Hunters In The Snow Symbolism Essay
The Path to Self Destruction
In the short story “Hunters in the Snow” Tobias Wolff uses symbols to convey that some people’s selfishness can lead to their own self destruction.
The first example of symbolism that Tobias Wolff gives us is the setting of the story. Implied by the stories title the setting is a snowy forest. The snow, being so cold, is symbolic of the cold relationship that the three hunters; Tub, Frank and Kenny all share with each other. Frank and Tub, once used to be very close, but Frank now has a more close relationship with Kenny but even that friendship is not without its taunting and antagonizing. This is made clear when after Frank tells Kenny that he talks to much, Kenny Says “I won't say a word. Like I won't say …show more content…
The orders of pancakes are symbolic of Tub’s gluttonous nature, which in this part of the story is being enabled and encouraged by Frank. “When the dishes came Frank carved out slabs of butter and just laid them on the pancakes. Then he emptied the bottle of syrup, moving it back and forth over the plates. He leaned forward on his elbows and rested his chin in one hand. ‘Go on, Tub’” (152) Frank is well aware that Tub’s biggest weakness is food. Tub, having just confessed that he secretly indulges himself in junk food when nobody else is around, in response to Frank’s confession about his affair; Frank decides that he is going order Tub four orders of pancakes with extra butter and syrup. “’Clean you plate,’ Frank said when the pancakes were gone, and Tub lifted each of the four plates and licked it clean. He sat back, trying to catch his breath.” (152) The reason that Frank is encouraging this horrible behavior is because if Tub feels he can eat like a gluttonous slob without being judged by his “friend” then he will keep quiet in regards to his “friend’s” affair. It all comes back to selfishness and
In the short story “Hunters in the Snow” Tobias Wolff uses symbols to convey that some people’s selfishness can lead to their own self destruction.
The first example of symbolism that Tobias Wolff gives us is the setting of the story. Implied by the stories title the setting is a snowy forest. The snow, being so cold, is symbolic of the cold relationship that the three hunters; Tub, Frank and Kenny all share with each other. Frank and Tub, once used to be very close, but Frank now has a more close relationship with Kenny but even that friendship is not without its taunting and antagonizing. This is made clear when after Frank tells Kenny that he talks to much, Kenny Says “I won't say a word. Like I won't say …show more content…
The orders of pancakes are symbolic of Tub’s gluttonous nature, which in this part of the story is being enabled and encouraged by Frank. “When the dishes came Frank carved out slabs of butter and just laid them on the pancakes. Then he emptied the bottle of syrup, moving it back and forth over the plates. He leaned forward on his elbows and rested his chin in one hand. ‘Go on, Tub’” (152) Frank is well aware that Tub’s biggest weakness is food. Tub, having just confessed that he secretly indulges himself in junk food when nobody else is around, in response to Frank’s confession about his affair; Frank decides that he is going order Tub four orders of pancakes with extra butter and syrup. “’Clean you plate,’ Frank said when the pancakes were gone, and Tub lifted each of the four plates and licked it clean. He sat back, trying to catch his breath.” (152) The reason that Frank is encouraging this horrible behavior is because if Tub feels he can eat like a gluttonous slob without being judged by his “friend” then he will keep quiet in regards to his “friend’s” affair. It all comes back to selfishness and