“Eyes the Same Color as the Sea” By Jeffrey Herlihy

1. “Eyes the Same Color as the Sea”By Jeffrey Herlihy Analysis by whoever's talking/standing

2. Thesis (Our Words) • Santiago adopts Cuban behaviors and lifestyles, rather than stick to his Spaniard origin, in order to pass into Cuban society and reinvent himself with a new sense of identity. • In other words, the book is about a man trying to fit in. His attempts still leaves him isolated without a social community to bond with as he handles the separation from his native land.

3. Santiago’s not Cuban. Here’s evidence. • Name is of Spanish origin, Santiago evokes Spain’s national hero. • “Apparently without nostalgia for Cuba, he constantly reminisces about his homeland” which is the Canary Islands. • “Due to his accent in the Spanish language, personal history, and ethnicity, Santiago cannot avoid association with his place of origin… the old man cannot integrate fully with the Cuban community.”

4. Cuban Culture • He uses baseball to fit in culturally. • He always talks and idolizes about Joe DiMaggio. • In spite of Cubans being hostile to his background, Santiago attempts to reduce the differences by participating in Cuban cultural activities, such as baseball. • “Baseball in the colonial and post colonial Caribbean was more than a pastime, in fact, profits from the first professional Cuban baseball league were funneled to guerrilla groups fighting for Cuban independence against Spain.”

5. Santiago + Religion. • He uses Cuban religious rites to strengthen his ties to his new community. • Pledging to say “ten our fathers and ten hail Mary's” and makes a “pilgrimage to Virgin of Cobre” if his fishing is successful. • Attention to Cuban religious rite and pilgrimage is part of the old man’s quest to identify with the people of Cojimar. (Canary Islands people.)

6. Language • Language demonstrates Santiago’s control of a dialect particular to Cuba as the old man leaves behind his native Canarian speech patterns and adopts the Latin American vernacular. • Examples: Agua Mala and Dorado • Agua mala in Spanish “bad water” in Cuban “jellyfish or man of war” • Dorado in Spanish “golden” in Cuban “the dolphinfish”

7. Comida yRopa • Santiago eats food that Spaniards do not like, but what the Cubans like, such as fish and fruits • He wears a straw hat and the significance is that the Spanish make fun of the Cubans for wearing it. • He wears it because he is willing to be made fun of in order to fit in with the Cubans.

8. Santiago’s Cuban Wife • He gets married to Cuban woman to fit in with the Cubans. • And he promises to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Cobre because of his wife.

9. Check out my fishing skills • Santiago uses his fishing skills to earn others respect. • He knows that he will gain respect when others see the carcass in his boat. • “Did they search for me?” Santiago looks for recognition/acceptance in the end of the book.

10. And a quote. • “ The expatriate protagonist (old man) is isolated from his countrymen, ridiculed by his adopted community, and a failure at his chosen profession. To remedy feelings of lose, the old man reminisces about his homeland and adopts Cuban behaviors in language, sports, religion, alcohol consumption, and fishing, among other things. The purpose of his actions is to pass into Cuban society and achieve a new sense of identity.”

11. El Fin.