The boy, or Manolin - Characters, The Old Man and the Sea | The Old Man and the Sea - Summary, Themes & Characters - Novels PDF Download

Santiago taught the boy to fish, and the boy loves him. That’s what Hemingway tells us, and that’s about how he tells us, too. There’s no confusion, and we don’t sit around wondering what’s the deal with these two. The boy is the one human companion that the old man has, and he remarks (internally) on how grateful he is to have the company when he comes back. Most important, however, is the fact that the boy respects the old man. He believes he is a great fisherman, age be damned, because he knows Santiago’s skill and prowess.

Why does the old man repeatedly wish the boy were there? That’s an interesting question. At first, it seems to be because he needs help, what with the ginormous marlin and all. But you could also argue that it is for companionship, that the old man is lonely. Or you could say he wants someone to bear witness to his feat.

The boy, or Manolin Timeline

• The boy loves the old man and wants to help him out.
• He sits on the terrace with the old man.
• They reminisce.
• He offers to buy sardines for the old man.
• He and the old man pretend to have dinner and talk about baseball.
• Manolin goes out to buy sardines.
• The boy comes back and waits for the old man to wake up so they can eat.
• They eat.
• The boy leaves.
• He is woken by the boy.
• The boy helps the old man carry his gear, and then wishes him luck.
• The fish circles and gets harpooned by the old man.
• Manolin sees the old man when he has come back and cries.
• He brings the old man coffee and they talk about the last few days.
• He cries again.