Biblical Influence and Symbolism in The Old Man and the Sea Many times, Ernest Hemingway's stories have a lot of religious influence and symbolism. In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, numerous events in the life of the fisherman Santiago are similar to episodes recorded in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The character names translated from Spanish to English are just one of many similarities. The characters in The Old Man and the Sea are actually important figures from the New Testament. Santiago is an old man, yet he had young eyes. No matter how defeated he was, he would never show it and would look on the bright side of things. In my mind, these traits make Santiago a divine figure. Manolin, which translates to Messiah, is Jesus (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Santiago is the "father" who teaches his symbolic son and disciple, Manolin. After catching the largest marlin, Manolin will leave his parents to follow the teachings of Santiago, his teacher, just as Jesus did (Stoltzfus qtd in CLC 13:280). Pedrico is actually Saint Peter, the closest apostle to Jesus and a great fisherman (Wilson 50). Peter helped Jesus fish for souls as Pedrico helped Manolin fish for food. Santiago gives Pedrico the head of the mutilated marlin which symbolizes Saint Peter as the head of the Christian church and the first Pope (Stoltzfus CLC 280). In the story there are many references to the crucifixion of Jesus. Santiago's seriously wounded hands evoke the hands of the crucified Jesus and three other situations reinforce this theory (Brenner, The Old Man and the Sea, Story of an Ordinary Man 37). First, the Santiago marlin is approached by a pair of shovelnose sharks. "Yes," he said aloud." (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 107) There is no meaning to "Ay," but perhaps it is the sound a man makes when his hands are nailed to wood (Brenner, The Old Man and the sea, Story of a common land) Man 38). Subsequently, once back on land, Santiago climbs up the hill to his shack, with the tree on his shoulder, falling several times (Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea 121). This is an obvious reference to Christ's struggle to carry the cross on Cavalry Hill (Crossan, The Historical Jesus 163).