The Old Man and The Sea - 4

4) Who is the "hero" in this book and what are some of his/her traits?  What does he/she accomplish, and how is he/she portrayed? 

The hero in this book would have to be the protagonist, which is the old man, Santiago.  And if Santiago is the hero, then Manolin is his sidekick.  Some of the traits that the old man presents are wisdom, respect, honor, dedication, and devotion.  These traits lead to his accomplishments, which are small, but meaningful.  
Through the book he really does accomplish a lot, even though he does not exactly bring home a trophy.  The first accomplishment he makes is building such a strong friendship with  the young boy (Hemingway 58).  All of his character traits help him with this, especially wisdom and respect.  There is a distinct difference between intelligence and wisdom.  While the old man may not have been the most intellectual of men, his wisdom came with age and experience.  The boy really did have a good mind, but the old man helped him through tales of his own experiences, which made the boy develop a true respect for Santiago.  
Another accomplishment he makes is actually catching the marlin.  Even if he was not able to physically bring the fish home, he was still able to find him and kill him (Hemingway 112).  He was so close to having that fish back home, but unfortunately things just did not work out.  He is still able to take home the skeleton and the memories.  Even though only he was there, he really does have all of the proof that he needs.  And with catching that marlin, he also earned the respect of the townspeople.  The men who had previously mocked him finally were able to look on him with real contemplation and honor.  
Santiago is portrayed as an old man with eyes the color of the sea (Hemingway 3).  He is wise, active and experienced, although he his youth has now become only fond memories.  He is not looked highly upon by the people in his town, he is seen as unlucky and mad (Hemingway 10-13).  No one truly understands the old man besides the boy.  The boy is loyal to the old man, and looks up to him while still taking care of him in ways.  Even though the old man is only a frail soul, Manolin sees all that he has come from and takes his words very seriously, unlike anyone else.  

Hemingway, E. The Old Man and The Sea. New York, NY: Scribner, 1980