“Marlin off the Morrow: A Cuban Letter,” was published in the first issue of Esquire magazine in 1933 and written by Ernest Hemingway. The essay details the escapades of a Cuban fisherman who was dragged into the sea by marlin. By the time he was found, sharks had destroyed man's great prey.1 This essay forms the basis for the story of the main character, Santiago, in Hemingway's short story, The Old Man and the Sea.1 Published nearly twenty years later, in 1952, The Old Man and the Sea is considered a classic of the American novel. The story is deceptively simple and involves an unfortunate elderly fisherman, Santiago, who hasn't caught a fish in months. However, many aspects of the story tell a much deeper message that transcends the years. Santiago embodies universal truths about men's character traits, including perseverance and commitment, faith and humility developed through adversity. Man is not designed to defeat, he is designed to persevere. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” (Hemingway 80) Santiago, a scarred old fisherman, lives in a cabin and fishes in a battered and tattered boat with a sail that was “patched with flour sacks and, furled, looked like the flag of permanent defeat.” (Hemingway 3) His terrible circumstances and bad luck have made him an object of ridicule in the eyes of the young fishermen and a man to be pitied by the old fishermen, but Santiago knows that with skill, perseverance, and commitment he will prevail. “The lines went straight down… He held them straighter than anyone else, so that at every level in the darkness of the stream there was bait waiting exactly where he wanted it to be for any fish that swam there.” (Hemingway 21-22) Santiago was a skilled fisherman. As Santiago struggles to lure… middle of paper… simply: “'They beat me, Manolin,' he said. 'They really beat me.'” (Hemingway 96) Santiago was humbled by his experience against the sea. Santiago embodies admirable character traits in man that include perseverance and commitment. His faith clearly follows and reflects that of the author, Ernest Hemingway. His pride was challenged and broken in humility. This simple story of an unlucky fisherman remains a classic today because it gives us a clearer picture of Hemingway's vision of man and our struggle against nature and our own flaws. Adversity and failure are only wasted on those who refuse to learn from hard-fought battles whether goals are achieved or wrenched from defeat. Works Cited1. http://nedstuckeyfrench.com/essays-in-america/marlin-off-the-morro-a-cuban-letter-by-ernest-hemingway-1933/2. http://www.timelesshemingway.com/content/beliefsfaq