The short story, “Hunters in the Snow” written by Tobias Wolff, is a tale about male bonding and a hunting trip that turns disastrous because of secrets. There are three characters, Tub, Kenny, and Frank who are not truthful to each other during the course of their friendship. The cold bitterness the three men show one another is the same as the breath of the wind that blows on them, making them cold and brutal. The cold weather reveals the true nature of the three men and how they only care for themselves in the end. This essay will discuss a few ways the setting in the work has influenced the actions of the characters. The brush of coldness is displayed on one of the men names Tub.
A heavy-set man that seems good at heart but at times he’s too soft. Kenny and Frank always bullied Tub, mostly about his weight; Kenny took the most enjoyment out of it. In the beginning of the story Tub is standing by himself on the side of the street waiting for an hour in the snow. When they finally arrived, Tub starts to complain about them being late, Kenny tells him to shut up. Frank jumps in saying that he hasn’t “done anything but complain since they got there (Wolff ),” suggesting to go home and complain to his kids instead.