Perseverance In The Old Man And The Sea, By Neal Shusterman

Only individuals who are patient and who have a strong determination can achieve their goals through the means of persevering. Many people may fail at persevering through tasks because they are often times difficult. Many times, people get discouraged and quit. As Samuel Johnson once said, “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance”. This quote explains how the best outcomes come from persistence. Whenever one is faced with a problem, they are tempted to ignore it, rather than solve it. However, by not giving up and working diligently until this problem is solved, a desirable outcome will result. This quote and concept is shown furthermore in the works, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and in Unwind by Neal Shusterman.
Even though he is an experienced fisherman, he has gone 48 days without catching a single fish. Due to this, he has acquired the nickname ‘Salao’, which is a form of dreadful unluckiness. He is perceived as being so unlucky that Manolin, his companion, has been forbidden to fish with him. His parents commanded him to fish on another vessel with more success. Through it all, Santiago keeps an optimistic attitude stating, “Only I have no luck anymore. But who knows? Maybe today. Everyday is a new day” (Hemingway page 32). This mindset shows how the character of Santiago is not one who is easily discouraged. He has been coming home every day for over a month with an empty skiff. Yet, he has not reached the point of defeat, or giving up. He believes every day is a new day. Not only does he have tremendous optimism, but he also shows a considerable amount of self-confidence. Even though every other fisherman thinks he is wasting his time and is unlucky, Santiago goes fishing anyway. He does not picture himself as a being elderly, unlucky, or weak. Instead, he believes that he is equal to any other