Tobias Wolff

Reflections of Judgment Through Fiction When reading through various works of fiction, we sometimes come across material that almost speaks directly to us, or may even describe our current situation or feelings. Although the works are truly fictitious, the inspiration for these stories comes from deep within the mind of the author, who is human, and human emotions tend to bleed through fiction. This is how we can find a surreal connection to so many stories that never actually occurred. Some…

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…

truth is lost in an ocean of triviality. It takes a faultfinder of exceptional understanding to part these oceans of insignificance and concentrate the minuscule piece of significance concealed inside. Anders, the book pundit and primary character in Tobias Wolff's short story Bullet in the Brain, is not such a faultfinder—in any event no…

As adults in the “real world,” we are expect to take responsibility for our own actions by both learning from a less than ideal life experience and paying back a debt, whether through finances or with a change in future behavior. Donald doesn’t see it that way though, and appears to have no sense of the value of money and how tough it was for Pete to earn it. He also lacks the physical capability to pay his brother back because before Pete is even finished paying off Donald’s bills he has found…

Tobias Wolff's, “Hunters in the Snow”, has kept college students debating on whether it was mindlessness or malice that was Kenny’s doom since its 1980 release. Tub, Frank, and Kenny are all friends, but Kenny has the tendency to tease them about personal matters. Tub accidentally shoots Kenny and they decide to take him to the hospital, but along the way Tub and Frank bond and decide that they do not want Kenny around any longer. After Kenny was accidentally shot, Tub and Frank decide to…