Comparing Snows Of Kilimanjaro And Bullet In The Brain
Tammy Latronica
Jacqui Shehorn
English 1BL03
16 March 2015
On Death’s Bed
Ernest Hemingway’s short story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” depicts a man’s final thoughts as he accepts his impending death. Hemingway’s character Harry’s death occurs over several hours as he is stranded on safari by a broken down truck and is suffering with gangrene in his leg. “Bullet in the Brain” by Tobias Wollf also describes the death of the main character and the thoughts that invade his mind as the moment grows closer. Anders, the lead character in
“Bullet in the Brain,” dies in mere seconds after being shot by a bank robber. Although there are similarities in plot and theme, there are marked differences in the stories’ settings and main characters. Each story, however, is uniquely crafted to engage the reader into the main …show more content…
While the stories differ in length, they follow a similar path to the end. The lead character is introduced. He is dying. Final thoughts invade his mind. The reader absorbs the regret he must feel about his life choices. Finally, the character dies.
How this plot develops differs in each story, however. In “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”
Harry’s injury and the mechanical problems with the truck that cause Harry’s death happen before the story begins. The reader does not receive the playbyplay in real time. In addition,
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” is a longer story in length than “Bullet in the Brain”. Both of these
aspects provide Harry several hours to reminisce about many experiences in his life. There is time for him to think about the regret and failure he feels. Harry also has the opportunity to converse with his wife, allowing the reader a window into their complicated relationship.
While the cause of Harry’s death is almost a side note in the plot of “The Snows of
Kilimanjaro,” Anders’ murder is an integral part of the plot in “Bullet in the Brain.” …show more content…
The bullet does not allow him the same leisure to reminisce or examine the meaning of his last memory. The reader must come to his own conclusion. The narrator, however, does fill in a few blanks by describing the experiences in Anders’ life that he was not given the opportunity to examine himself.
The backdrop of “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” is at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya during the mid 1930’s. Harry, his wife and a few hired hands have been stranded by a broken down truck while on a safari. Vultures, hyenas and other wildlife surround the camp they made after their truck broke down. In addition, the reader is taken to several other locales such as Paris and the Black Forest via Harry’s memories of past events. The influence of Hemingway’s previous nonfiction work
Green Hills of Africa depicting his experience on safari with his own wife are believed to have been the inspiration of both the setting and the theme of “The Snows of
Kilimanjaro” (Rokvic).
In contrast, “Bullet in the Brain” is set in the 1990’s at a bank described as “a pompous old building with marble floors and counters and pillars, and gilt scrollwork over the tellers’ cages” (Wollf). The vultures in Wollf’s story are of the human type. Ironically, had “The
Jacqui Shehorn
English 1BL03
16 March 2015
On Death’s Bed
Ernest Hemingway’s short story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” depicts a man’s final thoughts as he accepts his impending death. Hemingway’s character Harry’s death occurs over several hours as he is stranded on safari by a broken down truck and is suffering with gangrene in his leg. “Bullet in the Brain” by Tobias Wollf also describes the death of the main character and the thoughts that invade his mind as the moment grows closer. Anders, the lead character in
“Bullet in the Brain,” dies in mere seconds after being shot by a bank robber. Although there are similarities in plot and theme, there are marked differences in the stories’ settings and main characters. Each story, however, is uniquely crafted to engage the reader into the main …show more content…
While the stories differ in length, they follow a similar path to the end. The lead character is introduced. He is dying. Final thoughts invade his mind. The reader absorbs the regret he must feel about his life choices. Finally, the character dies.
How this plot develops differs in each story, however. In “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”
Harry’s injury and the mechanical problems with the truck that cause Harry’s death happen before the story begins. The reader does not receive the playbyplay in real time. In addition,
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” is a longer story in length than “Bullet in the Brain”. Both of these
aspects provide Harry several hours to reminisce about many experiences in his life. There is time for him to think about the regret and failure he feels. Harry also has the opportunity to converse with his wife, allowing the reader a window into their complicated relationship.
While the cause of Harry’s death is almost a side note in the plot of “The Snows of
Kilimanjaro,” Anders’ murder is an integral part of the plot in “Bullet in the Brain.” …show more content…
The bullet does not allow him the same leisure to reminisce or examine the meaning of his last memory. The reader must come to his own conclusion. The narrator, however, does fill in a few blanks by describing the experiences in Anders’ life that he was not given the opportunity to examine himself.
The backdrop of “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” is at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya during the mid 1930’s. Harry, his wife and a few hired hands have been stranded by a broken down truck while on a safari. Vultures, hyenas and other wildlife surround the camp they made after their truck broke down. In addition, the reader is taken to several other locales such as Paris and the Black Forest via Harry’s memories of past events. The influence of Hemingway’s previous nonfiction work
Green Hills of Africa depicting his experience on safari with his own wife are believed to have been the inspiration of both the setting and the theme of “The Snows of
Kilimanjaro” (Rokvic).
In contrast, “Bullet in the Brain” is set in the 1990’s at a bank described as “a pompous old building with marble floors and counters and pillars, and gilt scrollwork over the tellers’ cages” (Wollf). The vultures in Wollf’s story are of the human type. Ironically, had “The