"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway and "The Death of Ivan Ilych" by Leo Tolstoy are both excellent literary works that both deserve equal praise. Hemingway's story is about a regretful, wasted author named Harry who is lying on an African plain dying of gangrene. Ivan, the main character in Tolstoy's story, is dying of a incurable illness and reminiscing of his life and grieving over everything he did not do right. Both stories …showed first 75 words of 1440 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1440 total…realistic and that create pathos for the main character, making Tolstoy more effective than Hemingway in this aspect. Both stories use symbols that are strong and very meaningful but Hemingway's use of them is more effective in "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" because they are multi representative. Considering these factors, and that both Hemingway and Tolstoy effectively weave themes of wasted lives and lack of passion into their plots, neither story is better than the other.