The Snows Of Kilimanjaro By Ernest Hemingway

Behind every piece of literature, there is a story. Ernest Hemingway’s life experiences definitely led to the creation of his countless and remarkable novels and short stories. He traveled to many places and was able to see much of the world. Whenever something terrible or unpleasant happened to him, he always found a way to express it through his works. Ernest Hemingway’s experiences in World War I and his trip to Africa are reflected in the conflict of the main character and in the setting of his short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”.

Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Cicero (now known as Oak Park), Illinois and was raised in the conservative suburbs of Chicago. His summers were spent at Walloon Lake in upper Michigan, where his father taught him to hunt, fish, and appreciate the outdoors. When he entered high school, he showed a great interest in writing and started writing for his school newspaper, Trapeze. He enjoyed it greatly and was exceptionally good at it (Encyclopedia Britannica 1).

After graduating high school in 1917, he decided not to attend college, even after his father’s urging. Instead, he went to report for the Kansas City Star, where his editor told him to “ ‘Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English’ ” ( qtd. in Harmon 2). This shaped his unique and simple writing style that stayed with him for the rest of his life (Harmon 2).

In Hemingway’s short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”, first published in 1936, Harry, a writer, and his wife, Helen, are on a safari in Africa. After their truck broke down and could not be fixed, they are stranded in Africa and are waiting for a rescue plane. Harry had scratched his knee on a thorn two weeks before, but he decided not to p...

... middle of paper ...

...he world, great, high, and unbelievably white in the sun, was the square top of Kilimanjaro” (Hemingway 56). One can always portray something much better when one has personally seen it, instead of learning about it secondhand. It is evident that Hemingway had been to Africa, which can clearly be seen in the story.

Ernest Hemingway left behind many impressive works, and his life forced its way deeply through his literary activity. His character’s conflicts and the setting of his short stories were influenced by what happened in his life. His involvement in World War I and his trip to Africa greatly affected his short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”. Even his distinctive writing style was shaped during his time as a reporter. If anything tremendous had happened to him, he always found a way to represent it in his stories, just like in “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”.