Major 12

 Name : kuvadiya Nidhi B.

 Paper : major 12 

Class : T.Y B.A ( English)

College: maharani shree Nandkunvararba mahila arts and commerce College.

  📚Class assignment 🧑🏻‍🏫

👉🏻. Introduction: 

  1 . What is a "Hemingway Code Hero"?

In modern 20th-century American literature, Ernest Hemingway introduced a distinct literary archetype known as the "Code Hero." A Code Hero is a man who lives by a strict set of personal rules, values, and principles. He faces an indifferent, harsh, and chaotic universe with discipline, dignity, and courage.

Hemingway famously defined the essence of the Code Hero as displaying "grace under pressure." In his 1952 masterpiece The Old Man and the Sea, the main character, Santiago, serves as the ultimate embodiment of this literary archetype.

👉🏻. Key Traits of Santiago as a Code Hero

A. Grace Under Extreme Physical Pressure

A Code Hero never panics or loses self-control, regardless of physical suffering. When Santiago hooks the massive 18-foot marlin, he endures an agonizing three-day battle on the open sea.

His hands cramp and bleed from the friction of the fishing line.

He suffers from extreme dehydration, fatigue, and hunger.

Instead of complaining or crying out in despair, Santiago suffers in stoic silence, systematically managing his pain and keeping his mind focused on his task.

B. Mastery of Craft and Precision

A Code Hero takes immense pride in technical mastery, order, and exactness. While younger fishermen use modern motorized equipment and rely on luck, Santiago maintains extreme discipline:

He keeps his fishing lines at exact, precise depths without guessing.

He prepares his bait meticulously and handles his small skiff with absolute expertise.

Santiago notes that while others rely on luck, he prefers to be exact, stating that when luck comes, he will be ready for it.

  C. Reverence and Respect for the Opponent

 A Code Hero does not fight out of malice, hatred, or ego. Santiago views the giant marlin not as a mere target or monetary prize, but as a noble equal.

He repeatedly refers to the marlin as his "brother."

 He admires the creature's immense strength, dignity, and courage.

 This mutual respect elevates their struggle from a simple act of hunting into a spiritual duel between two noble entities.

D. Courage in the Face OF Indifferent Destruction

When shovel-nosed scavenger sharks (Galano) attack his skiff to strip away the marlin's meat, Santiago knows the battle is nearly impossible. Yet, true to the Code, he continues to fight to his absolute physical limit using every makeshift weapon available—his harpoon, an oar with a lashed knife, and eventually a wooden club.

👉🏻. The Central Philosophy: Destruction vs. Defeat

The entire essence of Santiago as a Code Hero is condensed into his most iconic statement in the novel:

"A man can be destroyed, but not defeated."

Physical Destruction: The sharks devour the marlin, leaving only an 18-foot bare skeleton tethered to his skiff. Santiago suffers severe physical exhaustion, wounded hands, and financial loss.

Spiritual Victory: Although his physical prize is destroyed, Santiago’s spirit remains completely unconquered. He maintains his honor, integrity, and dignity. He returns to his village with his self-respect intact, inspiring young Manolin and earning the reverence of his community.

👉🏻. Conclusion

In conclusion, Santiago is much more than an old Cuban fisherman; he is Hemingway's most complete representation of human endurance and moral triumph. Through his stoicism, discipline, technical mastery, and refusal to surrender, Santiago proves that a man's true worth is not determined by material rewards, but by how courageously and honorably he conducts himself during life's greatest battles.

  

  🏡Home  assignment 🛖

Character of Manolin in The Old Man and the Sea

Introduction

Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is not only a story about an old fisherman’s struggle with a great marlin. It is also a beautiful story of love, loyalty, respect, friendship, and human companionship. Manolin, the young boy in the story, plays an important role in showing these qualities. Although he is young, Manolin is emotionally mature and deeply attached to Santiago, the old fisherman. Their relationship is one of the most touching parts of the novel.

1. Manolin as a Loving and Caring Boy

Manolin is a young fisherman who has learned fishing from Santiago. He considers Santiago more than just a teacher. He loves and cares for him like a member of his own family.

Even though Santiago has suffered a long period without catching a fish, Manolin does not lose his affection for him. He worries about Santiago’s food, clothes, fishing equipment, and general well-being. This shows that Manolin’s concern is genuine and not based on Santiago’s success as a fisherman.

2. His Loyalty to Santiago

Loyalty is the most important quality of Manolin. Santiago has gone many days without catching a fish, and other people begin to consider him unlucky. Manolin’s parents even tell him to work with another fisherman. However, Manolin does not stop loving or respecting Santiago.

He continues to believe in the old man. He helps Santiago carry his fishing equipment and talks with him warmly. His loyalty proves that true friendship does not depend on success or failure.

3. Respect for the Old Man

Manolin has great respect and admiration for Santiago. He sees him as an experienced fisherman and as his teacher.

Santiago has taught Manolin many things about fishing and life. Manolin therefore trusts his knowledge and experience. He does not laugh at Santiago because of his old age or his failures. Instead, he believes that Santiago is still a great fisherman.

This respect gives Santiago emotional strength. The old man knows that at least one person still believes in him.

4. Manolin as Santiago’s Student

Manolin is also Santiago’s devoted student. Santiago has taught him the skills of fishing, but his lessons go beyond fishing. Through Santiago, Manolin learns about patience, courage, hard work, dignity, and endurance.

The boy understands that Santiago represents the traditional values of a true fisherman. Therefore, he wants to remain connected with him even when other people do not value the old man.

5. Emotional Support

Manolin gives Santiago important emotional support. Santiago lives a lonely life, and the boy becomes his closest companion.

Before Santiago goes far into the sea, Manolin helps him prepare. He talks to him, encourages him, and makes sure that he has what he needs. When Santiago returns after his difficult struggle, Manolin is deeply concerned about him.

Manolin’s presence shows that Santiago is not completely alone. Their friendship gives meaning and warmth to his difficult life.

6. Manolin’s Faith in Santiago

One of Manolin’s strongest qualities is his faith in Santiago. Other people judge Santiago by his recent failures, but Manolin judges him by his character and experience.

He believes that Santiago is still a great fisherman. This faith becomes especially meaningful after Santiago catches the marlin. Although the old man loses the fish’s meat to the sharks, his courage and determination remain.

Manolin understands this. He does not consider Santiago a failure. Instead, he promises to continue learning from him.

7. Friendship Beyond Age

The relationship between Santiago and Manolin shows that true friendship does not depend on age. Santiago is an old man, while Manolin is a young boy. Yet they understand and care for each other deeply.

Santiago gives Manolin knowledge and wisdom, while Manolin gives Santiago love, companionship, hope, and emotional strength. Thus, their relationship is mutually meaningful.

8. Manolin’s Compassion

Manolin is highly compassionate. He is sensitive to Santiago’s physical and emotional difficulties. When he sees the old man’s condition, he becomes worried and wants to take care of him.

His compassion is especially important because Santiago is otherwise surrounded by loneliness. Manolin’s care gives the story a human and emotional dimension.

9. Manolin Gives Santiago Hope

Manolin represents hope and the future. Santiago represents experience, tradition, and endurance, while Manolin represents youth and continuity.

At the end of the story, Manolin decides that he wants to fish with Santiago again. This is important because it suggests that Santiago’s knowledge and spirit will continue through the boy.

10. Symbolic Importance of Manolin

Manolin has a symbolic role in the novel. He represents:

Loyalty – he remains faithful to Santiago despite his failures.

Love – he genuinely cares for the old man.

Respect – he respects Santiago as a teacher and fisherman.

Friendship – he gives Santiago companionship.

Hope – he represents the future and a new generation.

Faith – he continues to believe in Santiago when others do not.

Therefore, Manolin is not merely a minor character. He helps Hemingway communicate the deeper message of the novel.

11.Santiago and Manolin’s Relationship

The relationship between Santiago and Manolin can be understood through three major qualities:

Loyalty: Manolin stays loyal to Santiago even when he is considered unlucky.

Respect: Manolin respects Santiago’s age, experience, and knowledge. Santiago also treats Manolin with affection and respect.

Friendship: Their relationship goes beyond the teacher-student relationship. They share affection, trust, memories, and emotional understanding.

Their relationship is therefore a combination of teacher and student, old man and child, and two true friends.

Conclusion

Manolin is one of the most lovable and important characters in The Old Man and the Sea. He is caring, loyal, respectful, compassionate, and faithful. His relationship with Santiago gives emotional depth to the novel. While Santiago teaches Manolin about fishing and the values of life, Manolin gives Santiago love, companionship, encouragement, and hope.

Through Manolin, Hemingway shows that true friendship does not depend on age, success, or social opinion. A real friend remains beside us in difficult times. Manolin’s loyalty proves that Santiago may be physically old and lonely, but he is never completely alone. Their friendship is one of the strongest expressions of love, respect, loyalty, and human dignity in the novel.

        ✏️ Essay 📚

Jane Austen’s Critique of Marriage and Inheritance as Social and Economic Institutions in Sense and Sensibility?

Introduction

Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is not only a romantic novel but also a serious social and economic criticism of eighteenth-century and early nineteenth-century English society. Austen examines how women’s lives are controlled by marriage, property, inheritance, money, and social status. The Dashwood family suffers because of the laws and customs surrounding inheritance. At the same time, women are expected to marry well because they have limited economic independence.

Through characters such as Elinor, Marianne, Edward Ferrars, John Dashwood, Fanny Dashwood, Lucy Steele, and Colonel Brandon, Austen shows that marriage can be both an emotional relationship and an economic arrangement. She does not reject marriage itself; rather, she criticizes marriages based only on money, social position, selfishness, and security.

1. Marriage as a Social Institution

In Austen’s society, marriage was one of the most important decisions in a woman’s life. Women had fewer opportunities to earn an independent income, so marriage often provided financial and social security.

Austen shows that marriage is therefore not simply a matter of love. It is influenced by:

wealth,

family background,

social status,

inheritance,

reputation,

and economic security.

This creates tension between romantic love and practical necessity.

2. The Dashwood Family and Inheritance

The problem begins with the death of Mr. Dashwood. His property, Norland Park, passes to his son John Dashwood rather than to his second wife and daughters.

John had promised his father that he would financially support the Dashwood women. However, his selfish wife, Fanny Dashwood, gradually persuades him to give them almost nothing.

This situation immediately exposes the insecurity of women under the inheritance system.

Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters lose their home and economic security even though they are part of the family. They have to leave Norland and depend on limited financial resources.

Thus, Austen shows that inheritance laws can make women economically vulnerable.

3. Women’s Economic Dependence.

The Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, are intelligent and capable, but they do not possess enough independent wealth to control their futures.

Their situation demonstrates an important social problem: women from respectable families may have education and manners but still lack financial independence.

Because of this dependence, marriage becomes extremely important.

Austen therefore makes the reader understand why marriage in her society could be a matter of economic survival as well as love.

4. John and Fanny Dashwood: Marriage Based on Self-Interest

John and Fanny Dashwood provide one of the clearest examples of selfish marriage.

John initially wants to give money to his stepmother and sisters, but Fanny uses emotional and economic arguments to convince him that he should give them less and less.

Their relationship shows how marriage can strengthen selfish economic interests.

Fanny is particularly concerned with protecting her husband's property and her son's future.

Through them, Austen criticizes people who treat family relationships mainly in terms of money and property.

5. Marriage and Social Status

Austen also shows that marriage is influenced by social class.

Fanny does not want Edward Ferrars to marry Elinor because she believes Elinor's family is socially and financially inferior to theirs.

Similarly, the Ferrars family values wealth and social position.

Mrs. Ferrars expects her son Edward to make a socially advantageous marriage. She considers money and family status more important than genuine affection.

This demonstrates how class prejudice enters the institution of marriage.

6. Lucy Steele and Marriage as a Strategy

Lucy Steele provides another important example.

Lucy secretly becomes engaged to Edward Ferrars, even though Edward does not have much money at the time. However, Lucy is highly conscious of social advancement and financial security.

Her behaviour shows how marriage can become a form of social and economic strategy.

She is willing to manipulate circumstances to secure her position.

Through Lucy, Austen shows that when society gives women limited economic opportunities, marriage can become a means of gaining status and security.

.7. Marianne and Romantic

 Marianne initially believes strongly in romantic love.

She wants a relationship based on emotional passion and believes that marriage should involve deep personal understanding.

Her relationship with Willoughby appears to represent romantic love, but Willoughby ultimately chooses a wealthier marriage.

His decision reveals the conflict between love and money.

Willoughby’s behaviour demonstrates that romantic feelings may be sacrificed when economic interests become more important.

8 Willoughby and the Economic Reality of Marriage

Willoughby loves Marianne, but he does not marry her because he faces financial difficulties and wants economic security.

He eventually marries Miss Grey, who has a large fortune.

This is one of Austen's strongest criticisms of marriage as an economic institution.

Willoughby’s decision shows that even romantic relationships can be controlled by financial circumstances.

At the same time, Austen does not present Marianne's romantic idealism as completely sufficient. Marianne must learn that emotional passion alone cannot guarantee a stable life.

9. Elinor and Practical Understanding

 

Elinor represents sense, or emotional self-control and practical judgment.

She understands that marriage involves both love and responsibility.

Her feelings for Edward are genuine, but she does not behave selfishly or recklessly. She considers his circumstances and maintains her dignity.

Elinor's eventual marriage to Edward is important because it combines affection, moral character, and reasonable economic stability.

Austen therefore does not argue that women should marry without love. Instead, she suggests that a successful marriage requires both emotional understanding and practical responsibility.

10. Colonel Brandon and Marianne

Colonel Brandon's marriage to Marianne provides another model.

At first, Marianne considers Brandon too old and not romantic enough for her. However, she gradually learns ti appreciate his qualities

kindness,

loyalty,

maturity,

generosity,

and emotional stability.

Their eventual marriage suggests that genuine happiness can develop from respect, understanding, and moral character, rather than from superficial romantic excitement.

11. Inheritance and Male Privilege

The inheritance of Norland highlights the unequal position of men and women.

John Dashwood inherits the estate, while his stepmother and half-sisters do not receive an equal share.

Austen uses this situation to show that property systems favour male inheritance and leave women dependent on male relatives.

The Dashwood women are therefore forced to adjust their lives according to decisions made by men.

This makes inheritance an important part of Austen's social criticism.

12. Money and Morality

Austen does not suggest that money itself is evil.

The problem is how people use money and how they judge others through wealth.

Colonel Brandon uses his wealth generously. Edward is not presented as morally bad because he is wealthy. In contrast, characters such as Fanny and John are criticized because they allow financial self-interest to control their behaviour.

Thus, Austen distinguishes between:

wealth with generosity and wealth with selfishness.

13. Marriage as Security

For Austen's female characters, marriage can provide:

a home,

financial stability,

social respectability,

and protection from economic uncertainty.

The Dashwood sisters cannot simply choose any career and live independently in the way a modern woman might.

Therefore, Austen's critique is particularly significant because she shows the economic pressure behind women's marriage choices.

14. Austen’s Balanced Criticism

Austen does not simply say that marriage is a bad institution.

Instead, she distinguishes between good and bad marriages.

Bad marriages:

John and Fanny Dashwood – selfishness and economic calculation.

Willoughby and Miss Grey – largely motivated by financial security.

Better marriages:

Elinor and Edward – love, understanding, and moral responsibility.

Marianne and Colonel Brandon – maturity, respect, affection, and stability.

This contrast allows Austen to suggest what a healthy marriage should be.

. 15. Marriage, Inheritance, and Women’s Freedom

The novel ultimately shows that marriage and inheritance are connected.

Because women have limited access to property and independent wealth, marriage becomes one of the main ways they can secure their future.

This creates a difficult situation: women are expected to marry for love, but society also pressures them to marry for economic security.

Austen exposes this contradiction through the experiences of Elinor and Marianne.

Conclusion

In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen provides a sharp but subtle critique of marriage and inheritance as social and economic institutions. Through the Dashwood family's loss of Norland, she exposes the insecurity created by inheritance practices. Through Elinor, Marianne, Lucy, Willoughby, Edward, and Colonel Brandon, she shows how marriage is influenced by wealth, social class, family expectations, and economic necessity.

However, Austen does not reject marriage itself. She criticizes marriage based purely on money, status, selfishness, or social pressure. The marriages she approves of are based on a combination of love, respect, moral character, emotional understanding, and practical responsibility.

Thus, Sense and Sensibility can be read as both a romantic novel and a social critique. Austen reveals that behind the apparently private question of whom a woman should marry lies a much larger system of property, inheritance, gender inequality, class, and economic power.

    

 Resource

Indian Journals – Academic Discourse

Ankara University – DTCF Journal