheyoungfisherman.Somelaughathimwhenhepassedby,andsomethoughtofhimtobetoooldtobeafisherman.Theybelievedhewasnotingoodenoughshapetocatchafish,yetitwasonlyhisbadluckthatdeterredhimfromdoingsuchathing.Hewasmuchbetterandmoreexactthanmostoftheotherfishermaninthevillage,yettheycouldnotseepasthisagetoviewhisaccomplishments.Ithinkthefalsebeliefsabouttheweaknessoftheelderlycanbeturnedaroundonlyifsocietylooksmuchharderattheirabilitiesandtheirgoals.Wemustbegintoseethatalthoughtheymaynothavegreatphysicalstrength,theystillhaveamindthatiscapableofmanythings.