Question- Comment upon the arm-wrestling episode in the novel 'The Old Man and The Sea'.

Or
Santiago recalls the arm-wrestling episode "to give himself more confidence". Discuss.

Answer-

At sunset on the second day with the fish on his line Santiago recalls the hand game which he played with the great Negro from Cienfuegos. The Negró was supposed to be the strongest man on the docks. His challenge was accepted by the young Santiago and their arm-wrestling continued for one day and one night They had put their elbows on a chalk line on the table. Their forearms were straight up and their hands were gripped tight. After every four hours the referees were changed. Both the Negro and Santiago started bleeding from under the fingernails and everyone wanted the match to be declared a draw but Santiago refused to accept it. The Negro during the match consumed a Jot of rum and smoked cigarettes but Santiago survived only on his will power. Many times Santiago was threatened with defeat but every time he asserted himself and with a tremendous input of power came back into the game Ultimately the success came to Santiago. After a long drawn out twenty-four hour long struggle Santiago defeated the Negro and was declared the champion. In the spring-time, the return match also took place but it did not last long. This victory convinced Santiago of his superior will power and capacity to endure pain. He gave up the game only because it was had for his right hand and so disastrous for his fishing.

Now Santiago needs to revive his spirits. His left hand has crumped and the Marlin has risen out of the ocean and intimidated him with its 18 foot length and baseball-bat-long and rapier-tapered sword Santiago has had only raw fish to cat He has been without any help, without any rest and without any sleep. The memory of his 24 hour match of strength, will and endurance against the "great Negro from Cienfuegos" revives his morale, renews his hope and confidence and em- boldens his resolve to endure and to vanquish hist opponent in this contest too. Just like his memories and day-dreams of Manolin, lions and Di Maggio, the recall of this arm-wrestling episode also serves the purpose of revitalizing the old man's energy and of refilling him with courage and fortitude, strong-will and endurance that threaten to forsake him.

According to a few skeptical readers, however, this flashback reveals Santiago's taste for self-glorification. He enjoyed when he was called by all 'El Campeon' (the champion). He felt elated when he received a lot of respect for the strength of his arm and the confidence of his spirit As Brenner puts it-"He relished the 24 hour spotlight, the importance of fresh referees, the tension of gamblers coming in and out all night, the changing odds, the blood that oozed from the fingernails of the wrestler's clenched hands, the high chairs on which bettors sat against the bright blue walls, the feeding of rum to and lighting of cigarettes for his opponent, the return of his own hand from three inches off balance, the great athletic ability of his adversary, the worry of calling the match a draw because of the nearing work-day, and the victory. Indelibly pictured in Santiago's memory. these details show him indulging in the memory of his glorious days, an indulgence that is greatly at odds with the picture the text tries to convey of Santiago as a humble man who allegedly "had attained humility" that was neither disgraceful nor bore any "loss of true pride."

According to such skeptical readers the episode also highlights one more aspect of Santiago's personality te. the fact that he enjoys singlehanded competitive contests and derives a lot of pleasure in competition. This characteristic, they say, is at odds with his attitude of fraternal benevolence. "A fraternal ethic commits him to altruistic cooperation with and service to others as his brother's keeper, a competitive ethic commits him to egotism- besting rival who challenge his claim or status at his brother's superior."- (Brenner). Santiago, they believe, is guilty of an unwitting hypocrisy or of a double standard. So he allows himself to apply onc standard one moment and the other the next. "This flashback", to quote Brenner again. "registers Santiago's lack of discernment, for he equates his arm-wrestling episode of the past with his allegedly fraternal contests with the marlin in the present. The completion displayed in the flashback also implies the conclusion that Santiago's relationship with fellow fishermen, Manolin's father, and Manolin himself are based on the competitive ethic of egotism rather than the cooperative ethic of altruism."

The readers, in fact, are free to draw any conclusion from or present any interpretation of the text. They are free to admire of reject a work of art but the interpretations, such as the ones presented by Brenner regarding the arm-wrestling episode, are, one feels, not justified. If Santiago enjoys the memory of his glorious day what is so unnatural about it as to make it open for criticism. It is this memory of the good time which revives the old man's strength. To call it glorification is perhaps the negation of what is written. Similarly to say that Santiago derives pleasure in competition so perhaps all his relationships are based on competitive ethic of egotism is perhaps even more off the mark. The reality is that by presenting the flashbacks of lions, Di Maggio and this contest against the Negro, Hemingway has succeeded in keeping the old man's strength at the desired pitch and has also freed the narration from the defect of monotony.

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