In the short story "Hunters in the Snow," Wolff utilizes the snow and cold atmosphere as symbolic elements that have a significant impact on the characters, consequently establishing a theme of crisis that reveals the complexities and uncertainties of human interaction and personal struggles. The weather, particularly winter, serves as a representation of death, hibernation, and depression. Furthermore, the snow acts as a symbol of concealment, functioning as a metaphorical blanket that hides the characters' feelings of loneliness, emptiness, and inner coldness.
The author skillfully showcases their simmering resentment by setting the story in the cold, bleak winter season. On page 3, the paragraph starting with "They left the woods…" is crucial in revealing Tub's deep-seated animosity towards his friends, Kenny and Frank. In this paragraph, Tub recalls how h
...e was left alone to work on one side of the bank while his friends collaborated on the other. Prior to this, on the bottom of page 2, another instance of unfriendly behavior is evident. Tub struggles to navigate through the fences while Frank and Kenny stand idly by, refusing to assist him. This behavior exemplifies how the men treat each other in the cold and hostile environment. Kenny displays hostility towards Tub, while Frank maintains a cold and indifferent stance, ignoring Tub's pleas for help throughout the story. Returning to the paragraph on page 3, further examples of the chilling, snow-covered atmosphere can be found.
The surface of the snow is characterized as undisturbed and smooth. It is also described as light, but it cunningly transforms into deep drifts that compelled Tub to use both his knees and elbows desperately in order to pass through them. As
I imagined only untouched white snow, Wolff's depiction of the silence brought by the breeze made me feel a sense of loneliness and emptiness. The use of the word "fighting" to describe how Tub was maneuvering himself through the deep snow drifts demonstrates his crisis of feeling lost and abandoned.
The author's hidden meaning of desperation is revealed through the use of the word "fighting," which helps me envision the snow as a living, malevolent force that hinders him physically. The cold and unfriendly atmosphere connects directly to the personal challenges, concealed secrets, and unpredictable behaviors of each character. This theme persists throughout Tobias Wolff's work, influencing the complexity of the enigmatic conclusion that involves the demise of one of the characters.
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