Read Hunters in the Snow by Tobias Wolff. Explain how it's artful pattern of plot structure, characterization and point of view result in a consummately "well made" story.
I really enjoyed reading the short story "Hunters In the Snow" by Tobias Wolf. It was an intriguing read, and I wanted to find out more about the characters and their situations when I was finished, which to me is the mark of a good short story. This story was kind of mysterious in the way it was written. There were a lot of hushed secrets that would be hinted at, but the writer never gave the full explanation of what was happening. There was always something that the reader would be curious about, for example, Kenny and Frank's relationship and how they treated Tub. I think that this was enhanced by the point of view that the author used in the story.
Using third person in a story like this one allows the reader to be free from any real emotional attachment to the characters. It also was third person view, but in a detached sort of way. The author never said anything about what the men were feeling, so the reader was left to infer what was happening based in the body language provided and verbal clues that often play a part in the way people read other people's behaviors. This freedom gave the reader an opportunity to be unbiased of the men, until they had admitted something that the reader could judge them for. For example, Tub admits to having a problem with eating. He tells Frank that he diets, but he is actually dieting in front of everyone else and then has secret stashes of food in other places. He is completely ashamed of it. Originally, the reader would feel bad for Tub, because his so-called friends are completely wacky and aren't respectful of him. But, eventually, you feel sorry for Frank, due to the confusion that he is experiencing, and then feel sorry for Kenny, who is dying and most likely, it is inferred, won't be receiving help.
Characterization plays an important role throughout this short story, because it is not the normal characterization that many people are used to. Instead of introducing a character by giving insight into their personal life through either another character or the character in question, this story uses indirect characterization in which a reader is given small amounts of information from which they can pull inferences and create their own idea about the character they are studying. For example, as you read "Hunters In the Snow", the character, Frank, says things like "Be mellow." and "Feel that energy." Personally, when I read "Be mellow." I immediately thought to myself, "There's a hippie if I ever saw one." As the story goes along, he continues to say things that are kind of stereotypical of a hippie, talking about energy and love in very free ways. Kenny almost hits Tub with the truck, frightening him badly. But Kenny thinks it is a joke, and then he continues to do things that lead the reader to thinking that he has many characteristics that are the same as a bully. He taunts Tub about his size, and at one point, shoots objects because he "hates" them. He shoots a post and a tree, but the tide turns when he shoots the dog if a farmer right in between the eyes. Once that happens, he turns to Tub and says "I hate you." The reader gets the sense that he is not exactly right in his mind at this moment, and has no doubt that he'll actually shoot his friend. But all of these thoughts and beliefs are drawn from inferences.
The plot progression in this story is really interesting. It starts off calmly, until a truck comes barreling down an alley. Then, they all head to go hunting. The tension starts to build when Tub is being left behind by the other two, one who thinks it's funny that his friend is scared, almost delighting in it, and the other who is so "centered" that he is not concerned. The reader begins to feel sorry for him. Then, when he misses the tracks to catch up, the reader feels this even more intensely. And, as soon as Kenny shoots the post, the emotions change to shock and a little bit of fear. When he turns the gun on the dog people worry about his mental stability. There is a bit of a catharsis when Tub shoots Kenny, because the reader is relieved that Tub was not shot, but also at the same time there is a bit of shock that Tub shot Kenny. Personally, I felt exasperated when they were taking Kenny to the hospital because they kept stopping and Frank ordered Tub food at a restaurant. Um, hello there is a dying man in the bed of your trunk. The last line of the story almost creates as much curiosity as the rest of the story. What's going to happen to Kenny if "they had taken a different turn a long way back?"
I really enjoyed this story because once all of these elements were combined, it led the reader into a suspenseful story that held quite a bit of character development towards the end. It actually would have been a short story that I would have elected to read on my own if asked. However, I am still reeling from the ending because I want to know what happened to Kenny and if Frank actually runs away with this fifteen year old girl. But, a book that stays with you in such a way, even after you've had a good night's sleep, is a good book.
Tobias Wolff created a work of art when he wrote "Hunters in the Snow." This short story shocked me, even though I had a feeling something bad was going to happen. From the beginning Wolff caught my attention. The truck slipped all over the road and almost killed Tub, but Kenny and Frank were laughing about it. The two men obviously do not care about Tub's well being. How could someone watch their overweight friend struggle to find safety from a truck traveling full speed towards him? It is not a laughing matter. Even as they are traveling to hunting Kenny and Frank walk without waiting for Tub. Tub is sensitive, and scared to be in the woods by himself. When he tries to talk to Kenny and Frank about being left behind they ignore him. It is not until later, when Tub flies off the handle, that I saw Kenny and Frank's deeper side. Tub shoots a farmer's dog in spite of its barking. Kenny and Frank become a little upset because the dog never did anything to Tub but bark at him. Tub is already angry at this point. He is tired of Kenny and Frank making fun of him being overweight. Kenny is shot by Tub next, but Tub immediately regrets his decision, or so it seems. Kenny is in extreme pain while Frank and Tub are freaking out. Kenny will not stay still while Tub and Frank retrieve directions to the hospital. On their way to the putting Kenny in the truck Tub falls and sends Kenny flying off the boards. Frank finally listens to anger in Tub's voice when Tub shakes him hard. Frank finally understood Tub's feelings. Even when they talk in the two restaurants/bars, they find more about their home life. Frank is a creep and Tub is addicted to food. They are so self absorbed that they forget their directions to the hospital at the first bar. I instantly knew that they were not going to the hospital. Does Frank want Kenny to die because he is finally getting to know Frank better? If these men were women, none of this would have happened. Using men to create this story and developing these three to be ignorant beings allowed Wolff to show that words can kill.
The plot of this story really rattled me. The story starts out with someone almost getting killed and ends with someone who will eventually die. I did not realize this as I was reading it, but I have come to the conclusion that Wolff was writing about survival of the fittest. Up until Kenny is shot, he is the best fit for survival. Wolff flicks the switch and makes the story about mentality. Tub is the only one out of the three not afraid to kill another man. After that, Tub eased Frank to his side. Did Tub really remember the directions? Did he pick the paper up and not tell Frank? It is hard to tell since readers are experiencing with the men.
This story is written in a way that readers have no choice but to only find out what is going on when the men do. We have no chance of getting into the minds of the men; we are a just another person in the story. Wolff wrote the story to be realistic in all ways possible. The men are average, the point of view is like we are living in their world, and the plot is very much possible for the life of any hunter. Living in Elk County, our class knows how easy it is for accidents to happen while hunting; however, this was no accident. Tub wanted to hurt one of the men. He even told Frank it was him or Kenny. That told me that Tub shot to kill. I do not know if it was by chance that he missed Kenny's appendix or if Tub knew exactly where to shoot so it would be a slow painful death. A death that symbolized how he felt when the two skinny guys were calling him fat all the time. I really enjoyed this short story, and it kinda creeped me out because I know that this has probably happened before and will surely happen again. Tobias Wolff did a fantastic job of describing survival of the fittest to me by working with his plot, characters, and realistic viewpoint.
I had never thought of the thought of the plot revolving around the thought of "survival of the fittest," but now that you mention and describe it, I absolutely agree. That is such an interesting, and disturbing concept to be used so literally in human life. This story creeped me out so much. It disgusted me as well at certain points. I also agree with what you said in your last paragraph, there was no way that this was an accident. That would explain why the men had remained so relaxed and no one was alarmed or immediately attentive to the gun shot. That is so sick, mentioning that he knew where to shoot that would give a slow painful death. After all, he did mention that he had missed the appendix, how did he automatically know this? He had to have done his research. Wow. I am shocked. We live in a cruel world. This short story was a haunting one, for sure. Excellent job on your blog as a whole. You have come a long way since your first ever blog and you should be proud! Great job this week .
Kaitlin, Unlike you, I did not get a feeling that something was going to happen. I was completely unsure of what was coming next unlike I was in The Necklace. I have to agree with you on the begging part though. Talk about an attention grabber. When I read the part about how the original driver sped off after seeing the rifle I was like where the heck is this story going?! I never really considered the fact that Kenny and Frank did not truly care about Tub’s life because they almost ran him over. I took that as, I do not want to say a playful gesture between friends because near death experiences are not really funny but, a weird joke shared between the three men. You know kind of like we causally punch our friends in the arm for one reason or another. I was shocked when Tub shot the farmer’s dog just because of its barking, or so we thought. That whole particular situation made me realize that Tub really was a good guy deep down and he just made some stupid choices. He did the farmer a favor because the dog was suffering and he couldn’t bring himself to kill it himself. Although I don’t agree with that form of an animal being put down, I realize why he did it and face the reality that it happens in today’s world. You propose the question “did Tub really remember the directions?” I had to stop the reply and think about that. I concluded that I really don’t know and now it is bothering me because I want to know. I really liked how you threw in the part about how living in Elk County makes us more aware of how often and easily hunting accidents really can and do occur. Good work this week!
Kaitlin, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this week especially the points that you posed in the second paragraph. The concept of Wolff writing about "survival of the fittest " is very understandable once one steps back and examines the story with your points. The three men pose as three separate sides to compare in the typical concept of survival of the fittest. Kenny was the unstable aspect, Tubs was the one able to kill, and Frank was the only stable one. Now that you've place this concept in my mind it seems logical and possible. But I must say that all of the questions you pose are the ends of all the fragmented story points that I had mentioned in my blog. None of them had answers probably by design but, it makes the story questionable in so many ways. Then your last paragraph is so true, we do see accidents like this except the fact that it was no accident. But then I must pose something for you, was Tub's rage/killing justified by his treatment? Anyone who has been abused would have a certain rage they would want to release at a time. In other words he could've been a time bomb, or it could've been a time bomb we weren't given the entire story so nothing can be guaranteed. Well done, Kaitlin, I look forward to the next.
The short story, “Hunters in the Snow,” was written as a narrative from the third person point of view by Tobias Wolff. The story revolves around the three main characters of Tub, Frank and Kenny, involving few others. Each man is living a life of secrets that the other is unaware of. After a few unexpected twists and turns throughout the story, by the end I had determined that the story line focused on what we think of ourselves, what we fear others will think of us, and what others really do think of us. Friendship also plays a huge role in all three of these points. I feel like such a negative person lately. I didn’t particularly like last weeks “the Necklace,” and I am not exactly a fan of this weeks “Hunters in the Snow.” The story started off with Tub almost being ran over by Frank and Kenny driving carelessly and directly at him. While Tub was panicking: upset and angry, Frank and Kenny thought it was hilarious. Clearly, this situation is far from funny. Instantly, I thought that the men were drunk. It seemed fitting, I myself don’t hunt but I always hear of the tragic accidents where people go hunting under the influence. I instantly thought that thats how the story would end, and I guess I was partially right. Now, if you know me, you know I am a dog lover. I obsess over dogs. I like dogs more than I like most people. So when they shot that dog, that wasn’t even right. First of all, how can you just shoot a dog like that?! Second, how can you just watch your “friend” kill a dog out of no where and remain calm?! No. I was upset. I still am upset, and i’m positive that when we talk about this story in class tomorrow I will be raging about how upset I am. I get it though, he was asked to kill the dog, “put it out of its misery,” okay. He just went about it the entirely wrong way. I mean, come on! Killing an innocent animal should never even be considered as a joke. There was just a little bit too much of disrespect here for me. I’m sorry, but I love dogs more than I can appreciate any possible reasoning there was behind this. Speaking of getting shot, it seemed as if everyone was just so okay with one of the men being shot. No one really turned any immediate attention to it what so ever. I just don’t understand why this was not a bigger deal. One other particular thing set me off. Tub had confessed about his issues he has been having with binge eating. How does Frank respond? By forcing Tub to binge on pancakes, and then he glorifies it! This is not healthy! I know there is this whole body acceptance movement going on, and i think thats what this little “scene” was trying to draw attention too, but I feel it was wrongly done. I understand that Frank had been trying to make Tub feel comfortable and show him that he wasn't disgusting, but you cannot disregard your health like that. Being severely overweight is terribly unhealthy, and I was shocked that Frank was, metaphorically and literally, feeding Tub’s addiction while praising him for it during and after. As a friend, I feel as if he should have supported him in a healthier way, like recommending he visit a doctor and offer to eat healthier with him. “Hunters in the Snow” was a short story that really made me think about a lot of different things. The story is successful in grabbing the readers attention, and does not fail to keep it. While it wasn’t a favorite of mine and I was confused at times, It was worth the read and is sure to spark quite the discussion.
Felicia, Reading your opinion on this was so beneficial for me! Everyone else, including myself, seems to have enjoyed the story, and maybe you are being negative, but I don't care because you pointed out some obvious points that had been bothering me! Let me begin with the dog - if you are raging tomorrow I will be raging right beside you! I dedicated nearly an entire paragraph to how terribly I thought Kenny went about killing the dog and how that reflected upon his character. But after reading your blog I began to wonder what else the author was doing. He presented three characters - Frank, Tub, and Kenny - with three common issues we see today - an affair, an eating disorder, and a desensitized outlook on life. Then he put them all together in the cold, barren wilderness and let them go until they all snapped! By leading me to this you also helped me to add on to the metaphorical meaning I found behind the title and the last line. These men not only took literal and metaphorical wrong turns in their lives - they did it on the hunting trip. They intentionally picked at each others nerves until BOOM! A poor, innocent dog is dead and Kenny is hurting all over. Hurting all over? Because he was shot, or because by shooting him Tub forced Kenny to reflect on his life and the way he had been treating other people and he was so remorseful that he hurt all over!
You focused a lot more on the characterization than the other aspects of the story but I did not mind because you took the time to discuss the huge flaw in the so called "friendship" between Kenny, Frank, and Tub that I think several of us noticed and alluded to but avoided talking about. But it is relevant - it is important because it shows you the wrong turns they have all made and how it has changed them. Tub is fatter and moodier, Frank is distracted and submissive, Kenny is mean and it is probably because he cannot handle himself and his emotions. These are unhappy people. They are hunting for happiness in violence, food, and passion and they will not find it just as they did not find the dear. The ironic thing is that if Kenny had not insisted on them going after the deer he probably would have never been shot in the first place.
Your blog was very good this weekend - it allowed me to view the more universal themes in this short story. It also made me think about how I hate when people mistreat animals and how many pancakes Tub must have eaten. Both points are disgusting so thanks for that. But excellent work!
"Hunters in the Snow," written by Tobias Wolff, is a short fictional story with great characterization, point of view, and plot structure. I knew right away that something terrible was going to happen, but I had no clue what was coming up. I love when any kind of story is capable of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, taking in the suspense filled events. Wolff hit the nail on the end with this one. I really believe that the way Wolff established the three characters set the tone for the rest of the story. Tub is introduced as an overweight man with little self-confidence, Kenny is seen as a rude man with a lack of compassion for the well-being of the other men, and Frank is depicted as a man who follows Kenny because he is scared to be himself and does not know what he wants in life. Putting these three together in one story is just screaming insanity and certainly calls for a suspecting bad ending. I have to say, though, I was still surprised at how the story did actually end, and I found myself pitying Kenny even though he was my least favorite character.
I also absolutely loved the point of view for this story. Third person is a great choice because it allows the reader to see all of the different sides to the story. Although it mostly focused on Tub, it helped the reader see the mental change in his character. He finally got so sick of Kenny and when he was threatened by Kenny, he shot him. I think the point of view really helps with the characterization of the three men, as well as the plot structure. Personally, I prefer a short story in third person since they are not that long and it would be much more difficult to see the events play out in sequence. I think that is why the point of view is so crucial to any story, whether it is found in a short story or a novel. The author decides on how much the reader gets to see and know.
Wolff's plot structure for his short story was also on point. I liked the way he set everything up, all the while building onto the suspense of the story. The way it began with the truck heading straight for Tub made me rethink my opinion on what kind of story it was going to be. The title makes sense after reading the whole short story, but at first I was expecting a nice story about a group of hunters tracking an animal and eventually finding it or something like that. I do think the title is a little too benevolent and quite misleading for the actual plot of the story. But, sometimes that is better, I think, and it worked for this one. As for the rest of the story's plot structure, I think it smoothly intensified. It boiled down to where I was wondering when something bad was going to occur, and when it did I was not sure if the worst was yet to come. The pit stops that Frank and Tub made to warm up and Tub forgetting the directions on the table add me realize that something was going on, but I never considered it to be that they had purposely missed the turn for the hospital way back. I think they both finally realized that they only needed each other as friends and support systems. I have also wondered if Frank and Tub planned the whole hunting scheme in the first place. I mean, the man who owned the house that they went into the call for help did not seem at all surprised that they shot their friend. Something tells me that there is more to the story than what Wolff gave us to read.
Overall, I really liked this short story. It was convincing in the characterization, plot structure, and point of view. I was honestly hooked at the beginning and refused to get distracted because it was that good. The ending did bother me just because it left me hungry for more, almost like how Tub eats and eats except I just wanted to read and read. Anyway, I'm glad we had the opportunity to read a short story for our blog this weekend and I'm definitely satisfied with what we read.
Natalie, You are somewhat horrifying! It never occurred to me that Frank and Tub had planned this let alone that they had intentionally missed the turn! You revealed a terrifying side to this story that I had not even detected. Also, Kenny was my least favorite character, too, but in a way he was my favorite. That makes so little sense, but in my blog I referred to him as the deepest character despite the fact that he was not given as much of a back story as Frank and Tub. But what if Frank and Tub actually are awful people that plotted to kill their rude and inconsiderate friend? This is why I always read and comment on your blogs - we have perspectives that are similar enough that I usually agree with you but different enough that you always teach me something and I love that! Except for the fact that I am way more disturbed by this story now.
I feel the same way about the third-person perspective, it is so beneficial for short stories because they are not often about one specific character and they have so little time to entirely develop each character. The way this was written felt slightly like "Crime and Punishment" to me because it stuck mainly with Tub as "Crime and Punishment" did with Raskolnikov, but it switched it up and gave insight into all three of the characters. But, back to your theory that they planned the whole thing, I am wondering what we really know about the characters - maybe only what they want us to know. Anyway, the one point I disagreed with you on was the title. While you found it, in a way, lacking I saw it as the most literally and metaphorically exquisite title that has ever been bestowed upon a short story. It referred to the actions of the men as well as the empty lives that they were leading and desperately hunting for a way out of. Get it? They were HUNTING through the SNOW of their lives. When they are walking through the snow in the beginning the author writes "Wherever Tub looked the surface was smooth, undisturbed, and after a time he lost interest" (Wolff 2). I totally feel as if that was meant to be a metaphor for the way they all view their monotonous lives as is the title and the final line. They did not only make a wrong turn on the way to the hospital, they all had made a wrong turn a long time ago in their own lives.
Anyway, great job with your blog this week! I also found great pleasure in reading this short story, and I hope you are able to gain a different perspective from my response to you as your blog offered me a different perspective on the story.
“Hunters in the Snow” by Tobias Wolff is a short story that feels as if it is an excerpt from real life. The reader is not given any history about any of the three main characters who are Tub, Frank, and Kenny. However, through the story their personalities and problems are revealed and the reader is able to discover them alongside the other characters. The most interesting part of this short story, for me, was the meaning I found in the title “Hunters in the Snow” after reading the short story. All of the three men were literally hunting in the snow but they were also searching for some sort of satisfaction or pleasure in empty places. For example, Tub was seeking happiness in excessive eating but it could not please him because it led him to gain weight and lie to everyone saying that it was a gland disorder. Frank was searching for love because he was not satisfied in his marriage and he thought he had found it in a fifteen year old. Meanwhile, Kenny found pleasure in tormenting the other men. But we do not know any of this when the story begins, just that a man named Tub is waiting.
It is interesting how the story is structured because each man seems to take his turn revealing his flaws. Kenny is first – he nearly runs Tub down with his truck, mocks the way Frank speaks about “get[ting] centered” (Wolff 1) and nearly leaves the woods without Tub who cannot keep up with he and Frank. During this time Frank and Tub both act in ways that reflect upon their issues before they are revealed. For instance, Tub hides sandwiches and cookies in his pockets and eats them in secret after having a lunch of “one hard- boiled egg and a stick of celery” (Wolff 2). The reader does not fully understand this until he confesses his eating disorder to Frank. Frank, on the other hand, gets infuriated with Kenny who is characteristically mocking him and alludes to “a certain babysitter” (Wolff 2). Tub also calls Frank’s distraction to light and Frank acknowledges that he has a lot on his mind; however, the reader is not aware of his complex affair until he confides in Tub at the bar.
There is as much significance in the final line as there is in the title. The final line reads “They had taken a different turn a long way back” (Wolff 9). This not only refers to their physical wrong turn and how they were not heading to the hospital but also to the wrong turns they had all taken in their lives. It is clear that the three of them have been friends for a while, but at some point their relationship changed. Tub says to Frank early on in the story “I used to stick up for you” (Wolff 3) implying that they were once close friends and that, although they hunt with each other and know each other, they are drifting apart. Tub further alludes to this when he says again to Frank “What do you know about me” (Wolff 5). All three men have come to lie to each other about their unhappy lives – they have all taken a wrong turn that led them towards the empty search for happiness in their lives.
As more of a side note, something that disturbed was the way the dog was killed. Why was it necessary to the story? Surely there was another way to instigate the shooting of Kenny. But then it was revealed that the farmer needed the Kenny to shoot his old, sick dog because he could not. What further troubled me was whether the killing of the dog was meant to make Kenny look humane or demented. He was willing to shoot the dog for the man, but the way he went about it made the whole occurrence feel grotesque. Perhaps that was because he could not directly face taking the dog’s life and he had to make a game out of it. If so, why did he turn the gun on Tub? For these reasons, I found Kenny to be the deepest character even though he never directly revealed an issue in the manner that Frank and Tub did. And the ending left me wondering if Kenny was even hoping to live or if the other men truly cared about whether he did or not. I think the literary success of “Hunter in the Snow” can be found in the response it evokes in the reader as a result of its literal and metaphorical meanings. Perhaps we are all hunters in the snow, searching for some sort of happiness in the emptiest of places when we already have everything we need within ourselves.
After I read your comment on my blog, I knew I would have to read yours. you immediately grabbed my attention when you began to talk about the title. They were hunting in ways more than one. While I made the connection mentally, I did not tie in the title as you did... I didn't even think twice of it. It is so obvious I cannot believe I didn't think of it! I especially liked how you mentioned they were looking in "empty," therefor unrewarding, places. I loved all of the lines you picked out of the story in your third paragraph and how well you blended them into your writing. I myself wasn't as big of a fan of this story as you were so it was very nice to read this and get another point of view. Of course, you are an intelligent girl as well so that really helped you in forming your opinions. All in all, I loved your blog. I can't wait to discuss this with you in class tomorrow!
Like Felicia, I knew I wanted to read your perspective about the story after what you commented on mine. I can honestly say that I made no connection with the title and the story except that they are three men going out hunting for deer. This is why I love hearing your opinion! It is so true though that they wet shunting for more than just the animal, and I wish I would have picked up on that myself. I also liked what you said about the three men taking turns revealing their weaknesses as part of the plot structure. I wonder if the order of the men revealing their flaws was meant to reveal something else about them? Anyway, I found what you said about the final line to be quite interesting. The three men have all obviously turned down the wrong path in their lives, but can they turn around? The truck would be able to if they ever realized they were heading in the wrong direction, unless my theory is right and they never actually planned on taking Kenny to the hospital, but could the men actually change? I'm not sure if they can mentally do that although they know what their problems are. Most people never change, despite their attempts. Maybe this was Wolff's way of reminding society how hard it is to change who you are once you have made it part of your every day life. Overall, this was such a wonderful blog!
Wow. When I first went to look at the blog and scrolled through it's length, I was dreading having to read it. Although I have to admit that after I actually started reading it I was hooked. The first paragraph actually, was the thing that had me wanting more. The whole part about the first car pulling off and then seeing the rifle and speeding off made me craving answers. As the story continued, my craving was only strengthened by the side comments made by the characters. The whole thing about the babysitter threw me off and I was very glad when I was able to discover the importance behind the comment. I think the main thing that makes this short story by Tobias Wolff so interesting is the proposed questions at the beginning that aren't answered until the ending.
I'm not going to lie, I was very confused at first by the three characters. I know there was only three of them, but for some reason I couldn't manage to keep the straight, until I put two and two together that Kenny was the one of got shot and Tub was the one of the diet. Speaking of the diet, I did not see that whole thing coming with the pancakes and the confession about him actually stuffing his face instead of truly sticking to the diet. I think there could have been a little bit more description of the characters but I think there is a part of me that likes that they weren't further described because it allowed me to form my own images of them in my head. I however think it would have been a good thing to mention more about the friendships between the three men.
The point of view comes from a third person perspective. I think this is a good thing because it allows the reader to view the thoughts and words of all three main characters rather than just one specific one. This is a good thing because it allows the audience to formulate their own opinions on the story and what happened rather than being told how to view the situation and how to feel about it. I know I was hesitant at first, but I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this story. My favorite part was probably the little insert at the end where Kenny says he is going to the hospital but in all reality they'll never get there. I hope we get to talk about this story in class because I feel a much stronger liking behind it compared to The Necklace and the short stories we read by Nikolai Gogol.
Jessica, I must say that I too regretted this blog and wasn't looking forward to it at first. Until I read the first paragraph and wanted to know what happened, and what was going on. The answers weren't exactly what I was expecting, I never thought it would've gone that far. My point being the opening made me think about this story being something along the side of more of a fabled moral. Also I completely agree with your second paragraph, and being confused with the characters at first. Also not being able to picture the characters really made me struggle with identifying characters. Lastly, your last point on discussing this in class I hope it does come up cause I still am quite puzzled, and I'd greatly appreciate everyone's input.
The length of the short story also made me die a little inside, but I was completely hooked after just a few paragraphs! I liked that you called it craving for answers. It reminds me of Tub and how he was addicted to eating. Just as he wants more food to chow down, I wanted more to the story to read. I never even thought about how the questions and confusing remarks at the beginning are answered near the end of the short story. To me, though, that is what makes such a great story. It is better to leave your reader confused at the beginning rather than at the end when there is nothing left for them to read. I also liked the third person point of view. I think it allows for the reader to know more and gives them more information to discover and interpret. I really loved this short story, and I'm so glad you liked it too! We seem to have similar tastes in what we liked and disliked this year. Overall, this was a short and to the point blog, and those are always my favorite to read! Great work!
I believe that for an author to be able to captivate almost an entire class of high school students in the first paragraph shows the signs of an excellent writer. For me, I was intrigued by why on earth this man is holding a rifle on the side of the road. It actually reminded me of the Dominican Republic at first, because as you drive down the main highways, men line the streets with machine guns and semi automatic rifles. Quite honestly it's extremely terrifying. But once the story progressed, I learned that was quite the wrong picture to have. I agree, the questions that were created at the beginning with the comments and body language of the men were what really kept me interested. You had some interesting insight on the story and how it affected you as you read it. THis is always helpful, because it allows me to see a different view of the story. Good work.
Jessica, Your blog was really good this week! I agree with you that I dreaded the thought of reading it as well, but I'm so happy I did! My skin was crawling the whole entire time, and it was amazing. I wish your blog included a theme, or something. It seemed kind of short. I do love that you wish there was more of a defined friendship between the men. They all seemed disconnected in some way. Frank seemed to be the one that was fought over too. That's how I personally feel, and I honestly do not know if that is a legitimate opinion. Great job this week!
I must say this piece was truly a work of literary art, like Van Gogh's Starry Night except in a series of words. Tobias Wolff's "Hunter's In the Snow" even after just hearing the title can give you a sense of something was wrong. Then as the story begins to develop before our eyes it is just like seeing a work of art being put together, or a song tuned to its finest quality. However, with each piece of art there are things you like and things you dislike, which allows a piece to be complete in a short story.
With this particular piece of literary art we see the image of three "friends" going out for a small hunting excursion. Even before we get halfway into the examination of this painting we get a sense of something dark. As well as a troubled individual whose friends don't care, and see his issue as a joke to poke fun at whenever they saw it fit. This proves to be an under lying plot that ultimately becomes a theme for this piece, don't hide who you are. I find this in Tub coming out about his dietary problem, he can't physically control his hunger. Then Frank coming clean about his attraction towards the fifteen year old girl who baby sits his children. Also how he no longer has feelings for his wife, his original feelings were more lustful than loving. Then we have the trigger happy Kenny who is an antagonizer, and the main source of the darkness that surrounds this short story. Throughout this piece he is shown to be the bully, or the one whose trying to control the others along with the situation. All of these parts/characteristics allow this small piece to become a full picture, and a short story.
This piece however in the beginning was quite fragmented and didn't give a full picture , instead it gave minute details. Although that is very practical it makes the reader think and wonder, but it becomes complicated for one who is not looking to analyze this short story. One's first impression is that this story is about a drunk hunting incident, once Frank and Kenny almost hit Tubs on the curb. Although there is nothing in the story about any of them consuming any alcoholic beverage, it is assumed based on the fact of their reckless driving in the opening of the short story. Then the fact of Kenny growing increasingly aggravated to the point where it seemed completely irrational till the end. Although his sudden sensation of becoming "trigger happy" was explained in the end he was asked to kill the dog, it didn't explain why he aimed his rifle at Frank. There were to many things that didn't connect, and then not explained in the end. Hence making this seem to be more of a fragmented short story in my opinion.
The mechanics are about the only thing that is keeping the piece as short story in my opinion. The third person point of view is what gives this piece a sense of an outside perspective and being told as a story, with a moral. However, the moral took a bit longer to get to and could be lost in the actual story itself. The point of view reminded me of the short stories from Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol. Then the sense of connecting the two authors was just lost in the fragmented lines of this story.
Devyn, As I read your opening paragraph I kept thinking about the quote of the day from Friday that said “Art is a lie that leads us to the truth.” I have to agree that I saw the story slowly forming before my eyes and, now that you say it, I can see how it would appear the same way a painting did. Going back a few months, I always enjoyed looking at the artwork Dr. Pam had sitting on the window seal. Some weeks, however, I was unsure of what the picture was actually supposed to be because of the progression and way she was going about it. I think the short story we had to read for the blog is a lot like that because we get bits and pieces from the ending result as we continue to read through the lines only to finally see the completed result and be shocked that we never knew what it was to begin with. You, like Kaitlin and a few others, consider the three men “friends” rather than actual friends. This reminded me of this week’s essay for Huck Finn. They all put up an appearance rather than just living out the reality. I have to agree that the fragments of information given out at the beginning of the story were confusing and even for me, one who was attempting to analyze it. I do not want to think about what it would be like for those who were just reading it for pleasure. You mentioned the moral the story taught, I wish you would have expanded on that thought a little more rather than just leaving it there hanging, but good work this week!
As always you have provided an interesting and different insight into this story than I had really thought about. You thoughts about the alcoholic side of this story were almost startling to me, because while I had, initially, thought that the men in the truck were drunk or had some sort of malicious intent, I never carried this on as a theme in the story. You and I, Had some different views on some of the subjects that this story brought up, but I see valid opinions in yours. In a story like this one, I think that a lot of the mystery of it stems from the readers opportunity to assume opinions about the characters based on the partial history given at the beginning. I enjoyed reading your opinions on this story. Great work.
Devyn, You mentioned that you thought this story was fragmented. Honestly, I find that impossible because every detail that Wolff includes/excludes is to make his readers think. There is no right or wrong when it comes to creative writing. By making this story "fragmented" Wolff created a real life situation; you never know all the true facts. However, not all stories are for everyone. You also asked me a question in your comment for my blog, and I feel the need to answer it. Tub's rage/killing cannot be justified. I do think it is unfair how Kenny and Frank treated him, since he did have an addiction to food. (You also wrote that Tub's is eating out of hunger, but he is not. He has a problem.) Tub's does have the right to be angry, but no one should make it their responsibility to kill another human being. Sticking to our theme of freedom, this is a freedom Tub's not have. He should have taught himself how to restrict himself when he becomes incapable of controlling his anger. But that is just my answer to your question. I believe there is an ulterior motive in their somewhere. Nice job!
I really enjoyed reading the short story "Hunters In the Snow" by Tobias Wolf. It was an intriguing read, and I wanted to find out more about the characters and their situations when I was finished, which to me is the mark of a good short story. This story was kind of mysterious in the way it was written. There were a lot of hushed secrets that would be hinted at, but the writer never gave the full explanation of what was happening. There was always something that the reader would be curious about, for example, Kenny and Frank's relationship and how they treated Tub. I think that this was enhanced by the point of view that the author used in the story.
ReplyDeleteUsing third person in a story like this one allows the reader to be free from any real emotional attachment to the characters. It also was third person view, but in a detached sort of way. The author never said anything about what the men were feeling, so the reader was left to infer what was happening based in the body language provided and verbal clues that often play a part in the way people read other people's behaviors. This freedom gave the reader an opportunity to be unbiased of the men, until they had admitted something that the reader could judge them for. For example, Tub admits to having a problem with eating. He tells Frank that he diets, but he is actually dieting in front of everyone else and then has secret stashes of food in other places. He is completely ashamed of it. Originally, the reader would feel bad for Tub, because his so-called friends are completely wacky and aren't respectful of him. But, eventually, you feel sorry for Frank, due to the confusion that he is experiencing, and then feel sorry for Kenny, who is dying and most likely, it is inferred, won't be receiving help.
Characterization plays an important role throughout this short story, because it is not the normal characterization that many people are used to. Instead of introducing a character by giving insight into their personal life through either another character or the character in question, this story uses indirect characterization in which a reader is given small amounts of information from which they can pull inferences and create their own idea about the character they are studying. For example, as you read "Hunters In the Snow", the character, Frank, says things like "Be mellow." and "Feel that energy." Personally, when I read "Be mellow." I immediately thought to myself, "There's a hippie if I ever saw one." As the story goes along, he continues to say things that are kind of stereotypical of a hippie, talking about energy and love in very free ways. Kenny almost hits Tub with the truck, frightening him badly. But Kenny thinks it is a joke, and then he continues to do things that lead the reader to thinking that he has many characteristics that are the same as a bully. He taunts Tub about his size, and at one point, shoots objects because he "hates" them. He shoots a post and a tree, but the tide turns when he shoots the dog if a farmer right in between the eyes. Once that happens, he turns to Tub and says "I hate you." The reader gets the sense that he is not exactly right in his mind at this moment, and has no doubt that he'll actually shoot his friend. But all of these thoughts and beliefs are drawn from inferences.
The plot progression in this story is really interesting. It starts off calmly, until a truck comes barreling down an alley. Then, they all head to go hunting. The tension starts to build when Tub is being left behind by the other two, one who thinks it's funny that his friend is scared, almost delighting in it, and the other who is so "centered" that he is not concerned. The reader begins to feel sorry for him. Then, when he misses the tracks to catch up, the reader feels this even more intensely. And, as soon as Kenny shoots the post, the emotions change to shock and a little bit of fear. When he turns the gun on the dog people worry about his mental stability. There is a bit of a catharsis when Tub shoots Kenny, because the reader is relieved that Tub was not shot, but also at the same time there is a bit of shock that Tub shot Kenny. Personally, I felt exasperated when they were taking Kenny to the hospital because they kept stopping and Frank ordered Tub food at a restaurant. Um, hello there is a dying man in the bed of your trunk. The last line of the story almost creates as much curiosity as the rest of the story. What's going to happen to Kenny if "they had taken a different turn a long way back?"
DeleteI really enjoyed this story because once all of these elements were combined, it led the reader into a suspenseful story that held quite a bit of character development towards the end. It actually would have been a short story that I would have elected to read on my own if asked. However, I am still reeling from the ending because I want to know what happened to Kenny and if Frank actually runs away with this fifteen year old girl. But, a book that stays with you in such a way, even after you've had a good night's sleep, is a good book.
Tobias Wolff created a work of art when he wrote "Hunters in the Snow." This short story shocked me, even though I had a feeling something bad was going to happen. From the beginning Wolff caught my attention. The truck slipped all over the road and almost killed Tub, but Kenny and Frank were laughing about it. The two men obviously do not care about Tub's well being. How could someone watch their overweight friend struggle to find safety from a truck traveling full speed towards him? It is not a laughing matter. Even as they are traveling to hunting Kenny and Frank walk without waiting for Tub. Tub is sensitive, and scared to be in the woods by himself. When he tries to talk to Kenny and Frank about being left behind they ignore him. It is not until later, when Tub flies off the handle, that I saw Kenny and Frank's deeper side. Tub shoots a farmer's dog in spite of its barking. Kenny and Frank become a little upset because the dog never did anything to Tub but bark at him. Tub is already angry at this point. He is tired of Kenny and Frank making fun of him being overweight. Kenny is shot by Tub next, but Tub immediately regrets his decision, or so it seems. Kenny is in extreme pain while Frank and Tub are freaking out. Kenny will not stay still while Tub and Frank retrieve directions to the hospital. On their way to the putting Kenny in the truck Tub falls and sends Kenny flying off the boards. Frank finally listens to anger in Tub's voice when Tub shakes him hard. Frank finally understood Tub's feelings. Even when they talk in the two restaurants/bars, they find more about their home life. Frank is a creep and Tub is addicted to food. They are so self absorbed that they forget their directions to the hospital at the first bar. I instantly knew that they were not going to the hospital. Does Frank want Kenny to die because he is finally getting to know Frank better? If these men were women, none of this would have happened. Using men to create this story and developing these three to be ignorant beings allowed Wolff to show that words can kill.
ReplyDeleteThe plot of this story really rattled me. The story starts out with someone almost getting killed and ends with someone who will eventually die. I did not realize this as I was reading it, but I have come to the conclusion that Wolff was writing about survival of the fittest. Up until Kenny is shot, he is the best fit for survival. Wolff flicks the switch and makes the story about mentality. Tub is the only one out of the three not afraid to kill another man. After that, Tub eased Frank to his side. Did Tub really remember the directions? Did he pick the paper up and not tell Frank? It is hard to tell since readers are experiencing with the men.
This story is written in a way that readers have no choice but to only find out what is going on when the men do. We have no chance of getting into the minds of the men; we are a just another person in the story. Wolff wrote the story to be realistic in all ways possible. The men are average, the point of view is like we are living in their world, and the plot is very much possible for the life of any hunter. Living in Elk County, our class knows how easy it is for accidents to happen while hunting; however, this was no accident. Tub wanted to hurt one of the men. He even told Frank it was him or Kenny. That told me that Tub shot to kill. I do not know if it was by chance that he missed Kenny's appendix or if Tub knew exactly where to shoot so it would be a slow painful death. A death that symbolized how he felt when the two skinny guys were calling him fat all the time. I really enjoyed this short story, and it kinda creeped me out because I know that this has probably happened before and will surely happen again. Tobias Wolff did a fantastic job of describing survival of the fittest to me by working with his plot, characters, and realistic viewpoint.
Wow, Kaitlin!
DeleteI had never thought of the thought of the plot revolving around the thought of "survival of the fittest," but now that you mention and describe it, I absolutely agree. That is such an interesting, and disturbing concept to be used so literally in human life. This story creeped me out so much. It disgusted me as well at certain points.
I also agree with what you said in your last paragraph, there was no way that this was an accident. That would explain why the men had remained so relaxed and no one was alarmed or immediately attentive to the gun shot. That is so sick, mentioning that he knew where to shoot that would give a slow painful death. After all, he did mention that he had missed the appendix, how did he automatically know this? He had to have done his research. Wow. I am shocked. We live in a cruel world. This short story was a haunting one, for sure.
Excellent job on your blog as a whole. You have come a long way since your first ever blog and you should be proud! Great job this week .
Kaitlin,
DeleteUnlike you, I did not get a feeling that something was going to happen. I was completely unsure of what was coming next unlike I was in The Necklace. I have to agree with you on the begging part though. Talk about an attention grabber. When I read the part about how the original driver sped off after seeing the rifle I was like where the heck is this story going?! I never really considered the fact that Kenny and Frank did not truly care about Tub’s life because they almost ran him over. I took that as, I do not want to say a playful gesture between friends because near death experiences are not really funny but, a weird joke shared between the three men. You know kind of like we causally punch our friends in the arm for one reason or another. I was shocked when Tub shot the farmer’s dog just because of its barking, or so we thought. That whole particular situation made me realize that Tub really was a good guy deep down and he just made some stupid choices. He did the farmer a favor because the dog was suffering and he couldn’t bring himself to kill it himself. Although I don’t agree with that form of an animal being put down, I realize why he did it and face the reality that it happens in today’s world. You propose the question “did Tub really remember the directions?” I had to stop the reply and think about that. I concluded that I really don’t know and now it is bothering me because I want to know. I really liked how you threw in the part about how living in Elk County makes us more aware of how often and easily hunting accidents really can and do occur. Good work this week!
Kaitlin,
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this week especially the points that you posed in the second paragraph. The concept of Wolff writing about "survival of the fittest " is very understandable once one steps back and examines the story with your points. The three men pose as three separate sides to compare in the typical concept of survival of the fittest. Kenny was the unstable aspect, Tubs was the one able to kill, and Frank was the only stable one. Now that you've place this concept in my mind it seems logical and possible. But I must say that all of the questions you pose are the ends of all the fragmented story points that I had mentioned in my blog. None of them had answers probably by design but, it makes the story questionable in so many ways. Then your last paragraph is so true, we do see accidents like this except the fact that it was no accident. But then I must pose something for you, was Tub's rage/killing justified by his treatment? Anyone who has been abused would have a certain rage they would want to release at a time. In other words he could've been a time bomb, or it could've been a time bomb we weren't given the entire story so nothing can be guaranteed. Well done, Kaitlin, I look forward to the next.
The short story, “Hunters in the Snow,” was written as a narrative from the third person point of view by Tobias Wolff. The story revolves around the three main characters of Tub, Frank and Kenny, involving few others. Each man is living a life of secrets that the other is unaware of. After a few unexpected twists and turns throughout the story, by the end I had determined that the story line focused on what we think of ourselves, what we fear others will think of us, and what others really do think of us. Friendship also plays a huge role in all three of these points.
ReplyDeleteI feel like such a negative person lately. I didn’t particularly like last weeks “the Necklace,” and I am not exactly a fan of this weeks “Hunters in the Snow.” The story started off with Tub almost being ran over by Frank and Kenny driving carelessly and directly at him. While Tub was panicking: upset and angry, Frank and Kenny thought it was hilarious. Clearly, this situation is far from funny. Instantly, I thought that the men were drunk. It seemed fitting, I myself don’t hunt but I always hear of the tragic accidents where people go hunting under the influence. I instantly thought that thats how the story would end, and I guess I was partially right.
Now, if you know me, you know I am a dog lover. I obsess over dogs. I like dogs more than I like most people. So when they shot that dog, that wasn’t even right. First of all, how can you just shoot a dog like that?! Second, how can you just watch your “friend” kill a dog out of no where and remain calm?! No. I was upset. I still am upset, and i’m positive that when we talk about this story in class tomorrow I will be raging about how upset I am. I get it though, he was asked to kill the dog, “put it out of its misery,” okay. He just went about it the entirely wrong way. I mean, come on! Killing an innocent animal should never even be considered as a joke. There was just a little bit too much of disrespect here for me. I’m sorry, but I love dogs more than I can appreciate any possible reasoning there was behind this. Speaking of getting shot, it seemed as if everyone was just so okay with one of the men being shot. No one really turned any immediate attention to it what so ever. I just don’t understand why this was not a bigger deal.
One other particular thing set me off. Tub had confessed about his issues he has been having with binge eating. How does Frank respond? By forcing Tub to binge on pancakes, and then he glorifies it! This is not healthy! I know there is this whole body acceptance movement going on, and i think thats what this little “scene” was trying to draw attention too, but I feel it was wrongly done. I understand that Frank had been trying to make Tub feel comfortable and show him that he wasn't disgusting, but you cannot disregard your health like that. Being severely overweight is terribly unhealthy, and I was shocked that Frank was, metaphorically and literally, feeding Tub’s addiction while praising him for it during and after. As a friend, I feel as if he should have supported him in a healthier way, like recommending he visit a doctor and offer to eat healthier with him.
“Hunters in the Snow” was a short story that really made me think about a lot of different things. The story is successful in grabbing the readers attention, and does not fail to keep it. While it wasn’t a favorite of mine and I was confused at times, It was worth the read and is sure to spark quite the discussion.
Felicia,
DeleteReading your opinion on this was so beneficial for me! Everyone else, including myself, seems to have enjoyed the story, and maybe you are being negative, but I don't care because you pointed out some obvious points that had been bothering me! Let me begin with the dog - if you are raging tomorrow I will be raging right beside you! I dedicated nearly an entire paragraph to how terribly I thought Kenny went about killing the dog and how that reflected upon his character. But after reading your blog I began to wonder what else the author was doing. He presented three characters - Frank, Tub, and Kenny - with three common issues we see today - an affair, an eating disorder, and a desensitized outlook on life. Then he put them all together in the cold, barren wilderness and let them go until they all snapped! By leading me to this you also helped me to add on to the metaphorical meaning I found behind the title and the last line. These men not only took literal and metaphorical wrong turns in their lives - they did it on the hunting trip. They intentionally picked at each others nerves until BOOM! A poor, innocent dog is dead and Kenny is hurting all over. Hurting all over? Because he was shot, or because by shooting him Tub forced Kenny to reflect on his life and the way he had been treating other people and he was so remorseful that he hurt all over!
You focused a lot more on the characterization than the other aspects of the story but I did not mind because you took the time to discuss the huge flaw in the so called "friendship" between Kenny, Frank, and Tub that I think several of us noticed and alluded to but avoided talking about. But it is relevant - it is important because it shows you the wrong turns they have all made and how it has changed them. Tub is fatter and moodier, Frank is distracted and submissive, Kenny is mean and it is probably because he cannot handle himself and his emotions. These are unhappy people. They are hunting for happiness in violence, food, and passion and they will not find it just as they did not find the dear. The ironic thing is that if Kenny had not insisted on them going after the deer he probably would have never been shot in the first place.
Your blog was very good this weekend - it allowed me to view the more universal themes in this short story. It also made me think about how I hate when people mistreat animals and how many pancakes Tub must have eaten. Both points are disgusting so thanks for that. But excellent work!
"Hunters in the Snow," written by Tobias Wolff, is a short fictional story with great characterization, point of view, and plot structure. I knew right away that something terrible was going to happen, but I had no clue what was coming up. I love when any kind of story is capable of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, taking in the suspense filled events. Wolff hit the nail on the end with this one. I really believe that the way Wolff established the three characters set the tone for the rest of the story. Tub is introduced as an overweight man with little self-confidence, Kenny is seen as a rude man with a lack of compassion for the well-being of the other men, and Frank is depicted as a man who follows Kenny because he is scared to be himself and does not know what he wants in life. Putting these three together in one story is just screaming insanity and certainly calls for a suspecting bad ending. I have to say, though, I was still surprised at how the story did actually end, and I found myself pitying Kenny even though he was my least favorite character.
ReplyDeleteI also absolutely loved the point of view for this story. Third person is a great choice because it allows the reader to see all of the different sides to the story. Although it mostly focused on Tub, it helped the reader see the mental change in his character. He finally got so sick of Kenny and when he was threatened by Kenny, he shot him. I think the point of view really helps with the characterization of the three men, as well as the plot structure. Personally, I prefer a short story in third person since they are not that long and it would be much more difficult to see the events play out in sequence. I think that is why the point of view is so crucial to any story, whether it is found in a short story or a novel. The author decides on how much the reader gets to see and know.
Wolff's plot structure for his short story was also on point. I liked the way he set everything up, all the while building onto the suspense of the story. The way it began with the truck heading straight for Tub made me rethink my opinion on what kind of story it was going to be. The title makes sense after reading the whole short story, but at first I was expecting a nice story about a group of hunters tracking an animal and eventually finding it or something like that. I do think the title is a little too benevolent and quite misleading for the actual plot of the story. But, sometimes that is better, I think, and it worked for this one. As for the rest of the story's plot structure, I think it smoothly intensified. It boiled down to where I was wondering when something bad was going to occur, and when it did I was not sure if the worst was yet to come. The pit stops that Frank and Tub made to warm up and Tub forgetting the directions on the table add me realize that something was going on, but I never considered it to be that they had purposely missed the turn for the hospital way back. I think they both finally realized that they only needed each other as friends and support systems. I have also wondered if Frank and Tub planned the whole hunting scheme in the first place. I mean, the man who owned the house that they went into the call for help did not seem at all surprised that they shot their friend. Something tells me that there is more to the story than what Wolff gave us to read.
Overall, I really liked this short story. It was convincing in the characterization, plot structure, and point of view. I was honestly hooked at the beginning and refused to get distracted because it was that good. The ending did bother me just because it left me hungry for more, almost like how Tub eats and eats except I just wanted to read and read. Anyway, I'm glad we had the opportunity to read a short story for our blog this weekend and I'm definitely satisfied with what we read.
Natalie,
DeleteYou are somewhat horrifying! It never occurred to me that Frank and Tub had planned this let alone that they had intentionally missed the turn! You revealed a terrifying side to this story that I had not even detected. Also, Kenny was my least favorite character, too, but in a way he was my favorite. That makes so little sense, but in my blog I referred to him as the deepest character despite the fact that he was not given as much of a back story as Frank and Tub. But what if Frank and Tub actually are awful people that plotted to kill their rude and inconsiderate friend? This is why I always read and comment on your blogs - we have perspectives that are similar enough that I usually agree with you but different enough that you always teach me something and I love that! Except for the fact that I am way more disturbed by this story now.
I feel the same way about the third-person perspective, it is so beneficial for short stories because they are not often about one specific character and they have so little time to entirely develop each character. The way this was written felt slightly like "Crime and Punishment" to me because it stuck mainly with Tub as "Crime and Punishment" did with Raskolnikov, but it switched it up and gave insight into all three of the characters. But, back to your theory that they planned the whole thing, I am wondering what we really know about the characters - maybe only what they want us to know. Anyway, the one point I disagreed with you on was the title. While you found it, in a way, lacking I saw it as the most literally and metaphorically exquisite title that has ever been bestowed upon a short story. It referred to the actions of the men as well as the empty lives that they were leading and desperately hunting for a way out of. Get it? They were HUNTING through the SNOW of their lives. When they are walking through the snow in the beginning the author writes "Wherever Tub looked the surface was smooth, undisturbed, and after a time he lost interest" (Wolff 2). I totally feel as if that was meant to be a metaphor for the way they all view their monotonous lives as is the title and the final line. They did not only make a wrong turn on the way to the hospital, they all had made a wrong turn a long time ago in their own lives.
Anyway, great job with your blog this week! I also found great pleasure in reading this short story, and I hope you are able to gain a different perspective from my response to you as your blog offered me a different perspective on the story.
“Hunters in the Snow” by Tobias Wolff is a short story that feels as if it is an excerpt from real life. The reader is not given any history about any of the three main characters who are Tub, Frank, and Kenny. However, through the story their personalities and problems are revealed and the reader is able to discover them alongside the other characters. The most interesting part of this short story, for me, was the meaning I found in the title “Hunters in the Snow” after reading the short story. All of the three men were literally hunting in the snow but they were also searching for some sort of satisfaction or pleasure in empty places. For example, Tub was seeking happiness in excessive eating but it could not please him because it led him to gain weight and lie to everyone saying that it was a gland disorder. Frank was searching for love because he was not satisfied in his marriage and he thought he had found it in a fifteen year old. Meanwhile, Kenny found pleasure in tormenting the other men. But we do not know any of this when the story begins, just that a man named Tub is waiting.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how the story is structured because each man seems to take his turn revealing his flaws. Kenny is first – he nearly runs Tub down with his truck, mocks the way Frank speaks about “get[ting] centered” (Wolff 1) and nearly leaves the woods without Tub who cannot keep up with he and Frank. During this time Frank and Tub both act in ways that reflect upon their issues before they are revealed. For instance, Tub hides sandwiches and cookies in his pockets and eats them in secret after having a lunch of “one hard- boiled egg and a stick of celery” (Wolff 2). The reader does not fully understand this until he confesses his eating disorder to Frank. Frank, on the other hand, gets infuriated with Kenny who is characteristically mocking him and alludes to “a certain babysitter” (Wolff 2). Tub also calls Frank’s distraction to light and Frank acknowledges that he has a lot on his mind; however, the reader is not aware of his complex affair until he confides in Tub at the bar.
There is as much significance in the final line as there is in the title. The final line reads “They had taken a different turn a long way back” (Wolff 9). This not only refers to their physical wrong turn and how they were not heading to the hospital but also to the wrong turns they had all taken in their lives. It is clear that the three of them have been friends for a while, but at some point their relationship changed. Tub says to Frank early on in the story “I used to stick up for you” (Wolff 3) implying that they were once close friends and that, although they hunt with each other and know each other, they are drifting apart. Tub further alludes to this when he says again to Frank “What do you know about me” (Wolff 5). All three men have come to lie to each other about their unhappy lives – they have all taken a wrong turn that led them towards the empty search for happiness in their lives.
As more of a side note, something that disturbed was the way the dog was killed. Why was it necessary to the story? Surely there was another way to instigate the shooting of Kenny. But then it was revealed that the farmer needed the Kenny to shoot his old, sick dog because he could not. What further troubled me was whether the killing of the dog was meant to make Kenny look humane or demented. He was willing to shoot the dog for the man, but the way he went about it made the whole occurrence feel grotesque. Perhaps that was because he could not directly face taking the dog’s life and he had to make a game out of it. If so, why did he turn the gun on Tub? For these reasons, I found Kenny to be the deepest character even though he never directly revealed an issue in the manner that Frank and Tub did. And the ending left me wondering if Kenny was even hoping to live or if the other men truly cared about whether he did or not. I think the literary success of “Hunter in the Snow” can be found in the response it evokes in the reader as a result of its literal and metaphorical meanings. Perhaps we are all hunters in the snow, searching for some sort of happiness in the emptiest of places when we already have everything we need within ourselves.
DeleteAnn,
DeleteAfter I read your comment on my blog, I knew I would have to read yours. you immediately grabbed my attention when you began to talk about the title. They were hunting in ways more than one. While I made the connection mentally, I did not tie in the title as you did... I didn't even think twice of it. It is so obvious I cannot believe I didn't think of it! I especially liked how you mentioned they were looking in "empty," therefor unrewarding, places.
I loved all of the lines you picked out of the story in your third paragraph and how well you blended them into your writing. I myself wasn't as big of a fan of this story as you were so it was very nice to read this and get another point of view. Of course, you are an intelligent girl as well so that really helped you in forming your opinions. All in all, I loved your blog. I can't wait to discuss this with you in class tomorrow!
Ann,
DeleteLike Felicia, I knew I wanted to read your perspective about the story after what you commented on mine. I can honestly say that I made no connection with the title and the story except that they are three men going out hunting for deer. This is why I love hearing your opinion! It is so true though that they wet shunting for more than just the animal, and I wish I would have picked up on that myself. I also liked what you said about the three men taking turns revealing their weaknesses as part of the plot structure. I wonder if the order of the men revealing their flaws was meant to reveal something else about them?
Anyway, I found what you said about the final line to be quite interesting. The three men have all obviously turned down the wrong path in their lives, but can they turn around? The truck would be able to if they ever realized they were heading in the wrong direction, unless my theory is right and they never actually planned on taking Kenny to the hospital, but could the men actually change? I'm not sure if they can mentally do that although they know what their problems are. Most people never change, despite their attempts. Maybe this was Wolff's way of reminding society how hard it is to change who you are once you have made it part of your every day life.
Overall, this was such a wonderful blog!
Wow. When I first went to look at the blog and scrolled through it's length, I was dreading having to read it. Although I have to admit that after I actually started reading it I was hooked. The first paragraph actually, was the thing that had me wanting more. The whole part about the first car pulling off and then seeing the rifle and speeding off made me craving answers. As the story continued, my craving was only strengthened by the side comments made by the characters. The whole thing about the babysitter threw me off and I was very glad when I was able to discover the importance behind the comment. I think the main thing that makes this short story by Tobias Wolff so interesting is the proposed questions at the beginning that aren't answered until the ending.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to lie, I was very confused at first by the three characters. I know there was only three of them, but for some reason I couldn't manage to keep the straight, until I put two and two together that Kenny was the one of got shot and Tub was the one of the diet. Speaking of the diet, I did not see that whole thing coming with the pancakes and the confession about him actually stuffing his face instead of truly sticking to the diet. I think there could have been a little bit more description of the characters but I think there is a part of me that likes that they weren't further described because it allowed me to form my own images of them in my head. I however think it would have been a good thing to mention more about the friendships between the three men.
The point of view comes from a third person perspective. I think this is a good thing because it allows the reader to view the thoughts and words of all three main characters rather than just one specific one. This is a good thing because it allows the audience to formulate their own opinions on the story and what happened rather than being told how to view the situation and how to feel about it. I know I was hesitant at first, but I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this story. My favorite part was probably the little insert at the end where Kenny says he is going to the hospital but in all reality they'll never get there. I hope we get to talk about this story in class because I feel a much stronger liking behind it compared to The Necklace and the short stories we read by Nikolai Gogol.
Jessica,
DeleteI must say that I too regretted this blog and wasn't looking forward to it at first. Until I read the first paragraph and wanted to know what happened, and what was going on. The answers weren't exactly what I was expecting, I never thought it would've gone that far. My point being the opening made me think about this story being something along the side of more of a fabled moral. Also I completely agree with your second paragraph, and being confused with the characters at first. Also not being able to picture the characters really made me struggle with identifying characters. Lastly, your last point on discussing this in class I hope it does come up cause I still am quite puzzled, and I'd greatly appreciate everyone's input.
Jessica,
DeleteThe length of the short story also made me die a little inside, but I was completely hooked after just a few paragraphs! I liked that you called it craving for answers. It reminds me of Tub and how he was addicted to eating. Just as he wants more food to chow down, I wanted more to the story to read. I never even thought about how the questions and confusing remarks at the beginning are answered near the end of the short story. To me, though, that is what makes such a great story. It is better to leave your reader confused at the beginning rather than at the end when there is nothing left for them to read. I also liked the third person point of view. I think it allows for the reader to know more and gives them more information to discover and interpret. I really loved this short story, and I'm so glad you liked it too! We seem to have similar tastes in what we liked and disliked this year. Overall, this was a short and to the point blog, and those are always my favorite to read! Great work!
Jessica,
DeleteI believe that for an author to be able to captivate almost an entire class of high school students in the first paragraph shows the signs of an excellent writer. For me, I was intrigued by why on earth this man is holding a rifle on the side of the road. It actually reminded me of the Dominican Republic at first, because as you drive down the main highways, men line the streets with machine guns and semi automatic rifles. Quite honestly it's extremely terrifying. But once the story progressed, I learned that was quite the wrong picture to have. I agree, the questions that were created at the beginning with the comments and body language of the men were what really kept me interested. You had some interesting insight on the story and how it affected you as you read it. THis is always helpful, because it allows me to see a different view of the story. Good work.
Jessica,
DeleteYour blog was really good this week! I agree with you that I dreaded the thought of reading it as well, but I'm so happy I did! My skin was crawling the whole entire time, and it was amazing. I wish your blog included a theme, or something. It seemed kind of short. I do love that you wish there was more of a defined friendship between the men. They all seemed disconnected in some way. Frank seemed to be the one that was fought over too. That's how I personally feel, and I honestly do not know if that is a legitimate opinion. Great job this week!
I must say this piece was truly a work of literary art, like Van Gogh's Starry Night except in a series of words. Tobias Wolff's "Hunter's In the Snow" even after just hearing the title can give you a sense of something was wrong. Then as the story begins to develop before our eyes it is just like seeing a work of art being put together, or a song tuned to its finest quality. However, with each piece of art there are things you like and things you dislike, which allows a piece to be complete in a short story.
ReplyDeleteWith this particular piece of literary art we see the image of three "friends" going out for a small hunting excursion. Even before we get halfway into the examination of this painting we get a sense of something dark. As well as a troubled individual whose friends don't care, and see his issue as a joke to poke fun at whenever they saw it fit. This proves to be an under lying plot that ultimately becomes a theme for this piece, don't hide who you are. I find this in Tub coming out about his dietary problem, he can't physically control his hunger. Then Frank coming clean about his attraction towards the fifteen year old girl who baby sits his children. Also how he no longer has feelings for his wife, his original feelings were more lustful than loving. Then we have the trigger happy Kenny who is an antagonizer, and the main source of the darkness that surrounds this short story. Throughout this piece he is shown to be the bully, or the one whose trying to control the others along with the situation. All of these parts/characteristics allow this small piece to become a full picture, and a short story.
This piece however in the beginning was quite fragmented and didn't give a full picture , instead it gave minute details. Although that is very practical it makes the reader think and wonder, but it becomes complicated for one who is not looking to analyze this short story. One's first impression is that this story is about a drunk hunting incident, once Frank and Kenny almost hit Tubs on the curb. Although there is nothing in the story about any of them consuming any alcoholic beverage, it is assumed based on the fact of their reckless driving in the opening of the short story. Then the fact of Kenny growing increasingly aggravated to the point where it seemed completely irrational till the end. Although his sudden sensation of becoming "trigger happy" was explained in the end he was asked to kill the dog, it didn't explain why he aimed his rifle at Frank. There were to many things that didn't connect, and then not explained in the end. Hence making this seem to be more of a fragmented short story in my opinion.
The mechanics are about the only thing that is keeping the piece as short story in my opinion. The third person point of view is what gives this piece a sense of an outside perspective and being told as a story, with a moral. However, the moral took a bit longer to get to and could be lost in the actual story itself. The point of view reminded me of the short stories from Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol. Then the sense of connecting the two authors was just lost in the fragmented lines of this story.
Devyn,
DeleteAs I read your opening paragraph I kept thinking about the quote of the day from Friday that said “Art is a lie that leads us to the truth.” I have to agree that I saw the story slowly forming before my eyes and, now that you say it, I can see how it would appear the same way a painting did. Going back a few months, I always enjoyed looking at the artwork Dr. Pam had sitting on the window seal. Some weeks, however, I was unsure of what the picture was actually supposed to be because of the progression and way she was going about it. I think the short story we had to read for the blog is a lot like that because we get bits and pieces from the ending result as we continue to read through the lines only to finally see the completed result and be shocked that we never knew what it was to begin with. You, like Kaitlin and a few others, consider the three men “friends” rather than actual friends. This reminded me of this week’s essay for Huck Finn. They all put up an appearance rather than just living out the reality. I have to agree that the fragments of information given out at the beginning of the story were confusing and even for me, one who was attempting to analyze it. I do not want to think about what it would be like for those who were just reading it for pleasure. You mentioned the moral the story taught, I wish you would have expanded on that thought a little more rather than just leaving it there hanging, but good work this week!
Devyn,
DeleteAs always you have provided an interesting and different insight into this story than I had really thought about. You thoughts about the alcoholic side of this story were almost startling to me, because while I had, initially, thought that the men in the truck were drunk or had some sort of malicious intent, I never carried this on as a theme in the story.
You and I, Had some different views on some of the subjects that this story brought up, but I see valid opinions in yours. In a story like this one, I think that a lot of the mystery of it stems from the readers opportunity to assume opinions about the characters based on the partial history given at the beginning. I enjoyed reading your opinions on this story. Great work.
Devyn,
DeleteYou mentioned that you thought this story was fragmented. Honestly, I find that impossible because every detail that Wolff includes/excludes is to make his readers think. There is no right or wrong when it comes to creative writing. By making this story "fragmented" Wolff created a real life situation; you never know all the true facts. However, not all stories are for everyone. You also asked me a question in your comment for my blog, and I feel the need to answer it. Tub's rage/killing cannot be justified. I do think it is unfair how Kenny and Frank treated him, since he did have an addiction to food. (You also wrote that Tub's is eating out of hunger, but he is not. He has a problem.) Tub's does have the right to be angry, but no one should make it their responsibility to kill another human being. Sticking to our theme of freedom, this is a freedom Tub's not have. He should have taught himself how to restrict himself when he becomes incapable of controlling his anger. But that is just my answer to your question. I believe there is an ulterior motive in their somewhere. Nice job!