Home > The Old Man and the Sea Summary & Study Guide > The Old Man and the Sea Group > Discussion Board

In the book, the old man calls the fish his "friend" and his "brother." He also compares himself to the great fish.

Santiago comes to feel his deepest love for the creature that he himself hunts and kills. Both Santiago and the old man are a worthy opponents. They are both great fighters. They both share lives that can be a fateful mix of both incredible beauty and deadly violence. However, Santiago's fight is more for his pride and his profession. The fish just simply wants to survive. During his long ordeal, Santiago comes to pity the marlin and then to respect and to love him. In the end he senses that there can be no victory for either in the equal struggle between them, that the conditions which have brought them together have made them one. And so, though he kills the great fish, the old man has come to love him as his equal and his brother.

Hi there-  If you are writing on this topic, you might find it helpful to visit our instructional page, "How to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay." 

Thank you for using eNotes!