【正文】 n 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。 knowing that he has no chance against the sharks, he continues the struggle against them. For Santiago, a man who struggles against fate will not be defeated. You can destroy him, but you can never defeat him. This is the essential truth of the “Hemingway code.” And Hemingway defines the theme: the will to challenge and maintain dignity in the face of adversity. Santiago lost the fight against the sharks but he was not afraid. His value lies in the fact that he rose from his failure and regained his confidence. The success alone is meaningless without the initial setback. Santiago obtained more experience and taught them to Manolin. The Marlin he hooked had nothing left but a skeleton, but it won great love and respect for him. To us readers, the relationship between the protagonist and the Marlin somewhat embodies the very existence and faith of human beings. The Marlin is graceful and noble, and its existence supports Santiago?s life and his faith. Yet the sharks are those dark forces that are destructive to human life. They are indicative of all the violence and injustice in the world. For them Santiago has no respect. What he has is but ruthless revenge and a desire to conquer. In the end he loses, but he is glorious. Hemingway vividly creates an image of a tough man. Santiago emerges as a guy who reflects the author39。 then he kills another with greater difficulty. But a quarter of the best marlin meat is now gone. The old man apologizes to it and decides to defend what is left of him. He waits for the next ones, wishing it might turn out well. Later, he kills a third galano, which has destroyed more of the Marlin, and in the process his knife blade breaks. But the old man still thinks, “I am too old to club sharks to death. But I will try it as long as I have the oars and the short club and tiller.” 12 At the third stage es. Two more sharks appear at sunset. The old man is unable to kill them but injures them with a club made from an old broken oar. He thinks, “If I could have used a bat with two hands I could have killed them surely.” And he asks himself , “What will you do now if they e in the night? What can you do?” He answers, “I will fight them until I die.” 13 At the fourth stage, sharks e in a pack. Santiago fights them with a club and even with the skill?s tiller, but the fight is useless. The sharks have eaten the Marlin up, leaving only a skeleton for him. Santiago?s second battle with the sharks, though shorter in duration, is at least an intense as the fight with the Marlin. It shows Santiago?s courage and endurance in many ways. He has used almost all his strength in fighting with the Marlin and now he has to fight by the limits of his strength. With hardly any strength left, he still holds on to the last moment. Though he knows the fight is useless, he will not give up. Only when he brings the Marlin back to the shore will his fellow fishermen e to realize his value again. It is certain that he is not likely to win in this cruel battle, but he cares little about it. What he really cares in the fight is that he continues t