Cross-Country Skiing

When I first read Hemingway's Cross-Country Skiing, it was like a concise and vivid sketch. With just a few strokes, it transported me into that world wrapped in silver and white, a world of skiing. The novel tells the story of Nick and George's skiing experience in the mountains. Starting from taking the cable car, then speeding down the snow slopes, and finally having a little gathering in the inn, the plot is simple but full of poetry. Hemingway is famous for his "Iceberg Theory", and this work is a typical example. He hides a great deal of emotions and thoughts beneath his concise words. When describing the skiing process, the plain description of Nick and George's actions, "Nick jumped over the edge of the car, landed on the hard crust of ice, made a bouncing spin, crouched down, dragged his ski poles behind him, and slid down the hill in a flash", without excessive embellishment, yet it makes the readers feel as if they were on the scene, experiencing the speed and passion of skiing. And their conversations are concise but full of profound meaning, wandering between their love for skiing, their longing for the future, and the helplessness of reality. Many words left unsaid are left for the readers to figure out. In terms of the theme, Cross-Country Skiing is not just about a sport. It is more like an exploration of life and ideals. Nick and George gallop freely on the snow, which represents their pursuit of freedom and their love. However, George has to go back to school, and Nick's future is also full of uncertainties. The helplessness of reality lingers all the time. Just like each of us, we all have things we love, but we have to face the trivialities and helplessness of life. This conflict between ideals and reality is vividly presented in this simple story. The description of nature in the novel is also very remarkable. The strong wind, the blizzard, the ice crust, and the pine forest, these elements constitute a cold but beautiful world. Here, nature is not just a backdrop; it is a kind of power. It echoes with the inner world of the characters. In the vast snowy wilderness, the insignificance and loneliness of the characters are magnified infinitely, while their love for skiing appears so fervent and firm. Cross-Country Skiing is a short story that is worth savoring repeatedly. Hemingway uses concise words to construct a world full of depth and charm. It allows us to feel the charm of skiing and also makes us think about the relationship between life, ideals, and reality. Within the limited length, it contains endless philosophy of life.