Question

What kind of reception does Santiago receive at the terrace café?

• A. He is welcomed warmly by everyone
• B. Most of the fishermen mock him
• C. People avoid him because of his bad luck
• D. He is praised for his great skills

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Most of the fishermen mock him

Santiago's Initial Reception at the Terrace Café

• In Ernest Hemingway's acclaimed novella, The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago is depicted as an aging Cuban fisherman who has endured an astonishing 84 days without catching a single fish. This prolonged period of bad luck leads his community, particularly the younger fishermen, to label him as 'salao' – the worst form of unlucky.
• At the terrace café, which serves as a central gathering point for the fishing community, Santiago's consistent failure makes him an object of ridicule and scorn among most of the other fishermen.
• The younger, more successful fishermen often mock him openly, making jokes at his expense and keeping their distance, viewing him as a harbinger of bad luck.
• This public display of mockery and disrespect highlights the harsh realities and superstitious nature of the fishing profession, where continuous success is celebrated and prolonged failure is derided.
• Despite the general derision, there are exceptions: the kind café owner, and most significantly, the young boy Manolin, who remains fiercely loyal and respectful towards Santiago, recognizing his inherent dignity and past greatness. Manolin's unwavering support provides a poignant contrast to the callousness of the others.

Thematic Significance and Literary Context

• The reception Santiago receives at the café immediately establishes key themes of the novella, including isolation, resilience, and the struggle against adversity. It sets the stage for his epic battle at sea, which becomes a quest for redemption and self-affirmation.
• This initial humiliation underscores Santiago's profound sense of dignity and perseverance, as he continues to face each day with determination despite the mockery and his own physical decline.
• The Old Man and the Sea, published in 1952, served as a powerful reaffirmation of Hemingway's literary prowess and is considered one of his most significant works.
• The novella was instrumental in Hemingway being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 and was directly cited by the Swedish Academy when he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
• The story is often interpreted as an allegory for human endurance, the indomitable spirit, and the nature of victory even in apparent defeat, embodying Hemingway's philosophy of 'grace under pressure'.