Santiago's skiff, his fishing boat, is also his entire
world. He obtains his livelihood when fishing from his skiff. He stores tools of his
trade (the fishing lines, the fish to be used as bait, the harpoon, the gaff, the net
and sails) on his skiff when he leaves for a fishing trip. He carries food to care for
himself - frequently caught from the sea and eaten raw - on the skiff. He sleeps on it,
works on it, observes the world around him from it, and takes care of it so it can care
for him.
When the skiff is threatened by sharks attacking
his catch, he fights them off to the best of his ability, just as, in life, Santiago
fights off those who would say he is too old and has run out of luck. The skiff allows
Santiago to preserve his pride, showing all those in the village that he is still
capable of catching an incredible animal and surviving a terrible struggle to bring it
home. Despite tremendous difficulties, Santiago and the skiff will return to go fishing
another day.
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