THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY

Comparison Between Santiago 
and DiMaggio

     Santiago compares himself with two things; Marlin and DiMaggio. However, the figure to cult is DiMaggio. Santiago never calls him DiMaggio but  the "great DiMaggio". He emulates him because both are born fishermen, champions and handicapped. 

     Firstly, both are born fishermen. DiMaggio's father, Giuseppe, was a fisherman. Santiago muses three times throughout the novella that the great DiMaggio's father was a fisherman. And Santiago is a veteran fisherman of Cojimar in Cuba. Thus both have same backgrounds. 

    Secondly, both are champions. DiMaggio, otherwise know as the "Yankee Clipper", is a baseball champion. Santiago calls him a player who "makes the difference". And Santiago is a hand-wrestling champion. He earned the title of "El Campeon" by defeating a Negro from Cienfuegos.  

     Thirdly, both are handicapped. Santiago compares his left cramped hand with the bone spur of DiMaggio. He believes that if DiMaggio can play baseball with his osteotype, he can also continue his struggle against the giant Marlin with his cramped hand. 

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