The Snows of Kilimanjaro Group

Question:

kellibelli
kellibelli
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," what literary elements does Hemingway use to indicate time periods?

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Posted by kellibelli on Sunday May 3, 2009 at 8:37 PM and tagged with literary elements, the snows of kilimanjaro.

Answers:

  1. mshurn
    mshurn Teacher
    College - Freshman

    The structure of the story is complex as Hemingway moves around in time. Primarily, it is divided between the events of the present, as Harry lays dying at the camp on the African plain with his wife trying to comfort him, and the events of the past which are relived in Harry's memory. The memory passages are distinguished by being printed in italics. Also, within the narrative of present events, Hemingway moves in and out of expository passages to introduce other facts from the past. Finally, he uses extended paragraph breaks, and in one case asterisks, to denote changes in time. (This use of graphics in structuring his stories occurs frequently in Hemingway's writing, one of the modern elements in his work.)

    Also, to establish the specific time periods of Harry's memories, Hemingway uses a great many literary and historical allusions; he alludes primarily to the geographical settings and events in World War I and the 1920s.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/snows-kilimanjaro/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/snows-kilimanjaro/historical-context
    http://www.enotes.com/snows-kilimanjaro/summary

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    Posted by mshurn on Tuesday May 5, 2009 at 1:14 AM