Kilimanjaro Snow

The first time I read Hemingway's novel was "The Old Man and the Sea". Because of the translation, the experience was not very good. After reading this book, I gradually realized how valuable Hemingway's short, concise and storytelling style is in many foreign literatures with blunt and boring narratives and large-scale speculative descriptions. The first paragraph of the story briefly introduces Kilimanjaro Snow Mountain, and gives its west peak the reputation of "God's Temple", which pave the way for the purification and sublimation of Harry's soul before his death later in the story. In addition, the first paragraph also mentions a dried and frozen leopard carcass on Xifeng. No one knows why the leopard came to such a high place. At this time, the theme of the story is vaguely revealed: "Then die and become immortal." The story revolves around the down-and-out writer Harry and his wealthy lover Helen. Through the narration of the text and the inserted memories of Harry, we can know that at this time, Harry was slowly approaching the end of his life due to wound infection, and his soul was completely decadent. While waiting to die, Harry reflects on his life. Regarding his ideals, as a talented writer, he has also struggled for his ideals. He always wanted to write something, but he didn't bother to talk about the cruel reality he had experienced and the boring rich people around him. He hoped that the words he wrote could be beautiful and ideal, but this failed to come true in the end. He deceived himself that his soul was separated from all these, but his body became increasingly addicted to life and wealth, and finally lost his talent and mingled with the rich and relied on skills other than writing to make a living. Regarding his love, Harry had truly loved his couple in his early years and could not forget them throughout his life, but it was irreversible no matter what. So he began to give up on himself, went whoring, hanging out with some vulgar women who disgusted him, and climbed up one high branch after another - making up lies one after another to rich women in exchange for the necessities of life. As Harry himself said: "Love is just a pile of dung, and I am a rooster standing on the dung pile and crowing." Harry relied on lies to obtain women's wealth and body. At the end of his life, he was no longer in the mood to continue lying, and cruelly said hurtful words to Helen, who loved him, and admitted that he actually did not love her. Women in literary works are always so pathetic. I have seen too many women unable to help themselves fall in love with a man who does not love her. However, looking at the various psychological activities of men from the perspective of a reader, I can't help but feel ashamed. Helen in the story has experienced countless misfortunes and is dissatisfied with the lovers around her, but she only truly loves Harry. She liked Harry's works and lifestyle, and believed that Harry had the same hobbies and compatible souls with her. She accompanied him to Africa to pursue a different life, but in the end she watched her beloved lover die in front of her. At the end of his life, did Harry have a moment of love and regret for Helen? Snow was mentioned more than once in Harry's recollections. The mountains of Bulgaria are covered with snow, and refugees die on the snow; in the snowy Gorta, bloody deserters evade the pursuit of the military police; on Christmas Day when he is trapped in a hotel by Schutz's snowstorm, Mr. Lanter gambles and loses the entire season's profits of the ski school; Buck, who flies a plane to bomb an Austrian train, talks in an indifferent manner; in Wallaburg He spent several comfortable winters in the ice and snow of Alborg... Whether it was cruel or beautiful, Harry was unwilling to write these realistic things into his works. He was always there with the most holy and pure snow - the snow of Kilimanjaro that he saw in his dying dream, on the rescue helicopter, across the valleys, forests, and plains, through clouds and rain. Just like Harry's ideal life should be like, beautiful, pure and shining - only in the face of death did Harry truly understand the meaning of life. At this time, we will think of the leopard corpse mentioned in the first paragraph of the story: perhaps as it went up, it knew that it could never go back, so at the end of its doomed death, it climbed up as much as possible, reaching the highest point it could reach in life, and stood on the top of the mountain to see the world. Then die and become immortal.

The famous iceberg theory and unique writing techniques leave a lot of room for readers' imagination. However, it is still too early for me to read this book thoroughly. I hope to read it again if I have the opportunity.

This book by Mr. Hemingway. It looks very good and easy to read, but in fact it is quite difficult for me. His language is concise and short. Once you don't read it carefully and immerse yourself in the scene, imagining the scene is like not watching it. Sometimes even if I read it carefully, I still can't figure out who said this sentence and who said it? Sometimes I forget the name again [what] [what] I read his short stories very slowly, at least 2 to 3 times as fast as ordinary novels. But I like his description of the environment very much. It is very accurate and can draw people into the scene at once. The sun hides behind the mountains. The plains were covered with shadows and hazy shapes. Looking down, I saw a pink cloud passing over the ground. The cloud looked like something sifted through the eyes of a sieve. From the air, it looked like the first blow of snow when a blizzard fell out of thin air. In spring and summer, the scenery here is beautiful, the harbor is blue, and the sun is bright. The breeze blowing from Charlevoye and Lake Michigan will set off white waves on the lake behind the headland.

Under obscure metaphors is a passionate heart

We have every reason to say that Hemingway's narrative style is a typical male discourse method. At the same time, in this kind of discourse, there is also the deep philosophy of human nature, the mystery of nature, and human feelings.

I personally feel that reading Hemingway's books gives people a very magical feeling. Not a word, not a description is redundant. To describe it in one sentence, simple words form simple sentences, and then form simple and obscure articles. There are no complicated and gorgeous affixes, every sentence is the information that readers need to capture. Therefore, readers must read each article slowly, carefully, and appreciate it in order to understand the truth that the author wants to express.

Underneath some extremely plain and ordinary descriptions are Hemingway's thoughts and perceptions about various philosophies. Just like life, it needs us to experience it carefully and grasp other people's hidden meanings.

There is a feeling of melancholy

Personally, I think the two best-looking stories are The Snow of Kilamanjaro and Macomber's Short and Happy Life Experience. It might as well have been renamed Macomber's Brief Happy Life.

Hemingway's collection of short stories is very short and requires constant thinking to understand.