Santiago dreams while he sleeps on the boat. As anyone's dreams have underlying, if not obvious, meanings, Santiago's dreams have specific meanings based on his thoughts and emotions. However, the manner of the dreams as Hemmingway portrays them causes them to take on significant levels of symbolism. In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago's three dreams symbolize Santiago's situation before, during, and after his voyage.

The first of Santiago's dreams is about porpoises. They leap from the water and return to the sea in the same place from which they jumped. This symbolizes his life before the journey. He would depart from his home and his village daily, and return to the same place every evening. His home and his life were unchanging for as long as he was unsuccessful. Both Santiago and the porpoises are venturing out, but until they can achieve what they desire (for...