Quote 1
The boy is brought to tears by his admiration for the old man’s determination.
Because the story ends with the lions, and not with the fish, we see that Santiago’s determination is yet unbeaten.
Quote 2
He was asleep when the boy looked in the door in the morning. It was blowing so hard that the drifting-boats would not be going out and the boy had slept late and then come to the old man’s shack as he had come each morning. The boy saw that the old man was breathing and then he saw the old man’s hands and he started to cry. He went out very quietly to go to bring some coffee and all the way down the road he was crying. (5.1)
The old man’s physical pain becomes emotional pain for the boy.
Quote 3
"Who is the greatest manager, really, Luque or Mike Gonzalez?"
"I think they are equal."
"And the best fisherman is you." (1.132-1.134)
The boy believes the old man’s prowess to be as great as that of the baseball players and managers he admires.
Quote 4
"Who gave this to you?"
"Martin. The owner." "I must thank him."
"I thanked him already," the boy said. "You don’t need to thank him." "I’ll give him the belly meat of a big fish," the old man said. "Has he done this for us more than once?"
"I think so."
"I must give him something more than the belly meat then. He is very thoughtful for us." (1.99-1.105)
The old man is not too proud to accept help from others.
Quote 5
"How old was I when you first took me in a boat?"
"Five and you nearly were killed when I brought the fish in too green and he nearly tore the boat to pieces. Can you remember?"
"I can remember the tail slapping and banging and the thwart breaking and the noise of the clubbing. I can remember you throwing me into the bow where the wet coiled lines were and feeling the whole boat shiver and the noise of you clubbing him like chopping a tree down and the sweet blood smell all over me."
"Can you really remember that or did I just tell it to you?"
"I remember everything from when we first went together." (1.22-1.26)
The boy shares the old man’s good memory of the past.
Quote 6
"Now we fish together again."
"No. I am not lucky. I am not lucky anymore."
"The hell with luck," the boy said. "I’ll bring the luck with me." (5.35-5.37)
While at the beginning of the story, the old man and the boy allowed luck to separate them, the boy no longer cares about it.
Quote 7
"Santiago," the boy said to him as they climbed the bank from where the skiff was hauled up. "I could go with you again. We’ve made some money." (1.4)
Only the boy, not the narrator, refers to the old man by name. This suggests that the boy knows him in a way that few do.
Quote 8
"Yes," the old man said. He was holding his glass and thinking of many years ago.
"Can I go out to get sardines for you for tomorrow?"
"No. Go and play baseball. I can still row and Rogelio will throw the net."
"I would like to go. If I cannot fish with you. I would like to serve in some way." (1.17-1.20)
The boy’s love for the old man manifests itself in a desire to help him.
Quote 9
Where did you wash? the boy thought. The village water supply was two streets down the road. I must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel. Why am I so thoughtless? I must get him another shirt and a jacket for the winter and some sort of shoes and another blanket. (1.112)
The boy feels so deeply for the old man that nothing he does seems enough to him.
Quote 10
"So do I," the boy said. "Now I must get your sardines and mine and your fresh baits.
He brings our gear himself. He never wants anyone to carry anything."
"We’re different," the old man said. "I let you carry things when you were five years old." (2.12-2.13)
The old man’s friendship with the boy is based on mutual respect.
Quote 11
"No," the boy said. "Tell them not to bother Santiago. I’ll be back."
"Tell him how sorry I am."
"Thanks," the boy said. (5.15-5.17)
The boy makes clear to others his friendship with and love for Santiago.