One
character trait of Santiago's that could be both positive and negative is his sense of
contentment. On one hand, Santiago is not content with his initial life situation, and that
propels him to seek out ways to make it better. He is a restless spirit, and he is willing to
put himself at risk to improve his life. On the other hand, Santiago's restlessness could be a
negative thing. A reader could go so far as to say that Santiago might always struggle with
being happy in whatever his current situation is. "A rolling stone gathers no moss" is
a saying that praises a spirit of restlessness; however, that same rolling stone never allows
itself to become an abiotic factor within an ecosystem. It never becomes a part of a community
by being available as a shelter for animals or lichens.
A definitely positive
trait of Santiago is that he is teachable. Santiago takes the advice and teachings of many
people around him to heart, and he applies their lessons to his own life. Santiago knows that he
does not have all of the answers, and he is humble enough to seek out the answers from other
people. A reader can see this in as simple of an exchange as Santiago's interaction with the
gypsy woman. He seeks out her wisdom, receives it well, and acts upon her
teaching.
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