Heavy snow can alter vision and can make it so people cannot see what is right in front of them. Often times, this can happen with people, too. People tell lies to deceive those around them, and make themselves seem like better people than they actually are. The short story “Hunters in the Snow” by Tobias Wolff is a good example of this. The theme of the story is that people will lie about themselves because they feel insecure, and want people to think they are better than they actually are. The three main characters, Kenny, Frank, and Tub, all live lies in hopes that they will be viewed highly. These men are supposed to be friends, and friends are not supposed to keep secrets from each other. They do, though, so that they will appear to be
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They use the lies to deceive those around them because they are insecure about their own lives. In the same way that the snowy atmosphere impairs the hunters’ vision and hearing, their lies impair how people view them. Kenny pretends he is content with his own life, but he puts others down to make himself look better. Frank lies about his secret affair so no one will judge him. Tub lies about his glands so people will not think he is a gluttonous person. They lie to make themselves seem like better people, because they are insecure with their true selves. Towards the end of the story it says, “The snowfall lightened and the clouds began to roll back off the fields.” (168). Around this time in the story, Frank and Tub were coming clean about their secrets. Once they knew that they would not be judged for their secrets, they shared them. Just how the snow clears and helps the men see better, the secrets clear and help the men see their friends for who they actually are. This brings them closer, and hopefully makes them feel more secure about their real lives. On the other hand, Kenny never comes clean about his lie, which destroys him. He gets shot, and his friends do not really care that much. Perhaps if he would have told his friends the truth, they would have been more apt to help
They use the lies to deceive those around them because they are insecure about their own lives. In the same way that the snowy atmosphere impairs the hunters’ vision and hearing, their lies impair how people view them. Kenny pretends he is content with his own life, but he puts others down to make himself look better. Frank lies about his secret affair so no one will judge him. Tub lies about his glands so people will not think he is a gluttonous person. They lie to make themselves seem like better people, because they are insecure with their true selves. Towards the end of the story it says, “The snowfall lightened and the clouds began to roll back off the fields.” (168). Around this time in the story, Frank and Tub were coming clean about their secrets. Once they knew that they would not be judged for their secrets, they shared them. Just how the snow clears and helps the men see better, the secrets clear and help the men see their friends for who they actually are. This brings them closer, and hopefully makes them feel more secure about their real lives. On the other hand, Kenny never comes clean about his lie, which destroys him. He gets shot, and his friends do not really care that much. Perhaps if he would have told his friends the truth, they would have been more apt to help