Infectious Death Through Lack of Living

Infectious Death Through Lack of Living

The short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway gives a look into the life of a man facing death in the African savannah as a result of an infection. Exotic locales and predominate dialogue are common in Hemingway's writings and are evident in "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" as well. "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway portrays the theme of death by use of specific narration, the protagonist's, Harry's, attitude, and symbolism.

Throughout "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," Hemingway uses the narration device of the flashback to provide a contrast to Harry's present state and his life. The present state narration is composed mostly of dialogue and is devoid of Harry's inner thoughts. The flashbacks are very similar to dreams and express Harry's emotions and the way he lived life prior to his infectious state. These flashbacks are put into italics, whereas the present state of Harry is in plain type. It is at the end when this narration, writing and type style reveal Harry's slipping mental state while he enters his death. The reader thinks when the plane comes and picks Harry up it is a "real-life" situation because of the lack of italicized type, but as the reader reads on it is evident that the rescue was materialized in Harry's dream world. This meshing of flashback and present-time narration towards the end of Harry's life shows how he has entered his dream world, which in fact is his life, and he accepts his death. This blending of flashbacks also shows how a life not only includes experiences, such as Harry's war experience and travel expeditions, but also includes death. Hemingway provides insight into his theme of death by use narration through flashbacks.

Harry's attitude towards death throughout the story reveals a lot about Harry's character and opens up stereotypical ways one deals with death. He is calm and quite and does not request much and still wants his wife to be comfortable. His relaxed nature in his death is partly due to the fact he has been around it all the years of his life and his curiosity has been stifled. "For years [death] had obsessed him; but now it meant nothingÐ'..." (255). His calm and quite state is also shown when he cites all he needs is a "whiskey-soda" (255). His need of alcohol in his dying state also contrasts him to the man he was in life. As a writer Harry devoured artistic experience and while living in Paris thrived on writing. He gave up that lifestyle in favor of one revolving around hunting and traveling, and not only changed his activities but his thinking process as well. His alcoholic drink will dull his senses in the time of his death and had this been earlier in his life he would soak up the value of his emotion at this pivotal part of life. This also shows a form of regret Harry holds onto. His exit from his poetic, artistic life into one of alcohol and hunting is somewhat missed at the end of his life. "I'm full of poetry now. Rot and Poetry" (260). He is filled with emotions, despite the alcohol, and regrets not having written about them earlier. "[H] e would never write that, now, either. . . although it was well worth writing" (262). In the beginning of the story Harry said he would have liked to write about more things when he was younger but wanted to have the experience and knowledge before he wrote. His regret lies in the fact that it is now to late. In Harry's death we see the common emotions of regret and bravery, which both add to Hemingway's theme of death.

Hemingway's usage of symbolism in "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" further propel the theme of death. Animal symbolism is commonly used throughout the story from the very first lines. The two animals that symbolize Harry's life are the leopard and the hyena. The leopard is seen as the type of person Harry wants to be and