Santiago, the protagonist of Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Old Man and the Sea," was considered "salao" by the other fishermen in his village. In Spanish, "salao" means extremely unlucky. Santiago had gone 84 days without catching a fish, which led the other fishermen to regard him as cursed with bad luck. This perception is central to the novel's exploration of themes such as perseverance, struggle, and the nature of luck. Santiago's determination to overcome this label and prove his worth as a fisherman drives the narrative forward.
