In life, humans are challenged to make many choices. All choices are judged for better or for worse, since humans are flawed all actions inspired by these choices lead their future. In "Snows Of Kilamanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway, judgement is metaphorically shown through Harry the protagonist's life. Harry's arrogant personality is challenged by his crisis of conscience and the duality of his inner conflict to pass into death, heroic and alone. Prior to Harry's death, his attachments to life allow him to ruin his relations with his companions though symbolism.
In this story, Arrogance is the crisis of conscience that is the root of all evil. It is symbolically understood that Harry's personality is reflected from his past. Harry used women to climb up the social chain in life. This crisis of conscience is clearly represented through the emotional juxtaposition of his love for Helen. This is shown when Harry emphasizes to Helen that he does not love her when he says, " you know I love you. I've never loved any one else the way I love you You bitch You rich bitch. That's poetry. I"m full of poetry now"(254). The duality of the quote is Harry expressing his love for Helen, as he truly does love her but he his emotionally afraid to love. Ironically love to Harry only increases greater pain. The tone that Hemingway expresses Harry's character is that of anger. This strong emotion of anger is continuously taken out on Helen, as she is selfless. This is judged to be mistreating on women and considered to many to be verbally abuse. Helen takes the brunt of Harry's wrath on herself, as her fault. Harry is afraid to show emotion, as he must be the hero. Helen attempts to liven Harry's conscience by telling him, "If you have to go away, is it absolutely necessary to kill off everything you left behind? I mean do you have to take away everything? Do you have to kill your horse, and your wife and burn your saddle and your armour?" (253) Helens repetition of taking the blame allows her to be the bigger hero.
