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Christiana Spinella
K. Mount
English 11
8 March 2016
Archetypal Relationships in The Old Man and the Sea
An archetype is a pattern of thought, or an idea seen over again. In the novel The
Old Man and the Sea there are many archetypes. Some of the best archetypes in the book
are those of the two main characters, Santiago and Manolin. The relationship that the two
of them share is that of a father son relationship. Santiago takes on a mentor archetype,
and Manolin has a loyal retainer or hunting companion archetype. Another example of
these relationships can be exemplified in the movie Secondhand Lions. Many of the same
archetypes can be seen in the movie.
The old man, Santiago, takes on a fatherly role in the relationship between
Manolin and himself. I would say his archetype would be a mentor, for he teaches
Manolin everything he knows about fishing and catching the big fish. He teaches him all
the techniques of catching the fish perfectly. But then also the two can go and eat and just
enjoy each other’s presence over a nice hot meal and some beer. Santiago and Manolin
both could be classified as hunting group of companions for they go out in the boat and
catch fish and face all the hardships of living on the ability of only catching fish.
Manolin could also have the archetype of loyal retainer because he is there by
Santiago’s side no matter what. Even though his parents wouldn’t allow him to continue
fishing with the old man and not catch anything he still helped Santiago almost every
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morning and night, making sure he was warm when he went to bed and food in his
stomach. When the pair would go out for the day in the small wooden skiff Manolin
would make sure there was bait in the boat, and food and water for the old man and
himself. And when they were out on the boat on the open ocean he would help him tend
to the multiple lines that they had out.
In the movie Secondhand Lions there are also old men and a young boy. The old
men decide to start a garden and get a lion, the boy went to go stay with his great-grand
uncles and they told him about all of their crazy adventures. The boy helped the men with
their everyday chores and doings. And the uncles told the boy about their adventures and
guided him along in life. So the two works have some of the same archetypes in them,
although they aren’t the exact relationship they are quite similar. In both works the men
tell stories of their past and teach them for their future. They also both hunt in some way,
if not for a lion for a fish. In the end the relationships make a lasting impression on the
other’s wellbeing.
So in conclusion there are many archetypes depicted in The Old Man and the Sea;
we see mentor, hunting companions, and loyal retainer. Santiago is a mentor figure for
Manolin and in return Manolin helps the old man with his daily activities.