If anyone has the time to take a loot at my term paper, i would appreciate feedback immensely. The assignment was to write an essay comparing an aspect of three different choice books. Give feedback!!!!!
AP la Term Paper: The Sailors mentality (Moby Dick)
Essay comparing a common aspect of three books of literary merit (i chose Moby Dick, story of a shipwrecked sailor, and Benito Cereno) for my AP LA class.
The Sailor Mentality
Naturally, human beings don't dare venture out into the mysterious blue mass we call the sea. Our element is on land, and accordingly it takes a certain kind of abnormal person to make that brave venture out into the deep, and an even more bizarre person who chooses to make their living there. Those few are called sailors, and their distinct personalities make up the sailor mentality. In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Benito Cereno, by Herman Melville, the protagonists of each book all share similar qualities of self-determination, self reliance, and a shared attachment to the sea, that together are unique to sailors, separating themselves from society, and making it possible for them to achieve what most people cannot.
In each of these stories, the protagonists have a distinct sailor mentality that is characterized by self- reliance, and a certain connection with their surroundings. The mentality is reflected in the famous opening section of Moby Dick by Herman Melville when he writes; "With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me" (Melville, 2). When examined, the sailor mentality is primarily defined by certain self reliance, individuality, physical and mental toughness, and a connection with one's surroundings that results in a deep understanding of the natural world around them, and the ability to look ahead in the future. These traits are displayed to various degrees by Hemingway's Santiago, Melville's Captain Delano, and the real life Luis Alejandro Velasco, from Marquez's The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor.
Santiago, or the old man, throughout Hemingway's The Old Man and Sea, epitomizes the sailor mentality. Santiago constantly exemplifies individuality and the ability to know deep in his soul that he is right even when all odds and evidence points against him. At the beginning of the novella Santiago is in a seemingly pathetic state, after not catching a single fish for weeks. Yet he still maintains complete confidence and a knowing that his time will come and the bad luck won't be permanent. The mentality is demonstrated when he speaks with "the boy" who used to work on his boat, but has now been forced by his parents to switch to a luckier vessel,
"You're with a lucky boat. Stay with them."
But remember how you went eighty-seven days without fish and then caught big ones every day for three weeks."
"I remember," the old man said. "I know you did not leave me because you doubted."
"It was papa made me leave. I am a boy I must obey him."
"I know," the old man said. "It is quite normal."
"He hasn't much faith."
"No," the old man said. "But we have. Haven't we?" (Hemmingway, 10)
In this conversation, the boy's parents' outlook reflects the mentality of everyone else in the poor Cuban fishing village. They believe that the old man is a washed up over-ripened fisherman, who isn't fit to fish and is making a fool of himself. In her essay, "Toward a fifth Dimension in The Old Man and The Sea," Anna Sheets-Nesbitt describes the Father's mentality as, "so lacking in understanding that he judges by quantity rather than quality of experience" (269). The boy's own mentality is reflective of that of Santiago, which is essentially the faith and knowledge that all bad things must end and his day will come. Santiago's hardy individualism is again reflected on the boat, when he is talking to himself. "It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea and the old man had always considered it so and respected it. But now he said his thoughts aloud many times since there was no one that they could annoy" (Hemingway, 39). Here, Santiago's private actions reflect his unique individualism and ability to follow the beat of his own drum, a key characteristic of the sailor's mentality.
Santiago exemplifies the sailor mentality as well through his self-reliance and connection to nature and his surroundings. Throughout his journey he demonstrates how connected he is with the natural world. In repeated instances he uses natural cues around him in order to ensure his survival and success in catching the fish. On one occasion Santiago sees a Man of War bird circling over a point on the sea, and makes the connection that there is a large dolphin under the area where the bird is flying (Hemingway, 33-34). This is a prime example of Santiago's connection to the sea and the natural world around him, a distinct trait of the sailor mentality, as well as a reflection of just how much experience he has acquired over his many years at sea. Hemingway illustrates another instance when Santiago is far out at sea being pulled by the fish in a position where darkness is coming and no land is in sight. While doom seems to be near, Santiago, because of his knowledge of the environment around him, is confident he won't be lost. "Then he looked behind him and saw that there was no land visible. That makes no difference he thought, I can always come in on the glow form Havana . . . I have no cramps and I feel strong, it is he that has the hook in his mouth" (Hemingway, 46). Santiago is clearly aware and knowledgeable about his surroundings. Furthermore the passage touches on Santiago's self-determination, and physical and mental toughness, which are all distinct aspects of the sailor mentality. Later, Santiago describes another way in which he is connected and knowledgeable about nature, "He did not need a compass to tell him where southwest was. He only needed the feel of the trade wind and the drawing of the sail" (Hemingway, 97). For a man to be able to tell where he is only by the wind shows just how much he knows about how everything works in the natural world. Hemingway shows the old man's knowledge about weather at sea in an instance when he's on the boat after catching the fish. "They sailed well and the old man soaked his hands in the salt water, and tried to keep his head clear. There were high cumulous clouds and enough cirrus above them, so that the old man knew the breeze would last all night" (Hemingway, 99). His ability to observe various weather patterns and make a connection between those patterns and what will happen in a few hours, shows just how in tune he is with the sea. Santiago exemplifies his knowledge of the sea as well as the mechanism of the natural world around him, which is a major aspect of the sailor mentality.
Another reoccurring aspect of the sailor mentality reflected by Santiago is a certain self-reliance and distinct physical and mental toughness. Santiago is completely sure of himself, and having lived most of his life already, he is completely at peace with himself. "He no longer dreams of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor of fights, nor of contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now, and of the lions on the beach" (Hemingway, 25). The Old Man is clearly content with himself, and doesn't care anymore about achieving traditionally heroic things. He is perfectly at peace. According to Richard B. Hovey in his essay, "The Old Man and the Sea: A New Hemingway Hero," Santiago isn't desperate but is, "...without inward violence. He is more or less at peace with himself" (283). On his way back after suffering multiple shark attacks on his large fish, Santiago exhibits a mental toughness when, even after all the attacks, he is still alert and thinking of ways to make his situation just a little bit better. "He knew quite well the pattern of what could happen when he reached the inner part of the current. But there was nothing to be done now. 'Yet there is,' he said aloud. 'I can lash my knife to the butt of one of the ores.' He did that with the tiller under his arm and the sheet of the sail under his foot" (Hemingway,104). This shows just how mentally tough he during bad situations where most would be inactive in despair. Instead he finds a way to make his situation just a little bit better. Santiago says "It is easy when he is beaten, he thought. I never knew how easy it was. And what beat you, he thought. Nothing. I went out too far (Hemingway, 120)." He does not blame himself for his situation, showing mental toughness and inner peace. At the same time he is humbling himself to the powers of nature and the sea around him, admitting he had gone out too far. While defending his fish from the hungry sharks, Santiago shows a flourish of physical toughness, "When he saw the shark he leaned over the side and punched at him. He hit only meat and the hide was set hard, and he barley got the knife in. The blow hurt not only his hands but his shoulder too. But the shark came up fast with his head out, and the old man hit him squarely in the center of his flat top head as his nose came out of the water and lay against the fish" (Hemingway, 120). Clearly even in his old age, Santiago is capable of showing signs of physical toughness, ultimately allowing him to defeat enemies such as the shark who are much stronger and better armored than he is.
Luis Alejandro Velasco from The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor demonstrates the distinct qualities of the sailor mentality as well, namely, self-humility. In Marquez's first impression of him he writes, "My first surprise was that this solidly built twenty-year-old, who looked more like a trumpet player than a national hero, had an exceptional instinct for the art of narrative, and astonishing memory and ability to synthesize and enough uncultivated dignity to be able to laugh at his own heroism" (Marquez, vII). Marquez goes on to write of his admiration towards the young sailor, who by exposing that the naval vessel which had sunk, not because of an unruly storm, as what was thought, but because they were carrying a large amount of contraband, lost his status as a national hero. When describing the sailor he writes, "Life has left behind the serene aura of a hero who had had the courage to dynamite his own statue" (Marquez, IX). This shows just how much he has sacrificed by telling the truth and being honest. According to an article written by Juanita Darling for the Los Angeles Times, about the life of Velasco, written the day after he died from cancer, she states that Garcia Marquez later wrote, "It cost him his glory and his career..." (Darling, 1). To have such strong morals, that you destroy your own image as a national hero just on a matter of principals, shows a lot of self humility, and strong virtue, which are major traits of the sailor mentality.
Keeping in stride with the sailor mentality, Velasco demonstrates an almost supernatural amount of physical and mental toughness, which ultimately allows him to survive ten plus days sans water or food. In one instance, after being stranded on his little dingy for days on end, just when he's about to give up hope and resolve to die he says that, "I slept face down with my back to the burning sun. I did it without pity for my body. I knew that if I stayed that way until nightfall I would die" (Marquez, 84). While in this state he either sees or hallucinates a giant yellow turtle swimming lazily along side his dingy, "The terrible vision rekindled my fear. But fear revived me. I grabbed the stunted oar, sat down and prepared for battle, with this monster or any other that might try and over turn the raft" (Marquez, 77). This essentially demonstrates the fact that no matter how hard he tries he cannot succumb himself to death, and something inside him makes him keep fighting to survive. Another instance occurs while on the raft where the shipwrecked sailor essentially uses a painful sensation as a motivation to stay alive, exhibiting severe mental and physical toughness. "At day break the wind turned ice again. I had a fever. I was shivering, chilled to the bone. My right knee began to hurt. The salt from the sea had kept the wound dry but it was still raw, as on the first day, though I had taken care not to injure it further. As I lay face down holding my knee against the floor of the raft, the wound throbbed painfully. I know believe that the wound saved my life. As if through clouds, I began to feel the pain. It forced me to notice my body" (Marquez, 80-81). This not only shows a surge of physical toughness to be able to endure such pain, but also mental toughness to be able to use the pain to push his body even farther in the continuous effort for survival. Velasco exemplifies both the mental and physical toughness in essentially his last act before being rescued. Upon seeing land after ten days at sea he decides to make a brave swim towards shore, battling a powerful undertow, and exhibiting a tremendous amount of physical and mental drive, "The golden coconut palms began to sway before my eyes...The thought that I might be in quicksand gave me tremendous energy-a vitality born of terror-and painfully, without mercy for my raw fingertips, I went on crawling against the force of the undertow" (Marquez, 88). After successfully managing to climb onto the beach he writes, "I lay exhausted on the warm, hard beach, not thinking about anything, not thanking anyone, not even rejoicing that, by force of will, hope and an indefatigable desire to live, I had found this stretch of silent, unknown beach" (Marquez, 89). During his last climactic struggle to survive, Velasco shows just how determined and mentally driven he is. This extreme perseverance is a distinct aspect of the sailor mentality. While many in this situation would turn over and give up facing the unbearable pain, and strong undertow, a sailor like Velasco pushes on driven by a mixture of fear and otherworldly determination.
Velasco shows an enormous amount of intelligence as well, mostly in demonstrating his ability to look ahead and anticipate the next challenge. On his first day alone on the raft, Velasco is already planning on what he'll do if he sees a plane, "I already had a plan: when I saw them (the plane) I would try to row toward them; then when they were overhead I would stand up in the raft and signal to them with my shirt" (Marquez, 26). This shows just how prepared he is for the event of a plane actually coming within sight of him. This ability to be prepared for any situation is a distinctive trait of the sailor mentality, exhibited with all three heroes of each book. The trait is displayed again after a plane that flies right over him fails to see him and flies back to shore, "I reached a very important conclusion: the point from which the planes had first appeared was undoubtedly Cartagena. The point where the black plane had disappeared was over Panama" (Marquez, 28). This deduction in finding his bearings is reminiscent of how Santiago found his bearings just by feeling the direction of the wind. A sailor is never entirely lost at sea.
While he is at sea, Velasco demonstrates his self-reliance and connections with his natural environment. These qualities are what essentially allow him to survive ten days at sea. Velasco shows a keen understanding of the behavior of the seagull, that could only have been acquired from a life on the sea. "If you lay down in a village square hoping to catch a seagull you could lay there your whole life without succeeding, but a hundred miles from shore is different ... At sea they're very cocky" (Marquez, 52). Clearly he is in tune and understanding of a major part of the environment around him, the seagulls. Velasco then goes on to say, "I lay so still that the playful little seagull perching on my thigh probably thought I was dead... I grabbed it by the wing, leaped to the middle of the raft and prepared to devour it" (Marquez, 52). Velasco not only shows an enormous amount of patience and planning by allowing the seagull to climb all over him, pecking at his leg, but he also exhibits an extreme understanding of the nature and behavior patterns of the Seagulls.
Captain Delano, from Benito Cereno, exhibits the sailor mentality in unique and much more subtle ways. It's clear when taking a look at his character from a large scope his mindset is every bit, if not more, as set to the sailor mentality as the other characters. Even though at times he seem overly trusting. "Captain Delano's surprise might have deepened into some uneasiness had he not been a person of a singularly un-distrustful good nature, not liable, except on extraordinary and repeated incentives, and hardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way involving the imputation of malign evil in man" (Melville, 162). Delano is clearly a complicated character, but throughout the novella, he shows many instances of self-reliance, individuality, a connection with weather and nature, and also the ability to look and plan ahead.
Captain Delano constantly illustrates a connection with nature, and essentially uses it as a guiding source in much the same way Santiago thinks of it as a kind of deity. Whenever he's unsure of things, for the most part, he looks to nature and the weather for the answers, even though most of the time the nature is misleading. When Delano is questioning Cereno's motives, and reasons for acting so peculiar, he looks to nature to reassure and guide him, "These mild trades that now fan your cheek, do they not come with a human-like healing to you? Warm friends steadfast friends are the Trades" (Melville, 190). Delano makes the assumption that because the weather is nice, then Cereno's desperation is probably wrong and misguided. In an article entitled "The idea of nature in 'Benito Cerino.'" by Terry J. Matin, he writes, "Delano turns to nature not only for reassurance but also for guidance and support. Nature Seems for Delano to exhibit a direct interest in human affairs, in which it actively intervenes. Thus, even the most trivial occurrence, such as a pleasant tropical breeze, may convey a moral message to Delano" (161). Matin, reinforces the idea, that not only is nature used as a reflection of the occurrences in the book, but also as a guiding source for the decisions, and events made by Delano. In a sense Delano relies just as much on nature as a guiding factor as he relies on logic and reason. In another instance, near the end of the book, when all is said and done, Delano is trying to convince Don Benito to be happy with the outcome and move on, "You generalize, Don Benito; and mournfully enough. But the past is passed; why moralize upon it? Forget it. See, yon bright sun has forgotten it all, and the Blue Sea, and the blue sky; these have turned over new leaves." Benito then responds, "Because they have no memory... because they are not human" (Melville, 257). This shows just how much importance Delano places in the hands of nature. Benito's response essentially puts into perspective how irrational his reliance of nature as a guide is. Yet, however you see it, the connection Delano has with nature is a key aspect of his own sailor mentality.
By virtue of his sailor mentality, Delano also displays a certain amount of self-reliance and individuality throughout his staying on the pirated Spanish ship. During the story he's constantly looking ahead, planning, and trying to figure out people and their motives, which exemplifies his ability to anticipate the future, a quality distinct to the sailor mentality. In his essay, "The American Charity in Benito Cereno and gothic anti-sentimentality," Peter Coviello describes Delano's peculiar habit of twisting reality in his head, "Instead, he gathers in all the ship's gothic intimations, and there are many, and tirelessly insists on rearranging them into a manifestly sentimental textual order: suspicions gives way to 'compassion,' pirate ships turn into household boats, and the 'ugly passions' slavery breeds become for Delano, in a twinkling, 'but a sort of love-quarrel, after all'" (17). Even though his character is trusting as described by the narration, "Captain Delano's surprise might have deepened into some uneasiness had he not been a person of singularly undistrustfull good nature, and hardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way expecting the imputation of malign evil in man," (17) For the most part he believes everything at face value, but subconsciously he knows there's something wrong with the whole scenario on the ship. In the scene when Babo, the "slave", is shaving Benito Cereno, there are a lot of fishy things that Delano notices but outwardly dismisses. The first suspicious clue that something isn't right is when Delano notices the flag in the room isn't a Spanish flag, even though the ship was supposedly a Spanish trading ship, "Meantime the agitation of the Spaniard had a little loosened the bunting from around him, so that one broad fold swept curtain-like over the chair-arm to the floor revealing, amid a profusion of armorial bars and ground colors-black, blue, and yellow-a closed castle in a blood-red field diagonal with a lion rampant in white" (Melville, 214). This is a very suspicious scenario that Delano notices, reflecting the ability to be in tune with his surroundings, a major part of the sailor mentality.
Even though each hero has a completely different background, story, and connection to the sea, they each share one common ground, being a sailor. In these books being a sailor is more than just a job description. It implies a distinct mentality. The sailor mentality includes traits like self-reliance physical and mental toughness, individuality, a connection with surroundings and nature, and the ability to plan ahead, all of which these protagonist have, to varying extents, within their own personalities. The sea is wrought with many perils. Not just natural ones, like the unbearable weather extremes, the array of dangerous sea creatures, and the unparalleled wind; but also the dangers that lie in the fact that the sea is virtually impossible to enforce any sort of law. This lawless scenario creates ideal breading grounds for pirates. As a result the sea demands a particular mentality, and if your out there without it, you soon develop it. Santiago wasn't born able to find exactly where he was with just the wind, like wise, Velasco wasn't always able to bear ten days at sea with no shade and almost no food or water, and Delano couldn't always read a situation and recognize that something wasn't right. Each of them first had to spend a life out at sea, and as a result the developed the sailor mentality.
Bibliography
Baskett, Sam S. "Toward a 'Fith Domension' in The Old Man and the Sea." The Centennial Review. 19.4 (Fall 1975): 269-268. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna Sheets-Nesbitt. Vol. 36. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. 269-286. Literature Resource Center. Gale. SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Coviello, Peter. "The American Charity in "Benito Cereno" and gothic anti-sentimentality." Studies in American Fiction 30 (2002): Seattle Public Library.
Darling, Juanita. "Luis Velasco; 'Shipwrecked Sailor' Was His Story." Los Angles Times [Los Angles] 6 Aug. 2000, Print edition ed., B-6 sec.
Garcia-Marquez, Gabriel. The Story of A Shipwrecked Sailor. 1st Vintage international ed. New York, NY: Vintage International, 1955.
Handy, William J. "A New Dimension for a Hero: Santiago of The Old Man and the Sea." Contemporary Novels, The University of Texas. 62-69. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism Select. Detroit: Gale, 62-69. Literature Recourse Center. Gale. SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man And The Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952.
Hovey, Richard B. "The Old Man and the Sea. A New Hemingway Hero." Discourse: A Review of the Liberal Arts. 9.3 (Summer 1966): 283-294. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Literature Recource Center. Gale. SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 16 Mar. 2009.
Martin, Terry J "The Idea of Nature in Benito Cereno.'" Studies in Short Fiction. 30.2 (Spring 1993): p161 Literature Resource Center. Gale. SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 16 Mar. 2009
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Mellville, Herman. Billy Bud and Other Stories. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 1986.
Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick, edited by Charles Child Walcutt, Bantam Classic edition. New York: Bantam Books, 1981
AP la Term Paper: The Sailors mentality (Moby Dick)
Essay comparing a common aspect of three books of literary merit (i chose Moby Dick, story of a shipwrecked sailor, and Benito Cereno) for my AP LA class.
The Sailor Mentality
Naturally, human beings don't dare venture out into the mysterious blue mass we call the sea. Our element is on land, and accordingly it takes a certain kind of abnormal person to make that brave venture out into the deep, and an even more bizarre person who chooses to make their living there. Those few are called sailors, and their distinct personalities make up the sailor mentality. In The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Benito Cereno, by Herman Melville, the protagonists of each book all share similar qualities of self-determination, self reliance, and a shared attachment to the sea, that together are unique to sailors, separating themselves from society, and making it possible for them to achieve what most people cannot.
In each of these stories, the protagonists have a distinct sailor mentality that is characterized by self- reliance, and a certain connection with their surroundings. The mentality is reflected in the famous opening section of Moby Dick by Herman Melville when he writes; "With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me" (Melville, 2). When examined, the sailor mentality is primarily defined by certain self reliance, individuality, physical and mental toughness, and a connection with one's surroundings that results in a deep understanding of the natural world around them, and the ability to look ahead in the future. These traits are displayed to various degrees by Hemingway's Santiago, Melville's Captain Delano, and the real life Luis Alejandro Velasco, from Marquez's The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor.
Santiago, or the old man, throughout Hemingway's The Old Man and Sea, epitomizes the sailor mentality. Santiago constantly exemplifies individuality and the ability to know deep in his soul that he is right even when all odds and evidence points against him. At the beginning of the novella Santiago is in a seemingly pathetic state, after not catching a single fish for weeks. Yet he still maintains complete confidence and a knowing that his time will come and the bad luck won't be permanent. The mentality is demonstrated when he speaks with "the boy" who used to work on his boat, but has now been forced by his parents to switch to a luckier vessel,
"You're with a lucky boat. Stay with them."
But remember how you went eighty-seven days without fish and then caught big ones every day for three weeks."
"I remember," the old man said. "I know you did not leave me because you doubted."
"It was papa made me leave. I am a boy I must obey him."
"I know," the old man said. "It is quite normal."
"He hasn't much faith."
"No," the old man said. "But we have. Haven't we?" (Hemmingway, 10)
In this conversation, the boy's parents' outlook reflects the mentality of everyone else in the poor Cuban fishing village. They believe that the old man is a washed up over-ripened fisherman, who isn't fit to fish and is making a fool of himself. In her essay, "Toward a fifth Dimension in The Old Man and The Sea," Anna Sheets-Nesbitt describes the Father's mentality as, "so lacking in understanding that he judges by quantity rather than quality of experience" (269). The boy's own mentality is reflective of that of Santiago, which is essentially the faith and knowledge that all bad things must end and his day will come. Santiago's hardy individualism is again reflected on the boat, when he is talking to himself. "It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea and the old man had always considered it so and respected it. But now he said his thoughts aloud many times since there was no one that they could annoy" (Hemingway, 39). Here, Santiago's private actions reflect his unique individualism and ability to follow the beat of his own drum, a key characteristic of the sailor's mentality.
Santiago exemplifies the sailor mentality as well through his self-reliance and connection to nature and his surroundings. Throughout his journey he demonstrates how connected he is with the natural world. In repeated instances he uses natural cues around him in order to ensure his survival and success in catching the fish. On one occasion Santiago sees a Man of War bird circling over a point on the sea, and makes the connection that there is a large dolphin under the area where the bird is flying (Hemingway, 33-34). This is a prime example of Santiago's connection to the sea and the natural world around him, a distinct trait of the sailor mentality, as well as a reflection of just how much experience he has acquired over his many years at sea. Hemingway illustrates another instance when Santiago is far out at sea being pulled by the fish in a position where darkness is coming and no land is in sight. While doom seems to be near, Santiago, because of his knowledge of the environment around him, is confident he won't be lost. "Then he looked behind him and saw that there was no land visible. That makes no difference he thought, I can always come in on the glow form Havana . . . I have no cramps and I feel strong, it is he that has the hook in his mouth" (Hemingway, 46). Santiago is clearly aware and knowledgeable about his surroundings. Furthermore the passage touches on Santiago's self-determination, and physical and mental toughness, which are all distinct aspects of the sailor mentality. Later, Santiago describes another way in which he is connected and knowledgeable about nature, "He did not need a compass to tell him where southwest was. He only needed the feel of the trade wind and the drawing of the sail" (Hemingway, 97). For a man to be able to tell where he is only by the wind shows just how much he knows about how everything works in the natural world. Hemingway shows the old man's knowledge about weather at sea in an instance when he's on the boat after catching the fish. "They sailed well and the old man soaked his hands in the salt water, and tried to keep his head clear. There were high cumulous clouds and enough cirrus above them, so that the old man knew the breeze would last all night" (Hemingway, 99). His ability to observe various weather patterns and make a connection between those patterns and what will happen in a few hours, shows just how in tune he is with the sea. Santiago exemplifies his knowledge of the sea as well as the mechanism of the natural world around him, which is a major aspect of the sailor mentality.
Another reoccurring aspect of the sailor mentality reflected by Santiago is a certain self-reliance and distinct physical and mental toughness. Santiago is completely sure of himself, and having lived most of his life already, he is completely at peace with himself. "He no longer dreams of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor of fights, nor of contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now, and of the lions on the beach" (Hemingway, 25). The Old Man is clearly content with himself, and doesn't care anymore about achieving traditionally heroic things. He is perfectly at peace. According to Richard B. Hovey in his essay, "The Old Man and the Sea: A New Hemingway Hero," Santiago isn't desperate but is, "...without inward violence. He is more or less at peace with himself" (283). On his way back after suffering multiple shark attacks on his large fish, Santiago exhibits a mental toughness when, even after all the attacks, he is still alert and thinking of ways to make his situation just a little bit better. "He knew quite well the pattern of what could happen when he reached the inner part of the current. But there was nothing to be done now. 'Yet there is,' he said aloud. 'I can lash my knife to the butt of one of the ores.' He did that with the tiller under his arm and the sheet of the sail under his foot" (Hemingway,104). This shows just how mentally tough he during bad situations where most would be inactive in despair. Instead he finds a way to make his situation just a little bit better. Santiago says "It is easy when he is beaten, he thought. I never knew how easy it was. And what beat you, he thought. Nothing. I went out too far (Hemingway, 120)." He does not blame himself for his situation, showing mental toughness and inner peace. At the same time he is humbling himself to the powers of nature and the sea around him, admitting he had gone out too far. While defending his fish from the hungry sharks, Santiago shows a flourish of physical toughness, "When he saw the shark he leaned over the side and punched at him. He hit only meat and the hide was set hard, and he barley got the knife in. The blow hurt not only his hands but his shoulder too. But the shark came up fast with his head out, and the old man hit him squarely in the center of his flat top head as his nose came out of the water and lay against the fish" (Hemingway, 120). Clearly even in his old age, Santiago is capable of showing signs of physical toughness, ultimately allowing him to defeat enemies such as the shark who are much stronger and better armored than he is.
Luis Alejandro Velasco from The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor demonstrates the distinct qualities of the sailor mentality as well, namely, self-humility. In Marquez's first impression of him he writes, "My first surprise was that this solidly built twenty-year-old, who looked more like a trumpet player than a national hero, had an exceptional instinct for the art of narrative, and astonishing memory and ability to synthesize and enough uncultivated dignity to be able to laugh at his own heroism" (Marquez, vII). Marquez goes on to write of his admiration towards the young sailor, who by exposing that the naval vessel which had sunk, not because of an unruly storm, as what was thought, but because they were carrying a large amount of contraband, lost his status as a national hero. When describing the sailor he writes, "Life has left behind the serene aura of a hero who had had the courage to dynamite his own statue" (Marquez, IX). This shows just how much he has sacrificed by telling the truth and being honest. According to an article written by Juanita Darling for the Los Angeles Times, about the life of Velasco, written the day after he died from cancer, she states that Garcia Marquez later wrote, "It cost him his glory and his career..." (Darling, 1). To have such strong morals, that you destroy your own image as a national hero just on a matter of principals, shows a lot of self humility, and strong virtue, which are major traits of the sailor mentality.
Keeping in stride with the sailor mentality, Velasco demonstrates an almost supernatural amount of physical and mental toughness, which ultimately allows him to survive ten plus days sans water or food. In one instance, after being stranded on his little dingy for days on end, just when he's about to give up hope and resolve to die he says that, "I slept face down with my back to the burning sun. I did it without pity for my body. I knew that if I stayed that way until nightfall I would die" (Marquez, 84). While in this state he either sees or hallucinates a giant yellow turtle swimming lazily along side his dingy, "The terrible vision rekindled my fear. But fear revived me. I grabbed the stunted oar, sat down and prepared for battle, with this monster or any other that might try and over turn the raft" (Marquez, 77). This essentially demonstrates the fact that no matter how hard he tries he cannot succumb himself to death, and something inside him makes him keep fighting to survive. Another instance occurs while on the raft where the shipwrecked sailor essentially uses a painful sensation as a motivation to stay alive, exhibiting severe mental and physical toughness. "At day break the wind turned ice again. I had a fever. I was shivering, chilled to the bone. My right knee began to hurt. The salt from the sea had kept the wound dry but it was still raw, as on the first day, though I had taken care not to injure it further. As I lay face down holding my knee against the floor of the raft, the wound throbbed painfully. I know believe that the wound saved my life. As if through clouds, I began to feel the pain. It forced me to notice my body" (Marquez, 80-81). This not only shows a surge of physical toughness to be able to endure such pain, but also mental toughness to be able to use the pain to push his body even farther in the continuous effort for survival. Velasco exemplifies both the mental and physical toughness in essentially his last act before being rescued. Upon seeing land after ten days at sea he decides to make a brave swim towards shore, battling a powerful undertow, and exhibiting a tremendous amount of physical and mental drive, "The golden coconut palms began to sway before my eyes...The thought that I might be in quicksand gave me tremendous energy-a vitality born of terror-and painfully, without mercy for my raw fingertips, I went on crawling against the force of the undertow" (Marquez, 88). After successfully managing to climb onto the beach he writes, "I lay exhausted on the warm, hard beach, not thinking about anything, not thanking anyone, not even rejoicing that, by force of will, hope and an indefatigable desire to live, I had found this stretch of silent, unknown beach" (Marquez, 89). During his last climactic struggle to survive, Velasco shows just how determined and mentally driven he is. This extreme perseverance is a distinct aspect of the sailor mentality. While many in this situation would turn over and give up facing the unbearable pain, and strong undertow, a sailor like Velasco pushes on driven by a mixture of fear and otherworldly determination.
Velasco shows an enormous amount of intelligence as well, mostly in demonstrating his ability to look ahead and anticipate the next challenge. On his first day alone on the raft, Velasco is already planning on what he'll do if he sees a plane, "I already had a plan: when I saw them (the plane) I would try to row toward them; then when they were overhead I would stand up in the raft and signal to them with my shirt" (Marquez, 26). This shows just how prepared he is for the event of a plane actually coming within sight of him. This ability to be prepared for any situation is a distinctive trait of the sailor mentality, exhibited with all three heroes of each book. The trait is displayed again after a plane that flies right over him fails to see him and flies back to shore, "I reached a very important conclusion: the point from which the planes had first appeared was undoubtedly Cartagena. The point where the black plane had disappeared was over Panama" (Marquez, 28). This deduction in finding his bearings is reminiscent of how Santiago found his bearings just by feeling the direction of the wind. A sailor is never entirely lost at sea.
While he is at sea, Velasco demonstrates his self-reliance and connections with his natural environment. These qualities are what essentially allow him to survive ten days at sea. Velasco shows a keen understanding of the behavior of the seagull, that could only have been acquired from a life on the sea. "If you lay down in a village square hoping to catch a seagull you could lay there your whole life without succeeding, but a hundred miles from shore is different ... At sea they're very cocky" (Marquez, 52). Clearly he is in tune and understanding of a major part of the environment around him, the seagulls. Velasco then goes on to say, "I lay so still that the playful little seagull perching on my thigh probably thought I was dead... I grabbed it by the wing, leaped to the middle of the raft and prepared to devour it" (Marquez, 52). Velasco not only shows an enormous amount of patience and planning by allowing the seagull to climb all over him, pecking at his leg, but he also exhibits an extreme understanding of the nature and behavior patterns of the Seagulls.
Captain Delano, from Benito Cereno, exhibits the sailor mentality in unique and much more subtle ways. It's clear when taking a look at his character from a large scope his mindset is every bit, if not more, as set to the sailor mentality as the other characters. Even though at times he seem overly trusting. "Captain Delano's surprise might have deepened into some uneasiness had he not been a person of a singularly un-distrustful good nature, not liable, except on extraordinary and repeated incentives, and hardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way involving the imputation of malign evil in man" (Melville, 162). Delano is clearly a complicated character, but throughout the novella, he shows many instances of self-reliance, individuality, a connection with weather and nature, and also the ability to look and plan ahead.
Captain Delano constantly illustrates a connection with nature, and essentially uses it as a guiding source in much the same way Santiago thinks of it as a kind of deity. Whenever he's unsure of things, for the most part, he looks to nature and the weather for the answers, even though most of the time the nature is misleading. When Delano is questioning Cereno's motives, and reasons for acting so peculiar, he looks to nature to reassure and guide him, "These mild trades that now fan your cheek, do they not come with a human-like healing to you? Warm friends steadfast friends are the Trades" (Melville, 190). Delano makes the assumption that because the weather is nice, then Cereno's desperation is probably wrong and misguided. In an article entitled "The idea of nature in 'Benito Cerino.'" by Terry J. Matin, he writes, "Delano turns to nature not only for reassurance but also for guidance and support. Nature Seems for Delano to exhibit a direct interest in human affairs, in which it actively intervenes. Thus, even the most trivial occurrence, such as a pleasant tropical breeze, may convey a moral message to Delano" (161). Matin, reinforces the idea, that not only is nature used as a reflection of the occurrences in the book, but also as a guiding source for the decisions, and events made by Delano. In a sense Delano relies just as much on nature as a guiding factor as he relies on logic and reason. In another instance, near the end of the book, when all is said and done, Delano is trying to convince Don Benito to be happy with the outcome and move on, "You generalize, Don Benito; and mournfully enough. But the past is passed; why moralize upon it? Forget it. See, yon bright sun has forgotten it all, and the Blue Sea, and the blue sky; these have turned over new leaves." Benito then responds, "Because they have no memory... because they are not human" (Melville, 257). This shows just how much importance Delano places in the hands of nature. Benito's response essentially puts into perspective how irrational his reliance of nature as a guide is. Yet, however you see it, the connection Delano has with nature is a key aspect of his own sailor mentality.
By virtue of his sailor mentality, Delano also displays a certain amount of self-reliance and individuality throughout his staying on the pirated Spanish ship. During the story he's constantly looking ahead, planning, and trying to figure out people and their motives, which exemplifies his ability to anticipate the future, a quality distinct to the sailor mentality. In his essay, "The American Charity in Benito Cereno and gothic anti-sentimentality," Peter Coviello describes Delano's peculiar habit of twisting reality in his head, "Instead, he gathers in all the ship's gothic intimations, and there are many, and tirelessly insists on rearranging them into a manifestly sentimental textual order: suspicions gives way to 'compassion,' pirate ships turn into household boats, and the 'ugly passions' slavery breeds become for Delano, in a twinkling, 'but a sort of love-quarrel, after all'" (17). Even though his character is trusting as described by the narration, "Captain Delano's surprise might have deepened into some uneasiness had he not been a person of singularly undistrustfull good nature, and hardly then, to indulge in personal alarms, any way expecting the imputation of malign evil in man," (17) For the most part he believes everything at face value, but subconsciously he knows there's something wrong with the whole scenario on the ship. In the scene when Babo, the "slave", is shaving Benito Cereno, there are a lot of fishy things that Delano notices but outwardly dismisses. The first suspicious clue that something isn't right is when Delano notices the flag in the room isn't a Spanish flag, even though the ship was supposedly a Spanish trading ship, "Meantime the agitation of the Spaniard had a little loosened the bunting from around him, so that one broad fold swept curtain-like over the chair-arm to the floor revealing, amid a profusion of armorial bars and ground colors-black, blue, and yellow-a closed castle in a blood-red field diagonal with a lion rampant in white" (Melville, 214). This is a very suspicious scenario that Delano notices, reflecting the ability to be in tune with his surroundings, a major part of the sailor mentality.
Even though each hero has a completely different background, story, and connection to the sea, they each share one common ground, being a sailor. In these books being a sailor is more than just a job description. It implies a distinct mentality. The sailor mentality includes traits like self-reliance physical and mental toughness, individuality, a connection with surroundings and nature, and the ability to plan ahead, all of which these protagonist have, to varying extents, within their own personalities. The sea is wrought with many perils. Not just natural ones, like the unbearable weather extremes, the array of dangerous sea creatures, and the unparalleled wind; but also the dangers that lie in the fact that the sea is virtually impossible to enforce any sort of law. This lawless scenario creates ideal breading grounds for pirates. As a result the sea demands a particular mentality, and if your out there without it, you soon develop it. Santiago wasn't born able to find exactly where he was with just the wind, like wise, Velasco wasn't always able to bear ten days at sea with no shade and almost no food or water, and Delano couldn't always read a situation and recognize that something wasn't right. Each of them first had to spend a life out at sea, and as a result the developed the sailor mentality.
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