The Snows of Kilimanjaro Essay example -- essays research papers

It is my claim that Ernest Hemingway’s piece, â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† is most effective at showing how trivial life can be as it regards to what people think is needed to be successful in life for three main reasons. The reasons are that people put too much time into achieving unrealistic goals, people get too involved in obtaining their goals and do not appreciate what they have, and people have the wrong idea about success and can not obtain true success with the wrong vision of what it is. Some people put too much time into achieving their unrealistic goals, and never realize them and then end up wasting most of their life and lively hood in search of their personal success. Those same people also never stop to appreciate what they have in their lives, when all they were trying to obtain could have been in front of them and all they ever wanted. Most goals that people believe make them successful do not, many people have the wrong idea of what success is and when someone dies this is the only time they will realize what actual success is. Hemingway’s story begins with Harry and his wife on Kilimanjaro arguing over many petty things. Harry had gotten into an accident and scraped his leg while they were on their hunting trip. The wound got infected, even though Harry put some medication on it, the wound soon started to become gangrene. He is lying on a cot for the whole story while he continues to bicker with his wife. Many Vultures are around and Harry makes comments on how they must smell the leg, and that is what attracts them to him. Harry has many recollections of events through out his life, he referred to them as the topics he wished he would have written about. Through all of Harry’ recollections of his life he wonders where all his time went. He starts to think about how he has wasted he life and talent with the â€Å"enemy†; money, rich women, and soft living all symbolizing the forces of corruption. The story ends with Harry getting â€Å"rescued† by men in a plane that had landed near them, which the reader soon finds out it was just Harry’s dream as he actually dies. His wife is awoken by a hyena that had fallen off a cliff that was making a human-like cry. When she goes to check on Harry, she finds that he has stopped breathing, and the hyena continues to make the sound that had waken her ... ...e â€Å"good life†, and has painful memories that he will overcome to be rewarded. Harry does share many characteristics with Hemingway’s other characters but he is different in that his profession does not take the form of deep sea fishing or war or bullfighting but of writing. He is also different in that he is rewarded "in the other world." All the other Hemingway heroes must be and are "rewarded" here in whatever private or public form the reward may take. Hemingway’s piece clearly shows how trivial life can be in regards to what is thought to be needed to be successful. The reasons are that people put too much time into achieving unrealistic goals, people get too involved in obtaining their goals and do not appreciate what they have, and people have the wrong idea about success and can not obtain true success with the wrong vision of what it is. Harry clearly illustrates all of those points and the reader can learn from his â€Å"mistakes†. One should have a clear, realistic image of success before they waste their time and effort to obtain it. Success can only be obtain and kept in this world, it can not go with someone when they die.