Summary Of The Snows Of Kilimanjaro

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Happiness Was Never Achieved

In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” Harry contracted a serious infection in his leg during his adventurous journey in Africa. The infection has worsened since the first day that he scraped his leg with a thorn and he did not treat it with iodine. Helen, his rich wife, is very nervous because of his leg being so badly injured. The real problem is that their vehicle has broken down and will have to wait for an airplane to pick them up. Harry and Helen have multiple disputes because Harry is accepting the fact that he is going to die, but Helen just does not want him to give up so easily. Harry recalls many flashbacks of his life that he would have wished to write about, but just did not have the chance because of his lack of energy. Harry feels death come around numerous times until he finally dies while dreaming that the plane had arrived to pick him up. The plane was low on gasoline and instead of going straight to Arusha to refuel; they head to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Many of the issues that have Harry angered could have been preventable. When Harry is on his death bed, he is forced to examine his dysfunctional way of life.
Helen is trying her best to persuade Harry to keep on fighting for his life, but he just does not want to listen to her and disputes with Helen to leave him alone. Hemingway provides proof that Harry is angry at Helen and is persistent that he will die sooner or later, saying, “Can’t you let a man die as comfortably as he can without calling him names? What’s the use of slanging me?’ Helen tells him, ‘You’re not going to die.’ Harry replies with, ‘Don’t be silly. I’m dying now. Helen says, ‘… You can’t die if you don’t give up.’ Harry...

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...to be delivered to our front door we will have to get up seek it. As for Harry, his happiness was lost since the day the women he actually loved died. I think he thought that money was a gateway to happiness, but eventually found out he was wrong. I would actually think like Harry but I also learned it does not work that way. Many will think that having money and having everything done for you will make you happy, but it’s not true at all if you don’t have someone to share it with you will feel miserable. I would say that money will make some people lazy like it affected me. I was so focused on earning money that I forgot about my true passion which is baseball. I guess I had completely forgotten all about baseball that I had to start from the bottom and work my way up again. I suggest that ignoring normal life for money isn’t worth living in total misery.

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