Final answer:
No specific description is given about the back of Santiago's neck in Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea'; the novel instead focuses on his general appearance and the physical toll of his fishing adventure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the character Santiago from Ernest Hemingway's novel 'The Old Man and the Sea.' However, the passages provided do not directly reference the book or the old man's neck. Despite this, to answer the question based on the novel itself, the old man, Santiago, has nothing specifically notable mentioned about the back of his neck in 'The Old Man and the Sea.' The details that Hemingway provides are mainly about his hands, which suffer from cuts and bruises, and his general physical appearance, illustrating the signs of age and the struggles of his fishing adventure. It's worth noting that this novel often describes Santiago's physical and mental resilience, but a particular focus on the back of his neck is not a significant detail within the text.