The Dreams of the Lions

Santiago's recurring dream of lions on an African beach symbolizes his youth, vitality, and inner peace.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The First Dream

The First Dream Africa in His Sleep Santiago dreams of Africa when he was a boy. He sees the long golden beaches, the white peaks, and the lions playing like young cats. He loves them as he loves the boy. This dream warms him before his great ordeal. A Symbol of Youth The lions represent his past strength and adventure. He no longer dreams of women, storms, or great fish. Only the lions remain. They are a source of comfort and hope. When he wakes, he is ready to face the day.

The Dream During the Fight

The Dream During the Fight A Brief Respite Santiago falls asleep for a few minutes while the fish is calm. He does not dream of the lions at first. Instead, he dreams of a vast school of porpoises mating. Then he dreams of the yellow beach and the lions coming down in the dark. Renewed Strength He wakes with the line burning his hand, but the dream has refreshed him. The lions give him a sense of peace and timelessness. They remind him that there is beauty beyond the struggle. This dream helps him continue the fight.

The Final Dream

The Final Dream Peace at Last After the ordeal, Santiago sleeps on his face. He dreams of the lions again. The boy sits by him, watching. The old man is at peace. The lions are the main thing that is left. A Circular Ending The novel ends as it began, with the dream of the lions. Santiago has gone through suffering, but he returns to his essential self. The lions represent his indomitable spirit, untouched by age or defeat. This dream is the antidote to the skeleton in the harbor. It affirms life.

night before the eighty-fifth day

during the second night at sea, when he sleeps briefly

after the return, in the shack