On the morning of the third day Santiago is spending time with a small bird when the marlin unexpectedly moves and cuts his hand. Both of his hands are now cut and he decides to eat the tuna to gain strength. The old man had thought he was alone in the ocean but then realizes that he could never be alone when he was on the ocean. After this revelation the marlin leaps into the air and Santiago realizes how big it is. The marlin is the biggest he has ever seen and is two feet longer than his boat. As the day goes on and the marlin slows back down Santiago begins to pray, wanting to try everything to catch this fish. Santiago begins to struggle with the decision to kill the fish. He believes that the fish is noble and great. As the day continues he begins to think about DiMaggio again and what he would do if he was battling with the marlin. Later that night he catches and kills a dolphin. He eats some of the meat and one of the fish he found inside of it. He considers the stars, the moon, and the marlin his friend, but is glad he doesn’t have to hunt something as precious as the stars and moon. He still struggles with killing the marlin, but he knows he needs to. He thinks of the many people it will feed, but thinks the fish is too noble for them to deserve to eat it. Realizing he should be sleeping he eats some of the meat of the dolphin and one of the fish he found inside of it and then goes to sleep. He dreams of dolphins, his home, and the African lions again.
Santiago’s character gains even more facets. The reader realizes his kind-hearted nature because he thinks of everything as his friends. The marlin also is developed more being described as great and noble.
The significance of this day is the battle Santiago has within himself about the marlin. He feels the fish is very great, but he needs to kill it because that is the way life works. The symbolism of the marlin being strong and beautiful and also representing Santiago is noteworthy figurative language.
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