Summary Of A Blizzard Under Blue Sky

“A Blizzard under Blue sky,” written by Pam Houston is a story about a girl who is suffering from depression. As readers may understand how common depression is affecting over 350 million people nationwide. In this poem the sufferer decides to cure herself despite her psychologist’s recommendations. Her art of healing comes from a more natural resource. The female in the story embarks on this dangerous journey with her two dogs Jackson and Hailey lacking human companionship facing this hardship ultimately alone. The story is set during the winter months in Utah, with temperatures well below zero, -32 to be exact. The author helps readers embark on this journey, allowing a very visual picture and understanding of how natural her medicine is.

The reason she is depressed is due to natural occurring life issues including work not getting done, bills not getting paid and a man she’d given her heart to weekending in the desert with his ex.(Line 6-7) Readers can easily understand that these issues are very relatable to their own personal problems. Humans suffer loses yet not everyone suffers from depression. The doctor believes her to be broken, consequently giving her medical opinion. Having the doctor specifically diagnosing her gives more claim of value to the problem ultimately suggesting medication to help heal her. Bodies are such fine-tuned machines but they do require some maintenance, just like automobiles. Yet despite the doctors recommendations, her idea of a fix me upper is to go winter camping. Pam Houston identifies and ultimately treats depression in just four pages. Giving readers the impression that, the machine just needed some

Winter camping is not for the faint of heart. It is a rather bizarre activity. It usually requires planning and a positive attitude. The narrator allows the protagonist character to face this challenge lacking human interaction. Setting her up in the mountains of Utah, untrained, freezing, and mentally ill. The setting really helps the story come more alive and allows it to be profound and momentous. Depression is no longer her issue, death is. Readers are on the edge while reading, thinking either she is crazy for doing this or crazy for not. Yet it is thrilling as it grabs their attention and the only concern for her is if she is going to freeze to death just as Alex, her friend, told her. Houston explains her thought process by writing “I spent half of the night chastising myself for thinking I was Wonder women, not only risking my own life but the lives of my dogs, and the other half trying to keep the numbness in my feet from crawling up to my knees.” (Houston) Ultimately as she faces her situations readers realize that she if facing a near death situation. The problems she once faced seem to be gone with the snowy blizzards winds. Giving readers the understanding that she overcome her emotions. The setting is ultimately perfect for the