Every time you earn your pay check all you get is the bare bones. Because it is picked off by the government to serve their needs. You lose almost everything you’ve worked for to the man. Santiago is the same. He worked for days to earn his pay check (which is represented by the fish). Then as he was bringing it home the man decided to take his taxes away from it. (This is represented by the sharks in the story.) This book is a metaphor for what is happening every day.
If you think back to the story, the old man goes out on a small boat by himself to try to catch a fish. Some will say that this was a mistake but I disagree. He is a wise old man and knows what he is doing. After a while he hooks a giant marlin. He reels it in for a few days, he then killed the fish and tied him to the side of his skiff. This is when the man comes.” Galanos,” he said aloud. He had seen the second fin now coming up behind the first.” (107) Here they are the leaders of the ocean the sharks. They are the head honchos they are the man. They are out to steal your hard earned pay. The man sees what you have worked for and takes what he feels he deserves. Santiago is to proud to admit he is unhappy.
Throughout the entire book Santiago is fighting the man. “he was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the gulf stream and had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”(9). this is the very first line in the book. The man is trying to bring Santiago down. He’s denying him of his lively hood. The old man is not working any less than the other fishermen but he is receiving less pay. This, of course is not fair but that’s how the man operates.
“In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao.” (9) Another way the man tries to bring Santiago down is by taking away the boy. The boy, whose name is Manolin was Santiago's best friend in the story. They had many great times together. But because of the situation they are separated. Santiago's personality is being tested. He is upset and tired. His buttons are being pushed and he is trying not to let the man get to him.
“They must have taken a quarter of him and of the best meat.”(110) This is the largest concept of the story. The man always takes away the best part of what you have received. This quote is referring to when the sharks have eaten a part of his fish. It’s just like when the man takes away you money. He takes away most of what you need. Santiago struggled to bring in the fish and then the best parts were stolen away.
The main point that I am trying to get through in this essay is that the man brings us all down. The man is a supernatural being who shows himself in many different figures. He is the government and any one who you can think of who tries to bring you down. In this story the man is showing himself in the sharks. Santiago is an average guy who is just trying to get by. He goes out and earns his pay, which is the fish. Then as you know the man came and took what he felt he deserved. That is what happens top an easy going guy just tries to get by but is shut down by the man.
