The Old Man and the Sea Characters: Complete Analysis
The Old Man and the Sea features complex characters representing different aspects of society, each embodying themes of the novel.
Santiago is the old fisherman who hasn't caught anything in 84 days. Manolin is the young boy who fished with Santiago until his parents made him work on a luckier boat. The marlin isn't really a character but becomes Santiago's worthy opponent. The sharks that come later represent nature's indifference to human achievement.