The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Encyclopedia
"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway
. It was first published in Esquire
magazine in 1936. It was republished in The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories
in 1938, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories
in 1961
, and is included in The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigia Edition
(1987).
The story centers on the memories of a writer named Harry who is on safari in Africa
. He has developed an infected wound from a thorn puncture, and lies awaiting his slow death. This loss of physical capability causes him to look inside himself—at his memories of the past years, and how little he has actually accomplished in his writing. He realizes that although he has seen and experienced many wonderful and astonishing things during his life, he had never made a record of the events; his status as a writer is contradicted by his reluctance to actually write.
He also quarrels with the woman with him, blaming her for his living decadently and forgetting his failure to write of what really matters to him, namely his experiences among poor and "interesting" people, not the predictable upper class crowd he has fallen in with lately. Thus he dies, having lived through so much and yet having lived only for the moment, with no regard to the future.
In a dream he sees a plane coming to get him and take him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
as a hyena is heard from the distance.
A film adaptation of the short story, directed by Henry King
, written by Casey Robinson
, and starring Gregory Peck
as Harry, Susan Hayward
as Helen, and Ava Gardner
as Cynthia Green (a character invented for the film) appeared in 1952. The film's ending does not mirror the book's ending.
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
. It was first published in Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine in 1936. It was republished in The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories
The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories
The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories is an anthology of writings by Ernest Hemingway published by Scribner's on 14 October 1938....
in 1938, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (book)
The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories is a collection of short stories by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1961. The title story is sometimes considered the best story Hemingway ever wrote...
in 1961
1961 in literature
The year 1961 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*First English production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui*Michael Halliday publishes his seminal paper on the systemic functional grammar model....
, and is included in The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigia Edition
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigía Edition, is a posthumous collection of Ernest Hemingway's short fiction, published in 1987...
(1987).
The story centers on the memories of a writer named Harry who is on safari in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. He has developed an infected wound from a thorn puncture, and lies awaiting his slow death. This loss of physical capability causes him to look inside himself—at his memories of the past years, and how little he has actually accomplished in his writing. He realizes that although he has seen and experienced many wonderful and astonishing things during his life, he had never made a record of the events; his status as a writer is contradicted by his reluctance to actually write.
He also quarrels with the woman with him, blaming her for his living decadently and forgetting his failure to write of what really matters to him, namely his experiences among poor and "interesting" people, not the predictable upper class crowd he has fallen in with lately. Thus he dies, having lived through so much and yet having lived only for the moment, with no regard to the future.
In a dream he sees a plane coming to get him and take him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
as a hyena is heard from the distance.
A film adaptation of the short story, directed by Henry King
Henry King
Henry King may refer to:* Henry King , English poet, Bishop of Chichester* Henry King , Member of Parliament for County Sligo* Henry King , U.S...
, written by Casey Robinson
Casey Robinson
Casey Robinson was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films...
, and starring Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
as Harry, Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward was an American actress.After working as a fashion model in New York, Hayward travelled to Hollywood in 1937 when open auditions were held for the leading role in Gone with the Wind . Although she was not selected, she secured a film contract, and played several small supporting...
as Helen, and Ava Gardner
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
as Cynthia Green (a character invented for the film) appeared in 1952. The film's ending does not mirror the book's ending.