The Old Man and the Sea - A Tale of FishThe book, The Old Man and the Sea, is about an old man named Santiago who wrestles with a giant marlin fish. This is the story of his courage, heroism and strength. In the book, Ernest Hemingway uses Santiago to explore the theme of man and his relationship with animals. In this case it's about Santiago's relationship with the different fish he catches, especially the giant Marlin fish. Santiago respected, cared for, and viewed the fish as his equals. The relationship with fish is shown through many examples and explanations in the following paragraphs. Santiago really cared about the huge Marlin fish he caught and that was part of his relationship with fish. He would talk to his fish and treat them with the utmost care. This is demonstrated by Santiago states: “I wish it was a dream and that I had never caught it. Sorry, fish. It makes everything wrong…I shouldn't have gone that far fishing” (Hemingway 110). Santiago is really sorry that he had to go so far into the water and catch the giant fish. Because it had gone so far, the sharks ate the fish on the way back to the port. He didn't want his fish to be torn apart and eaten by Santiago's worst enemy, the sharks. He wished it was just a dream, so the fish wouldn't have to endure the pain. This example shows how much he cared for the fish and how his relationship with the fish was influenced by his feeling of care. Santiago also deeply respects fish in general and this aspect of his relationship with fish is clearly shown throughout the book. There are many instances where Santiago shows his respect for fish and in one of them it is stated: "The old man hit [the albacore fish] on the head out of kindness and kicked him, with his body trembling, in the shade of the stern" (Hemingway 39). This shows Santiago's respect and feelings for the albacore tuna. Hitting the fish on the head and kicking it is a sign of respect. Another example of Santiago's respect for a fish is when he describes the fish, "I never saw a thing greater, or more beautiful, or calmer, or nobler than you, brother" (Hemingway 92).