Since the theme of perseverance is the largest and most important of the novel, there are many quotes throughout the story that show the importance of and focus on perseverance, and how much actually having perseverance means to the old man:
"I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put of bight of line around my toe to wake me. But today is eighty five days and I should fish the day well." -Day Two
The old man is tired and bored while out at sea fishing. He wants to go to sleep and knows how easy that would be, but since he has not caught a fish in an entire eighty five days, the old man does not want to give up. He wants to try his hardest and finally catch a fish that he can be proud of.
"This will kill him, the old man thought. He can't do this forever. But four hours later, the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was braced solidly with the line across his back." -Day Two
It is clear that the fish possesses perseverance just like the old man does. Neither one of them is going to give up very easily, and they will continue to fight and pull against each other until one of them wins. The old man is not wavered, and neither is the fish. They both are headstrong and extremely determined to be the winner.
"..."Fish," he said softly, aloud, "I'll stay with you until I am dead." He'll stay with me too, I suppose, the old man thought and he waited for it to be light." -Day Two
The old man wants to catch this huge fish if it is the last thing he does. And he thinks that the fish feels the same way against him. The old man knows how difficult it is going to be to kill the fish, but is very determined to do so and be the winner of their long drawn out battle. His fight with the fish is a huge display of both their determinations.
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