Decisions, something we face every day. Whether deciding what you want for lunch or if you can take that big vacation these choices are all of the most importance. Making decisions can make or brake your day, and without you knowing, can change another persons life. In The Old Man and the Sea the two protagonists, the old man, Santiago, and the little boy, Manolin, are torn apart when Santiago goes out deep sea fishing. Manolin has to stay and fish with people that he does not like, to respect his father's wishes. Even though Manolin desperately wanted to go with Santiago he made his decision to stay with the fishermen that he didn't like. This decision was not as little as it may seem because while Santiago was out at sea he had caught a huge marlin! Manolin had made the choice to stay home and he had missed this once in a lifetime chance, even though this seemed like the wrong decision, it had many rewarding results.
While Santiago was at sea Manolin was worried each day and would check his house to see if he had returned. Manolin had felt so strongly for the old man and loved him that he wanted to make sure that he was being cared for and that he was okay. Everyday the boy would go fishing and when he came back he would check. After fishing so long with Santiago the boy seemed to almost be a caretaker for him and would be his strength and keep and eye on him. When the old man did not return after so many days at sea Manolin it seemed that Manolin had felt that he was to blame if anything had happened because he chose not to go with him and help him. Even though the boy could not be Santiago's strength at sea he wanted to do what he could with the old man on land, "There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you." The boy's always made sure to express his compassion for the old man with him so that the old man new that Manolin was proud of him.
After days and days at sea Santiago returned with a marvelous marlin. The only problem was that the fish was not intact. He had only returned with some of the head and a very large skeleton. To the boy this meant nothing, the only thing that he cared about was Santiago and that he had made it home safely. When he had gotten off the boat I could sense that the boy was overjoyed and that he was also relieved that the man was safe,” The boy saw that the old man was breathing and then he saw the old man's hands and he started to cry...and all the way down the road he was crying." When the old man came home he went to his house and slept the rest of the day away. The boy patiently stayed with him and got him food for when he awoke. The boy was so delighted to have him to care for and didn't want him to ever leave again. The love between the old man and the young boy was a very warm and glowing aspect that you could sense.
Santiago returned and the boy vowed to always fish with him,” I know you did not leave me because you doubted me", no matter what his father wanted. That way he would always be happy and enjoy fishing and not think of it as just a job. The old man had proved himself lucky and a good fisherman. He did not gain much respect because the fish was not intact. In the boys eyes this was a marvelous catch and one that he would admire forever. Since he made the mistake of choosing not to go with the old man. He didn't want to make such a foolish mistake again so he made yet another important decision to the story. He decided that he would stay with the old man. I felt that this was the most important decision in the story because now neither the boy nor the old man would be alone.
In the book the author makes the decisions critical to the book. These decisions affect the reader and the book itself. The book would have been very different if the boy had gone with the old man and helped him with the fish. The decisions, big or small all have consequences similar to the ones that I mentioned above. If decisions weren't made nothing would change. So decisions are important for not only literature but also for life.
