Theme Of The Snows Of Kilimanjaro

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Recommended: Hemingway's symbol of death in the snows of Kilimanjaro

Lizzy Hemann
Snows Essay
3/3/2014
English
Ms Cornog

The themes of love, writing, and anger are explored in Hemingway's short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” When Harry, the main character, contracts gangrene from a scratch on his leg, he finds himself at death's door full of regrets, mourning the inevitable loss of the only meaningful relationship he has left, his relationship with writing. The loss of his relationship with his wife, Helen, does not appear to upset him nearly as much as losing the ability to share all of the experiences he had left to write about, which clearly demonstrates his attachment to writing and his inability to truly love his wife. For Harry, writing comes first.

Harry does not love his wife Helen nearly as much as he loves his writing. He and Helen had become safe-havens for each other; they had a superficial relationship that existed to numb the pain of past losses. Neither Helen nor Harry wanted to be alone, so they married each other. Helen married Harry so she would not have to feel alone; Harry married Helen for her financial situation and for the sexual benefits that came along with the marriage. Love was not part of the equation. Harry comments about her physical appearance, making known her “good breasts” and “useful thighs.” But Harry seems to detest his relationship with his wife, blaming the downfall of his writing on his comfortable, financially stable life with her. Arguing with himself, Harry vents his anger towards Helen when he says, “this rich bitch, this kindly caretaker and destroyer of his talent.” Harry seems to realize that he will not be able to feel real love towards any woman ever again, so he devotes the only real love and affection he has left to his writing. Regardles...

... middle of paper ...

...aro: “And there, ahead, all he could see, as wide as all the world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun, was the square top of Kilimanjaro. And then he knew that there was where he was going.” His death was an experience that could not be spoiled by his laziness and bitter outlook on the world, his death becomes “the one experience that he had never had he was not going to spoil now.”
Harry's lack of love, success, and something to live for comes down to one thing: fear of failure. For his entire life he shied away from enabling himself to truly feel love and pain. But at the end of his life he finally lets the emotions in and feels deep regret and grief for all that he has lost and all that he failed to accomplish. He is forced to reflect on all he loved and all he lost, in a way he never would have been able to if he had not been at death's door.

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