On the morning of day two, the Old Man wakes the boy. In what ways would this situation be somewhat unacceptable (or at least frowned upon) by our social and cultural standards in the U.S.?

Santaigo's waking of the boy would be considered completely inappropriate by today's social and cultural standards in the United States. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily inappropriate. First of all, the old man walked into the boy's home uninvited in the dark before sunrise. Note, you won't find many people sneaking into someone's home in the dark anymore without being presumed a burglar.... firend or not. Second, Santiago goes into the boys bedroom and awakens him, something no one would do today either. People today don't see friendship between men and boys who aren't their relations as appropriate.... people look for reasons to accuse the man over having ulterior motives, generally sexual in nature.