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Santiago's interaction with the sea is portrayed as a masculine/feminine dichotomy. Hemingway describes the interaction of other fisherman with the sea as strictly a masculine competition, while Santiago instead dances with a wife, a gentle and beautiful partner that can also be cruel, wild, and wicked, but only because that is her nature and not because she wants to be.
He sees the beautiful jellyfish in the same feminine way as the sea, but he identifies with the giant sea turtles that prey on the man of wars, and enjoyed watching them consume their prey during the many years that he worked on a turtle boat. He likens his own heart with the turtles, which can continue beating for hours after removal from their bodies.
The story is also a metaphor for viewing his long life from the perspective of nearing its end. The sting that he received earlier in his life from a man of war jellyfish didn't destroy his vision of its beauty, but his encounter with one late in his life reminds him of the bitterness that often derives from feminine wiles, and just maybe he misses the passion of those encounters. His hatred of the jellyfish sting coexists with his love for their beauty, and at the sunset of his life, he can finally see that both emotions are required parts of the dance.
Or not, your opinion may vary.
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What does Santiago think of the portuguese man of war in The Old Man and the Sea?
In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago the fisherman views the Portuguese man-of-war as a beautiful but dangerous creature of the sea. He respects its ability to survive in the harsh ocean environment, but also recognizes the threat it poses with its venomous tentacles.
Why does Santiago hate the Portuguese man-of-war?
Santiago hates the jellyfish because they attach their stinging tentacles to his lines, so when he pulls them up he ends up with sore and blistering hands from the jellyfish's poison. There's supposed to be a second less discreet answer, but I'm not too sure what it is.
Where is the Portuguese man-of-war's mostly found?
The Portuguese Man o' War is Carribean.
Do Portuguese man of war have backbones?
A Portuguese man of war is similar to a jellyfish, so it has no backbone.
What does a Portuguese man-o-war eat?
a Portuguese man of war eats small fish
When was Portuguese Man o' War created?
Portuguese Man o' War was created in 1758.
What zone does the Portuguese man o' war live in?
The Portuguese man o' war lives in the Atlantic Ocean.
When a Portuguese man of war bites you it will go off?
Portuguese man of war is a siphonophore, when it stings you, you die
Which coelenterate is called Portuguese man of war?
(Portuguese) man of war is Physalia physalis, a siphonophore hydrozoan. Or, a jellyfish.
Where is the Portuguese man of war found?
The portuguese man of war can be found in warm oceans all over the world.
Can a Portuguese man-of-war kill a jellyfish?
great question, yes a portuguese man-of-war can kill a jellyfish.
Why is the Portuguese man of war not a jellyfish?
The portuguese man of war is not a jellyfish because its sting cannot be cured by pouring vinegar.
