Character Analysis: Manolin

The Old Man and the Sea had very few main characters. One of them was a young boy named Manolin. Manolin was Santiago’s fishing partner for years. Those years together made them form a strong fatherly bond together. Manolin looks up to Santiago as if he was his own father. The beginning of The Old Man and the Sea tells how Manolin and Santiago had great success with fish for weeks. They would catch a large fish every day they went out to sea for three weeks. But after not catching a single fish for more than forty days, Manolin’s father told him that he was no longer allowed to fish with Santiago. He made Manolin fish for a larger, more successful boat. Manolin resents his father for forcing him to leave Santiago to do everything himself. Manolin calls Santiago the greatest fisherman he has ever met, even though Santiago has gone months without catching anything. It is very apparent that Manolin is completely devoted to Santiago. Manolin is a caring, kind-hearted figure. He always tries to help Santiago whenever he can. He will go to Santiago’s home to visit with him and to see if he has enough food. Near the beginning of The Old Man and the Sea, Manolin tries to give Santiago some bait fish so that Santiago will not have to pay for it himself. Santiago, being a stubborn old man, refuses Manolin’s generous offer. But Manolin will not take no for an answer and goes to fetch it. When he returns, he brings both bait fish and a meal for Santiago. This shows that Manolin is kind and is always thinking of others. I really like how Manolin takes care of Santiago. Manolin knows that Santiago is growing old, and he is incredibly stubborn, so he makes sure Santiago is doing alright and visits him often. In the beginning of the novel, Manolin and Santiago discuss baseball and reminisce about when they used to fish together. Manolin is very dedicated to Santiago.