【正文】 and he waited to see if there would be more lions and he was happy. ” 16 The adult lions suggest and signify great strength and courage. They provide Santiago with inspiration, a sense of nobility and vitality that encourage him to struggle for fulfilling his ambition. Whenever he dreams of the lions, he is happy and relaxes, for the lions seem to be in control. They can inspire him to be confident. And because the lions in his dream always appear out of their natural environment and on the beach, they also suggest there is a harmony in all of life. At the end of the story, the old man is again dreaming of the lions, up the road, in his shack. He was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. The old man was dreaming about the lions. Santiago is undefeated just because he keeps on trying. His resolution and action help him to take whatever he wants. At the end of the story, the dream about lions not only shows he is truly a guy beyond normal man, but also represents he is well to meet the new battle. What Hemingway writes in the end, The old man was dreaming of a lion reminds us that the old man does not cry over his misfortune, does not yield to bad luck, does not bend before failure. Instead, he dares to face failure fearlessly. It is the lion in his dream which carries a symbol of strength and bravery that shows Santiago?s optimism about life and future. D. Santiago’s Dignity 1. Santiago’s Illusion When he goes to sleep, the action of undressing is practical and lifelike to the readers: He rolled his trousers up to make a pillow, putting the news paper inside them. He rolled himself in the blanket and slept on the other old newspapers that covered the springs of the bed. His life is simple but not wretched. He is humble but not low. In his action there is always dignity and selfrespect. In Santiago Hemingway places his understanding of and confidence in humanity. No matter what kind of plight one is in and no matter how high one?s social position, what is most important is to maintain one?s dignity as a human being. And such dignity should not fluctuate with changes in wealth and turnings of luck, as it is a necessary part of humanity. Santiago maintains his action and displays guyism as a tough guy with his undefeated spirit when he lost in the fight. Yet his friendship with Manolin exposes much of the warmth in his personality. His faithfulness and passion can always be expressed through actions. When he is alone but in the sea he frequently talks of the little boy Manolin, and we know that he is in need of help and friendship. However Santiago?s character is not without its flaws. For example, he allows the conversation on the nonexistent rice and the cast to go on between the little boy and him. And such illusionary talking exposes his irrationality: “what do you have to eat?” The boy asked. “A pot of yellow rice with fish. Do you want some? ” “ No, I will eat at home.” “ Do you want me to make the fire?” “No, I will make it later on. I may eat the rice cold.” “May I take the cast ?” “Of course.” 17 In fact they have neither rice nor fish, nor the cast . Yet everyday they share in the illusion with different attitudes Manolin is being sympathetic when he tries to keep the lies, whereas Santiago indulges in the illusion because of his weakness in character. But such weakness doesn?t make the guy low, but makes him lovable and closer to humanity. Santiago maintains the dignity when he has neither rice nor fish, nor the cast . 2. Santiago’s Undefeated Spirit Santiago maintains great dignity in all situations, although he lost everything. The importance is that he maintains a sense of honor. Santiago certainly does embody this code, which is essentially one of dignity rather than “success.” Santiago, despite his age and poverty, is a ?man? in the fullest sense of the world. Although his strength is gone， his endurance and courage permit him to conquer the Marlin. Even faced with defeat, he does not quit。 he loves the sea； he is relying on the sea. What he wants must e from the sea. That is why he always thought of the sea as ?lamar? which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her. But he must defeat her and subdue her because sometimes she is very selfwilled and cruel. Therefore, he must use his mind to deal with the big Marlin, and subdue it pletely. This is just where Santiago?s psychological contradiction exists and shows how lonely Santiago is! He does not want to kill Marlin at once, because in the great sea, Marlin is one of his panions and friends after all. If he kills it, he will be left alone. So he says, “Fish,” “I love you and respect you very much.” “Never have I seem a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer, or more noble thing than you, brother.” 4 But the aim of his sailing out to sea reminds him of the mission he must carry out. Killing the fish is for supporting himself, and also for supporting many other people. Just like what he says, “I did it to keep me alive and feed many people.” 5 Moreover, as a fisherman, all his dignity and glory depends on whether he can fulfill t