Poem Analysis: The Hunter

Like The Hunter in the start of The Bear, in the beginning of my school year I had a goal to succeed. The first stanza of the poem shows readers that The Hunter had a focus before beginning their chase. “I sometimes glimpse bits of steam…and know the chilly, enduring odor of bear. (Kinnel)” The bear represents a goal. The Hunter identifies its odor before physically viewing it. This allowed for preparation on the hunters part to further pursue this unseen focus. The moment I got accepted into MICDS I had a notion of being exceptional. I identified this ambition before I stepped into the highschool environment that would partially determine my upcoming years and future. I promised myself that I would put my schooling over anything else. I never

(Kinnel)” The Hunter sets out a foundation that would allow them to carry on a path towards success. Instead of killing the bear directly with a gun, they used a sharp rib causing the bear to pierce itself, slowly for both characters. Because of what the hunter planted for the bear, it was practically taking itself down. My “wolf ribs” were the tactics that I implemented for myself at the beginning of the school year. These would help me conquer my goal. I always tried to ask anyone questions no matter how unintelligent they seemed, paid attention when teachers and coaches were speaking, made apt companions, and sought out additional help when I struggled. As The Hunter did, I set up strategies that would help me take down “my bear”. My path would inescapably have lots of struggle and failure, which would help me learn along the way. In Addition, The Hunter's foundation for their chase of the bear led them to some initial progress signified by its weakening shown in Stanzas 4 and 5. “Roaming in circles until I come to the first, tentative, dark splash on the earth. And I set out running, following the splashes of blood

Sections 3 through 6 relay the multiple struggles that the hunter faced just to get to the bear. “On the third day I began to starve, at nightfall I bend down as I knew I would at a turd sopped in blood, and hesitate…and thrust it in my mouth. (Kinnell)” I relate to the hunter because they had to change themself to keep going on their journey. If they were not in this liminal space chasing the bear, they would most likely not have done this, hence the reason they hesitated. Coming to MICDS as a new 9th grader made me realize that I should not be shy, or scared to talk in front of my new classmates–especially if I wanted to achieve any of my goals. So, like the hunter, I pushed myself. Though I generally shied away from public speaking, during class discussions I began to assert myself more. During my first few Spider Web discussions for English class. I would be solidly prepared. I brought new insights and ideas. I struggled with excessive nerves. Before and during the beginning of the discussion I would shake. My teeth would clatter but I wasn’t cold. I would stutter and talk way too fast for anyone to understand, but what mattered to me were my attempts which would get better over my months at school. I had similar struggles with my fall sport. It took me long to make friends and I had trouble conversing with anyone on the team.