The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway
"The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Other Stories" is a collection of short stories by the renowned American author Ernest Hemingway. The titular story, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," explores themes of regret and mortality through the experiences of Harry, a dying writer reflecting on his life's choices during a safari in Africa. Throughout the collection, Hemingway delves into complex human emotions, such as loneliness, guilt, and the search for meaning, often against the backdrop of war and personal struggle. Characters like Nick Adams recur in various stories, highlighting themes of masculinity, courage, and the impact of past experiences on present identities.
Other stories in this collection, such as "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and "The Killers," further examine the human condition through interactions between diverse characters, revealing their vulnerabilities and fears. Hemingway's succinct prose and ability to convey profound insights into life and death make this collection a significant contribution to American literature. The stories invite readers to reflect on their own experiences and relationships, enriching their understanding of the themes of existence and human connection.
On this Page
The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway
First published: 1961
Type of work: Short fiction
Type of plot: Impressionistic realism
Time of plot: Early twentieth century
Locale: Africa; Spain; Piggott, Arkansas; Hailey, Montana; Northern Michigan; Milan, Italy; Summit, Illinois; Fossalta di Piave, Italy; New Jersey; New York City
Principal characters
Nick Adams , a writer and soldierHarry , a writer on safariAn old waiter ,An old man ,Schatz , a sick young boyCayetano , a gamblerMr. Frazer , a writerSister Cecilia , a nunNick’s son ,Signor Maggiore , a major who has lost his wifeOle Andreson , a boxerJack Brennan , a boxerFrancis Macomber , a husbandMargaret Macomber , Francis’s wifeRobert Wilson , a professional hunter
The Stories:
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” centers on the memories of a dying writer named Harry. On safari in Africa, he has been wounded and has developed an infection. Waiting around to die, he thinks about the past years of his life. He regrets that he did not accomplish more as a writer and realizes that he let himself get lazy. Part of Harry’s reason for going on safari had been to discipline himself. Though he and his wife have been to many great places and have had wonderful experiences, Harry has been swept up in the empty world of the wealthy, forgetting that it was his experiences with poor and interesting people that first awakened his desire to write. Harry fights with his wife, recognizing that she drove him to a life of decadence. He dies, and his soul flies to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the House of God.
In “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” two waiters (one old and one young) are at a café late at night, waiting on an old man who has recently attempted suicide. The young waiter wants to close up and get on with his night. He does not understand why the old man will not leave. The old waiter is kind to the old man and understands why he is there. He understands that the old man wants to avoid the darkness, that he needs the safety and security of a well-lit café.
“A Day’s Wait” focuses on Schatz, a nine-year-old boy who has a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Confusing the Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales, the boy believes that he is going to die. He lives with the “knowledge” of his impending death all day, until his father tells him that he is merely sick and will survive.
“The Gambler, the Nun, and the Radio” centers on a Mexican gambler, a writer, and a nun who have come together in a Montana hospital. To ease the gambler’s loneliness, Sister Cecilia, the nun, brings in three musicians. An intense conversation about revolution, religion, and music ensues.
Nick Adams is a writer and a soldier in World War I. In “In Another Country,” Adams (who is unnamed in this story) is a member of the ambulance corps and is rehabilitating in a hospital in Milan during the war. He meets and befriends three soldiers, who dismiss him when they find out that he is an American who has received a distinguished medal for less than what they have had to suffer through. When Nick meets Signor Maggiore, who has just lost his wife, he is changed.
In “Fathers and Sons,” an older Nick Adams takes his son back to his hometown. Nick remembers his relationship with his parents, especially with his father, and considers what life used to be like in the town. The story centers around Nick’s relationship with his own son.
In “The Killers,” a younger Nick Adams is at a diner in Summit, Illinois, when two gangsters come in looking for Ole Andreson, a boxer whom Nick knows. Nick admires Ole, who faces the situation with stoicism and grace under pressure. Finally, in “A Way You’ll Never Be,” Nick returns to the place that he was wounded during the war in Fossalta di Piave, Italy.
“Fifty Grand” concerns an aging boxer preparing for his final fight. He sees no chance to win and bets his life savings on his opponent. Two gamblers try to turn the fix around so he will lose of all his money, but he is shrewd and sharp and refuses to be taken.
In “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,” the title character makes an embarrassing display of cowardice after wounding a lion. His wife Margaret mocks him and sleeps with Robert Wilson, their guide. Later, on the hunt for water buffalo, Francis gains courage and does what he needs to do as a hunter, finally recognizing some sort of code of values. Wilson recognizes this change in him. In the final scene, Mrs. Macomber shoots her husband, as she believes he is about to be gored by the buffalo.
Bibliography
Benson, Jackson J., ed. New Critical Approaches to the Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1991. Identifies mastery of the short-story form as Hemingway’s greatest literary accomplishment. Gives an overview of criticism written on Hemingway’s short fiction from the mid-1970’s to the late 1980’s.
Broer, Lawrence, ed. Hemingway and Women: Female Critics and the Female Voice. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2004. Collection of essays that focus on—among other things—Hemingway’s most important female characters, including several key figures from the ten stories collected in The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Other Stories.
Flora, Joseph M. Ernest Hemingway: A Study of the Short Fiction. Boston: Twayne, 1989. A comprehensive overview of Hemingway’s short fiction, including detailed analyses of every significant story. Includes interviews, essays, memoirs, and other biographical materials. Also includes a representative selection of critical responses, a comprehensive primary bibliography, and a selected bibliography of important criticism.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Reading Hemingway’s “Men Without Women”: Glossary and Commentary. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2008. Hemingway’s Men Without Women features three of the stories—“The Killers,” “Fifty Grand,” and “In Another Country”—later collected in The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Other Stories. Flora provides excellent, relevant commentary on these three stories.
Gajdusek, Robert E. “Purgation/Debridement as Therapy/Aesthetics.” Hemingway Review 4, no. 2 (Spring, 1985): 12-17. Focuses on debriding and purging as thematic-stylistic devices in Hemingway’s work. Considers art as a form of purgation and pays special attention to “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” as an exercise in psychic therapy.
Smith, Paul, ed. New Essays on Hemingway’s Short Fiction. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998. An overview of Hemingway’s career as a short-story writer. Includes a selected bibliography designed to equip readers with the most valuable resources for the study of Hemingway’s short fiction.