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Levshunov
Faith Levshunov
English 112
Professor Kim Stevens
October 4th 2017
Hunters in the Snow Literary Analysis
The short story “Hunters in the snow” is barbaric. Known for his straightforward writing, the
American author, Tobias Wolff, gave new meaning to the word crude. In this piece, Tobias Wolff hinges the success of his story, and the reception of his desired effect on the quick-witted reader and their ability to process fast paced dialogue. “Hunters in the snow” does not spoon feed the reader or offer much closure; However it does offer vivid written imagery and thought-provoking insight into a world of raw emotion. The characters in this story seem to lack heart, at times, so that the reader feels their own.
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With Kenny in the back of the pick up truck on the road to the hospital, it is learned that Frank is thinking of leaving his wife for a 16 year old girl. Tub and Frank stop because they are cold and while leaving Kenny freezing and dying in the back of the pick-up truck Frank encourages Tub to eat 4 servings of pancakes!
By the end of the story, no resolution has been attempted for Tubs glutenous habits, no reprimand is offered for Franks obsession with an underage girl, and no closure is given for a bleeding and weak, half frozen, Kenny in the back of a pick up truck.
Throughout the story the typical reader feels sadness, sympathy, and, at times, outrage. According to notablebiographies.com Tobias Wolff “tries to treat his characters honestly once he has developed them”. Also his "standards of honesty and exactness," and his refusal "to destroy his characters with irony that proved his own virtue." is evident in this short story. Even if this means the reader cringes at the dialogue of the characters such as: "You fat moron,", "I guess you think I 'm a complete bastard.", and "If you want to piss and moan all day you might as well go home and bitch at your
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He has written many well known and successful novels, memoirs, and short stories.
Wolff has received several awards including “a National Medal of the Arts from President Obama in
September 2015” according to creative writing.stanford.edu. Wolff is able to accurately portray
Levshunov characters through the use of imagery and realistic dialogue. In this short story, written in third person,
Wolff drove the plot and theme into the readers mind effectively. According to Wolff “When the first sneering name, the first joke, the first slanderous myth of another race enters our ears, can we ever wholly cleanse ourselves of its effect?
The harsh tones, swear words and all, used in “Hunters in the snow” echo Wolffs commitment to his characters and their authenticity. While this story grabs you and leaves you hanging, it does change the reader and I don’t think we can ever “wholly cleanse ourselves of its effect”.
Levshunov
References
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2005-Pu-Z/Wolff-Tobias.html#ixzz4uxuoAXtd
http://creativewriting.stanford.edu/uncategorized/tobias-wolff