The theme of suffering and how that impacts manhood is prevalent in The Old Man and the Sea. Santiago has very definite ideas of what suffering should be to a man. The story shows different types of suffering, and different ways of dealing with that suffering as a man. The first example in the book of dealing with suffering stoically as a man is when the old man goes to wake up Manolin (the boy) on the 85th day. He apologizes for waking Manolin, who responds "Qua Va [something like "no worries"]. It is what a man must do." In their culture, a man does not suffer and complain about it.
The old man went out the door and the boy came after him. He was sleepy and the old man put his arm across his shoulders and said, “I am sorry.” “Qua Va,” the boy said. “It is what a man must do.”
Santiago has hooked his marlin and is tired and in pain. He does not admit his suffering, possibly not even recognizing it himself fully.
“Bad news for you, fish,” he said and shifted the line over the sacks that covered his shoulders. He was comfortable but suffering, although he did not admit the suffering at all.
In contrast, at the end of the story, Santiago admits his suffering in a moment of vulnerability to Manolin when he returns with the skeleton of the marlin.
Manolin: "How much did you suffer?”
“Plenty,” the old man said.
Santiago imagines that the marlin jumped out of the water as a sort of macho show of strength and manhood. He wishes he could return the gesture, but sees his cramped hand as a sign of emasculation.
I wonder why he jumped, the old man thought. He jumped almost as though to show me how big he was. I know now, anyway, he thought. I wish I could show him what sort of man I am. But then he would see the cramped hand. Let him think I am more man than I am and I will be so.
Santiago identifies suffering as part of being a man, as the following quote demonstrates. He sees his abilities as an extension of his manhood.
“I’ll kill him though,” he said. “In all his greatness and his glory.” Although it is unjust, he thought. But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures.
Santiago sees DiMaggio's ability to perform even when in pain as a positive sign of manhood. He doubts his own ability to fight when he is in pain the way that cornered animals do, and looks up to their endurance. From here we see that he sees the ability to endure suffering as something very admirable.
I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel. What is a bone spur? he asked himself. Un espuela de hueso. We do not have them. Can it be as painful as the spur of a fighting cock in one’s heel? I do not think I could endure that or the loss of the eye and of both eyes and continue to fight as the fighting cocks do. Man is not much beside the great birds and beasts.
He tells himself that pain does not matter to a man to remind himself of his value of having the ability to struggle through his pain and get the job done, because pain does not matter to a man in his viewpoint.
After he judged that his right hand had been in the water long enough he took it out and looked at it. “It is not bad,” he said. “And pain does not matter to a man.”
The following quote is significant because it elaborates on the idea that not only does he believe that suffering is a part of being a man, there is a specific way for men to suffer.
You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. Come on and kill me. I do not care who kills who. Now you are getting confused in the head, he thought. You must keep your head clear. Keep your head clear and know how to suffer like a man. Or a fish, he thought.
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