A Natural History of the Dead

As one begins to dissect Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Natural History of the Dead,” a great deal of meaning can be found through the situations he conveys. Through his commentary and the experiences of Mungo Park, much can be learned about Hemingway’s views and ideas. Upon quick read, one might think this is a simple-minded story about death and its place in history. However, it actually has a much deeper idea hidden …

…not to develop tunnel vision and believe that our death is one of the most important events ever to occur. We must look at the bigger picture and realize that “A Natural History of the Dead” is just as trivial as the Familiar History of Birds. Although each is an important part of nature, they are simply small parts of a multi-faceted world in which every area is related to and dependent on the others.