1。2 Research Situation

So far, a substantial number of researches have been done on the theme of The Old Man and the Sea but fewer researches on Manolin。

Yang Yuanteng argues that Manolin has learned fishing skills following the old man when he was 5 years old。 And now the old man is at low ebb in his life and is trapped by bad luck, but the child leaves him and gets a great success in another boat。 If this happens on others, even they do not hate the child, there will be an unbalance in their heart。 But the old man shows his broad mind and understanding。 (Yang, 2009:35) 

When the little boy leaves him at his parents’ order and catches another boat, the old man says: “I know, it is quite normal。” (Hemingway, 1952:3) Having no result after three days hard working but when he is told that the boy has a harvest every day in these days, however, he does not feel any unpleasant at all。 The little boy also worries about if the old man has become over-sensitive in such an embarrassed situation。 Therefore, he asks tentatively whether the old man is willing to drink a cup of beer with him or not。 And the old man agreed: “why not?” (Hemingway, 1952:15) While they are drinking, many fishermen laugh at the old man, but he does not become angry。 After drinking, the old man says to the boy that he is a man now。 His understanding for life has reached a simple and natural realm。 This is the grace。 This writer argues that Manolin is the best complement to the old man’s character。

Sun Shaoqin, for instance, argues that Santiago is already old, but Manolin is young and there is a long way for him to go。 The boy has been learning the fishing skills from the old man and the spirit of self-esteem and independence。 The old man has less strength, while the boy as his pupil can continue the old man’s great career。 To some extent, the little boy is the successor of the old man, all of the old man’s noble qualities and, more important, the lessons he draws from his experience, will be passed on to the boy, which means the fisherman’s life will continue on, in some form, even after his death。 The boy replaces the old man。 For the most part, life’s challenges and adventures are no longer his。 He never dreams about the boy, because the boy is part of a future Santiago can never know。 The boy is determined to fish with the old man in spite of his parents’ disagreement。 The old man is the hero in the boy’s mind。 Therefore, the old man’s fishing skills can pass down and the boy can accept the spirit of the old man。 Then all the essence of the fisherman can pass down, the society of the human beings can progress generation by generation。 He thinks that Manolin is the symbol of success of youth and hope, also the symbol of the old man’s past youth。 (Sun, 2012:365) The Old Man and the Sea vividly depicts the strong old man Santiago。 The boy Manolin is presented only in the beginning and at the end of The Old Man and the Sea, but his presence is important, and he is the ideal successor of Santiago and symbolizes the young Santiago。 He not only offers help to the everyday life of the old man but also provides spiritual support and inspiration。 

Zhao Danying argues that old man goes fishing with Manolin, teaching him how to fish and sail。 From their communications, readers can know that the old man treats the little boy just as the old man’s son。 He teaches his experience and skills to the little boy, of course, the old man not only wants to find a successor for his own career, but hopes that the little boy can have a better life in the future。 Although the old man is poor, he has a pure heart。 Even though the marlin only leaves a skeleton, he sends the big fish’s head to other people。 (Zhao, 2016:1011)文献综述

Looking back at the studies, we can obviously see that there are many aspects of analysis of the theme of The Old Man and the Sea, also many researches of Santiago’s characteristics。 We can see that the little boy is essential to the novel in two aspects: Manolin’s characteristics and the mirror of the old man---reflection of the old man’s code hero。 Manolin is Santiago’s only friend and companion。 Santiago taught Manolin to fish, and the boy used to go out to sea with the old man until his parents objected to Santiago’s bad luck。 Manolin still helps Santiago pull in his boat in the evenings and provides the old man with food and bait when he needs it。 On the surface, Santiago needs the help of the boy when he is not able to deal with the hardship and the challenge; in deep sense, he desires his past youth and strength。 The old man depends on “the boy” to have more strength to face the great fish。 It turns out that “the boy” helped the old man conquer the great fish-marlin and win the hard battle。 Manolin is the reader’s surrogate in the novel, appreciating Santiago’s heroic spirit and skill despite his outward lack of success。 It is not exaggerated to say that the work could not be the work we see now without the child。 The image of the child is clear and discernible in readers’ mind, the more description of the boy, the stronger feeling we feel of the old man。