Santiago's survival strategies in Ernest Hemingway's novella the old man and the sea

This study is to find out the survival strategies of Santiago, From the novel entitled “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway and to find out how the authors reveal Santiago’s strategies and survival throughout his novel. The writer formulates the following question as follows: how did Santiago survive from challenges. To answer those questions, the writer relies on survival strategies theory which is also supported by characterization theory. The theory of survival strategies is used to find out the strategies, while the theory of characterization to find out how the author communicates those moral values. This study is qualitative research. The analysis is using the pragmatic approach proposed by M.H. Abrams. The purpose of the pragmatic approach is to teach and delight the readers. In analyzing this study, the first step of data collecting procedures was one straight through reading. To get a detailed understanding on what are the challenges and tricks that Santiago uses for surviving, then, the writer reread the novel several times. At last, the writer quoted dialogue and narration which reveal survival strategies. The challenges are found in the novel are Santiago's poorness, he lives alone without anybody, people who love to mock him, because he cannot catch fish that’s why no one fisherman wants to make a friend with him, battle with sharks to save a big fish. The last, how he survives the challenges he does not care what people say about him. Even everybody always says he is an unlucky man and no one wants to make a friend with him because he cannot catch the fish. He still believes in himself. He always says positive words to himself, he can catch a big fish someday. Hopefully, this study can be useful for both lecturers and students in understanding the survival strategies from Santiago