Hemingway’s the Snows of Kilimanjaro and Tolstoy’s the Death of Ivan Ilych Essay Example

amidst the Austrian Alps, the captivating and absurd aspects of bohemian Paris, the pain of first love, and many more. However, with a sense of longing, he recognizes that despite cherishing and collecting these ideas, he will forever be unable to share them.

He has sacrificed and cheapened his creativity and talent that he once treasured for the material pleasures and decadent life that his wife offered. As death silently stalks him, he makes a final attempt to record his stories but quickly realizes the futility of his efforts because he had chosen to compromise who he was created to be. Reflecting on all of this while his wife hunts nearby, he ponders: “He had destroyed his own talent...by not utilizing it, by betraying himself and his beliefs...What was his talent in the first place?

The text mentions that the character has a talent but chooses not to use it, instead relying on it passively. The focus shifts from his past accomplishments to his potential for achievement. As he confronts imminent death, he realizes how he has wasted his life and must face these harsh truths. To bravely face death, he decides to develop indifference towards it. He believes that by not caring, nothing can harm him and he can overcome any obstacle. This mindset allows him to let go of any worries about dying.

Harry reflects on his weariness of dying, which parallels his boredom with everything else. The presence of hyenas and vultures serves as a reminder of death's imminent approach. The following day, a rescue plane arrives and appears to offer him salvation. However, as the plane takes off,

Harry discovers that he is not being transported to the hospital but to the dazzlingly white peak of Kilimanjaro. In a different scene, his wife discovers Harry's lifeless body and weeps.

The plane journey to the blinding light symbolizes the culmination of Harry's imagination as he enters death and relinquishes any hope of redemption for his misspent life. "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" captures Ernest Hemingway's belief about the significance of life – you are abruptly confronted with the imminent inevitability of death, you become aware of all your "if-only's" and regrets and unfulfilled desires, and then your life concludes without any overarching purpose or meaning. This bleak viewpoint may be harsh, but it perfectly mirrors Harry's experiences during his time in the African plains.

Hemingway utilizes an epigraph featuring a frozen leopard carcass on Kilimanjaro's western summit. This leopard symbolizes Harry's unsuccessful endeavor to ascend the House of God and reclaim a lost aspect of his being. Hemingway implies that it is better to remain perpetually frozen on a mountain while pursuing life's purpose, rather than living a comfortable and self-indulgent existence on the plains, gradually fading into obscurity with remorse and unrealized aspirations.

In Leo Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilych," the protagonist realizes that he has wasted his life, similar to Harry. Ivan Ilych, an average middle-aged government official, is diagnosed with a mysterious illness that confines him to his bed. This confinement gives him ample time to reflect on his life and the regrets he has. Unfortunately, his family sees him as an inconvenience and shows their lack of connection and indifference towards him. Throughout his life, Ivan never

truly connected with his family; he only married his wife because she had been present in his life, fallen in love with him, and was approved by influential associates. His entire existence revolved around work, which becomes ironic when the doctors who provide solace for facing death treat him as coldly as he once treated people in court.

Ivan comes to understand that his life has been simple, ordinary, and therefore terrible. This realization includes the understanding that his life is ultimately meaningless. As time goes on, his life becomes increasingly deadly. Despite achieving social success, Ivan is losing his life just as much due to his conformity. Tolstoy and Hemingway both highlight the emptiness of wealth and high society in their respective works.

After realizing that his life has been devoid of any worth, Ivan sinks into despair. However, he soon understands that death is inevitable for both himself and every other person. He reflects on how others are ignorant about death and shows no sympathy towards him. Ivan believes that death is indifferent to everyone, including himself and others. As he nears the end, Ivan recognizes that the journey he and Harry have been on is remarkably similar.

Despite having suspicions about the meaninglessness of his life, Ivan tries to find justification for it. Yet, it is only when he briefly gives up fighting death and reflects on what is right, and when his son cries beside him, that he experiences compassion for his family and receives grace. In that moment, he understands that even though his life may not have been perfect, there is still an opportunity to make

things right.

In his pursuit of societal acceptance, he has squandered time. However, he now has a chance to rectify his past actions. Ivan endeavors to repair his relationship with his family by offering apologies for all that occurred. By redirecting his attention away from himself and confronting his fear of death head-on, Ivan discovers grace and begins prioritizing the happiness of his loved ones. As a result, a profound transformation occurs where the burden of terror associated with death is lifted from him.

Tolstoy's own struggles with the meaning of life are reflected in the final redemption and accomplishment depicted. Tolstoy confronted the problem of death and the meaning of life, just like Ivan. He believed that those who were consumed by the false modern middle-class lifestyle did not understand life and were unable to face death.

Both of these short stories follow a protagonist who confronts imminent death. While the initial revelations experienced by the characters are similar, Harry remains stuck in the realization that his life has been pointless and wasted, while Ivan receives grace to make amends during his final moments and partially rectify the harm caused by his wasted life. These narratives also reflect the beliefs held by the author regarding life. Hemingway ultimately asserts that life is devoid of meaning and filled with isolation, whereas Tolstoy believes that meaning can be restored, as he personally experienced through his religious conversion.