Beginning with The Old Man and The Sea, we can observe this underlying idea of man's endless exploration for fulfillment, a hunt for happiness that leads nowhere. Hemingway crafts the tale around an old fisherman, Santiago, who for eighty-four days has ridden out to sea each morning, and ridden back each evening with not a single bite. He sets out on the eighty-fifth with a sense of honor within him, searching for the perfect fish that will provide him with a sense of satisfaction that will pay back his to "la mar". Looking out into the ocean, his mind begins to wander "The ocean can be so cruel. She is kind and very beautiful. But she can be so cruel.".
It's this blaming of the ocean that essentially can be seen as a blaming of oneself. Santiago, getting older and frailer, fights off the idea that he isn't what he once was by shifting the weight over to the "cruel" sea, a struggle to maintain dignity amongst adversity that pays off as the marlin begins to bite.
Santiago begins to struggle, realizing that his strength isn't enough for the fish, and instead tries to use his mind to outwit the beast. He holds on, and hours later the fish shows no sign of fatigue. Santiago's hand begins to cramp, and he reflects over the disgrace of a hand cramp, realizing that it is the mutinous behavior of one's own body against one self. His reflection outlines the humiliation he feels, not from the villagers who have lost respect for him after not catching anything for months, but a sense of shame within him, one that affects his very dignity.
