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“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” begins with an unnamed man telling his unnamed female companion that his wound is no longer painful. While he becomes increasingly morbid, the woman believes that he will soon be rescued, and she is disturbed by his bitter, hopeless mood. The man—whose name is revealed to be Harry—insists on drinking alcohol, despite knowing that his medical dictionary advises against the ingestion of liquor when suffering from his condition. In his internal dialogue, Harry reveals that he has gangrene, and that the infection will likely prove fatal. Harry admits that, while he had been obsessed with death for years prior, he now feels little curiosity or fear. His greatest concern is that, should he die, he will not be able to complete the many stories he has been meaning to write.
When Harry’s companion expresses regret over having come to Africa and wonders what they did to deserve this unfortunate twist of fate, Harry says that his condition can be blamed on his mistake of failing to treat his initial wound with iodine, and on their incompetent safari guide, whose poor planning has found them stranded in the plains. He also insinuates that, had he never met his companion, he never would have found himself in Africa. This insinuation upsets the woman, who reminds Harry that she loves him; he responds by admitting that he’s never loved her back. In a flashback section written in italics, Harry recalls the winters he lived in the Austrian Alps during World War I. While these memories are interspersed with disturbing incidents related to the war, the general tone is one of contentment and freedom. Harry’s most pivotal memory involves skiing down a mountain covered in bright, powdery snow on Christmas Day.
Back in the present, Harry and his companion remember the luxury hotels they stayed at in Paris. Harry did not contribute financially to these lodgings—the woman is wealthy and finances their travels. His companion—who calls herself Harry’s wife—reproaches him for his bitter and rude conduct, asking why he wants to ruin their happiness and relationship before he dies. Harry complains about her money and the effect it’s had on his life, but then apologizes, insisting that he really does love her. Later that day, Harry reflects on the relationship he has with his wife while she is out shooting game. While he recognizes her kindness and thoughtfulness, he admits that their romance had always been built on lies. He connected with her during a time in his life when he had lost his purpose, and their relationship only spurred him deeper into languishing and wastefulness. Meanwhile, his companion genuinely loves him. Both her first husband and adult child died prematurely, and, after numbing her grief with a string of lovers, she committed herself to Harry, who she mistakenly believed was independent and self-assured.
Harry had hoped that the safari in Africa would mark a new beginning for him, so that he could return to his writing and shed his materialistic lifestyle, but the gangrene threatens to destroy that hope. Harry oscillates between blaming his wife and blaming himself for his inability to write. He recognizes that he traded his creative vitality for a life of wealth and comfort supplied by her. When she returns, Harry has a conversation with her, where he pretends he can’t remember his previous mean and loveless statements so as not to further hurt her feelings. While his wife remains certain that the rescue plane will arrive soon, Harry sees a hyena stalking their campsite and recognizes it as a sign of his approaching death.
