20. SANTIAGO’S POVERTY/ SANTIAGO’S LIFE ON THE LAND
Q. Discuss the old man’s poverty. OR Discuss Santiago’s life on the land.
Answer: The old man was a very simple hero of the novel. He was without any touch of a romantic hero. He was very poor and owned a few things. His source of income was fishing but he did not have complete fishing weapons. He ate simple food and lived a very simple life. The hut where he lived was ordinary and made of palm leaves. His wife was dead and he was a childless fellow and friendless fellow. He had only one friend and that was Manolin. He had only a bed, a table, a chair and a mud fire place to cook with charcoal. We often see him barefooted because he had no shoes to wear. He could not listen to the news or sports commentary because he had no radio. Sometimes, he had not power enough to manage food. That’s why, sometimes, the boy Manolin brought food for the old man. He had also some old newspapers which he used sometimes as his bed to have a sleep. He was also interested in world politics. (Words: 177)
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