Where did you wash? the boy thought. The village water supply was two streets down the road. I must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel. Why am I so thoughtless? I must get him another shirt and a jacket for the winter and some sort of shoes and another blanket.

When Manolin brings food to Santiago, Santiago says he needed time to wash up before eating. Here, Manolin wonders where Santiago found water and chastises himself for not proactively anticipating all of Santiago’s needs. Even though Santiago seems self-sufficient, Manolin worries for him and feels the need to take care of him since Santiago has taught him so much.

If the boy were here he could rub it for me and loosen it down from the forearm, he thought.

When Santiago gets a cramp in his hand while out at sea, he thinks of how Manolin would be able to help him if he were there. Santiago thinks of Manolin often while at sea, showing how much he relies on the boy to do things that he cannot. Although Santiago exhibits great pride, he knows his own weaknesses and values his friendship with Manolin enough to let him help.

Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I must not deceive myself too much.

After Santiago kills the marlin, he considers the fact that “everything kills everything else in some way.” At first, he thinks that fishing keeps him alive, but corrects himself and states that Manolin, in fact, keeps him alive. Manolin keeps Santiago alive not only by taking care of him, but also by learning from Santiago. As the old Santiago approaches death, the skills he passes along will live on in Manolin.

I hope no one has been too worried. There is only the boy to worry, of course. But I am sure he would have confidence.

As Santiago heads back to land, he thinks about people who may be worried about him because he has been gone for several days. As he has no family of his own, he thinks of only Manolin. Yet he trusts that, despite his worry, Manolin will have faith in him. He knows that Manolin respects his skills as a fisherman and would not wonder if Santiago had gotten lost.

The boy saw that the old man was breathing and then he saw the old man’s hands and he started to cry. He went out very quietly to go to bring some coffee and all the way down the road he was crying.

The narrator describes the scene when Manolin finds Santiago alive and asleep in his shack. Overcome with relief that Santiago is home and pain upon seeing the state of Santiago’s hands, Manolin begins to cry. Manolin’s reaction reveals his deep love and respect for Santiago. Even though Santiago felt sure Manolin wasn’t worried about him, Manolin felt extreme worry during Santiago’s absence.

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