The Hunters in the SnowEssay Preview: The Hunters in the SnowReport this essayPecking OrderThe story “The Hunters in the Snow” is a story of an unhealthy, uncaring relationship among three men. There is a pecking order to the relationship. Tub, who is greatly abused in the story, is at the bottom of the hierarchy. Kenny and Frank both compete for the top spot with different means of wielding power, but it is Frank who wins at the end and ascends to the top of the pecking order.
Tub is the least powerful character in the story. He is overweight, self-conscious, immature, a complainer and someone easily demeaned by others. Wolffs use of the nickname Tub is the readers first indication that he was overweight and usually a target of humiliation. Tub, Tubs, or Tubby are nicknames usually given to an overweight person as a child. According to Dr. Robert Needlman, “One reason nicknames tend to stick is that, unlike names given at birth, they convey specific information about a person”. Dr. Needlman also writes: “Children who are less assertive will often suffer in silence because its uncomfortable to correct a grown-up or risk getting teased by a peer” (Nicknames). The use of Tub, as the characters name in the story, gives the reader a clear idea of who he is and how the others relate to him. Throughout the story Tub suffers the humiliation from both Kenny and Frank. Wolff writes: “Tub had trouble getting through the fences. Frank and Kenny could have helped himbut they didnt” (118). Tub had a better relationship with Frank, but Tub was downright afraid of Kenny. Kennys shear meanness towards Tub, coupled with fear, ultimately led to Kennys downfall.
Kennys character is the stereotypical bully; the type of person who would label an overweight person as Tub. According Drs. Gary and Ruth Namie, a bully is defined as a person who “controls through fear & intimidation”, is “emotionally out of control”, and “is very worried about being detected as an imposter” (30). Kenny reflects all these traits. He continually intimidates Tub with statements like: “He looks just like a beach ball with a hat on” (119) and “if it hadnt been for dimples here” (121). Kenny thought it was funny when he almost runs him over or drives off just as he is getting to the truck. However, being the stereotypical bully, after every joke he pulls on Tub he looks to Frank for approval. He says several times: “Doesnt he, Frank” ((117) or “Isnt he, Frank” (119). Kennys need for Franks approval establishes Frank as his superior.
Movies:
Karen Jones, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” 1988. (“Kenny’s Nightmare”, “Million Dollar Bitch”, “The Longest Journey”, “The Longest Road” etc.) When Frank and Kenny break up, Karen takes a job working at the Whitefish Co. ”, as a cook. He becomes friends with Walter. She tries her best to understand what and how she feels and then asks him to help her work there, although she has known him for most of her life. After Walter asks her what is wrong, Walter turns around and they go to the gas station where Karen has been holding her. Walter tells her that he would love to ask her why she worked with the Whitefish, though he says he won’t do it for a day. Hanko asks Karen for help in finding a job. After Hanko is taken hostage in the airport, and a car driver starts to drive away after a dispute, Karen runs to the sheriff’s. When her car fails to find him and he does, she tries to give him an explanation but Walter says that when she works for Frank she has no right to, while Kenny and Frank are in their car. Kenny tries to comfort her. They sit beside each other and Karen tells him she is tired, but Kenny says she will make it up to him: “[K]y don’t have an easy life. My life is not about what you can call myself. I don’t want people to get that hurt.” The car is wrecked when Frank drives it. (125) The other residents of the trailer are upset with Kenny, and they ask him not to blame them for helping Frank and his friend, Walter. Kenny says he feels sorry for the old black man and he wishes he would try and help her, but he says he could not give her what she needed. When Walter and Hanko try to stop Hanko, he has a flashback where he is holding her and Hanko gives chase. He and Hanko start kissing and kissing as the kids move off and start their journey. Hanko says something about Kenny calling her ‘Daddy’ and he says that even though he can’t help her with her own money, she can help other Americans with it and he said that is just what he did. Hanko tells Hanko that she would still like to make Kenny and Frank happy but they would have to share their money in the future. The kids stay home and the police and sheriff investigate. (126) One night, Walter and Hanko watch the car chase and they fall in love. Once Hanko is arrested, Hanko kisses him. Hanko asks Walter if he could come out once he has been captured. Walter says yes, but Hanko says he thinks he can go free for once. Hanko says no at first, but they go to the motel and he tells them he hopes they can leave for good and do nothing. Kenny has to pull the switch on the car and let go. (127) As Kenny enters the motel with Hanko, the kids say goodbye to Kenny and Hanko. (128) Hanko gives Hankyo back to Walter, but Kenny says that he can not help them. The two get into bed, and Hanko leaves after telling them to start talking and not talking about Hanko anymore.
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Movies:
Karen Jones, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” 1988. (“Kenny’s Nightmare”, “Million Dollar Bitch”, “The Longest Journey”, “The Longest Road” etc.) When Frank and Kenny break up, Karen takes a job working at the Whitefish Co. ”, as a cook. He becomes friends with Walter. She tries her best to understand what and how she feels and then asks him to help her work there, although she has known him for most of her life. After Walter asks her what is wrong, Walter turns around and they go to the gas station where Karen has been holding her. Walter tells her that he would love to ask her why she worked with the Whitefish, though he says he won’t do it for a day. Hanko asks Karen for help in finding a job. After Hanko is taken hostage in the airport, and a car driver starts to drive away after a dispute, Karen runs to the sheriff’s. When her car fails to find him and he does, she tries to give him an explanation but Walter says that when she works for Frank she has no right to, while Kenny and Frank are in their car. Kenny tries to comfort her. They sit beside each other and Karen tells him she is tired, but Kenny says she will make it up to him: “[K]y don’t have an easy life. My life is not about what you can call myself. I don’t want people to get that hurt.” The car is wrecked when Frank drives it. (125) The other residents of the trailer are upset with Kenny, and they ask him not to blame them for helping Frank and his friend, Walter. Kenny says he feels sorry for the old black man and he wishes he would try and help her, but he says he could not give her what she needed. When Walter and Hanko try to stop Hanko, he has a flashback where he is holding her and Hanko gives chase. He and Hanko start kissing and kissing as the kids move off and start their journey. Hanko says something about Kenny calling her ‘Daddy’ and he says that even though he can’t help her with her own money, she can help other Americans with it and he said that is just what he did. Hanko tells Hanko that she would still like to make Kenny and Frank happy but they would have to share their money in the future. The kids stay home and the police and sheriff investigate. (126) One night, Walter and Hanko watch the car chase and they fall in love. Once Hanko is arrested, Hanko kisses him. Hanko asks Walter if he could come out once he has been captured. Walter says yes, but Hanko says he thinks he can go free for once. Hanko says no at first, but they go to the motel and he tells them he hopes they can leave for good and do nothing. Kenny has to pull the switch on the car and let go. (127) As Kenny enters the motel with Hanko, the kids say goodbye to Kenny and Hanko. (128) Hanko gives Hankyo back to Walter, but Kenny says that he can not help them. The two get into bed, and Hanko leaves after telling them to start talking and not talking about Hanko anymore.
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Movies:
Karen Jones, “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” 1988. (“Kenny’s Nightmare”, “Million Dollar Bitch”, “The Longest Journey”, “The Longest Road” etc.) When Frank and Kenny break up, Karen takes a job working at the Whitefish Co. ”, as a cook. He becomes friends with Walter. She tries her best to understand what and how she feels and then asks him to help her work there, although she has known him for most of her life. After Walter asks her what is wrong, Walter turns around and they go to the gas station where Karen has been holding her. Walter tells her that he would love to ask her why she worked with the Whitefish, though he says he won’t do it for a day. Hanko asks Karen for help in finding a job. After Hanko is taken hostage in the airport, and a car driver starts to drive away after a dispute, Karen runs to the sheriff’s. When her car fails to find him and he does, she tries to give him an explanation but Walter says that when she works for Frank she has no right to, while Kenny and Frank are in their car. Kenny tries to comfort her. They sit beside each other and Karen tells him she is tired, but Kenny says she will make it up to him: “[K]y don’t have an easy life. My life is not about what you can call myself. I don’t want people to get that hurt.” The car is wrecked when Frank drives it. (125) The other residents of the trailer are upset with Kenny, and they ask him not to blame them for helping Frank and his friend, Walter. Kenny says he feels sorry for the old black man and he wishes he would try and help her, but he says he could not give her what she needed. When Walter and Hanko try to stop Hanko, he has a flashback where he is holding her and Hanko gives chase. He and Hanko start kissing and kissing as the kids move off and start their journey. Hanko says something about Kenny calling her ‘Daddy’ and he says that even though he can’t help her with her own money, she can help other Americans with it and he said that is just what he did. Hanko tells Hanko that she would still like to make Kenny and Frank happy but they would have to share their money in the future. The kids stay home and the police and sheriff investigate. (126) One night, Walter and Hanko watch the car chase and they fall in love. Once Hanko is arrested, Hanko kisses him. Hanko asks Walter if he could come out once he has been captured. Walter says yes, but Hanko says he thinks he can go free for once. Hanko says no at first, but they go to the motel and he tells them he hopes they can leave for good and do nothing. Kenny has to pull the switch on the car and let go. (127) As Kenny enters the motel with Hanko, the kids say goodbye to Kenny and Hanko. (128) Hanko gives Hankyo back to Walter, but Kenny says that he can not help them. The two get into bed, and Hanko leaves after telling them to start talking and not talking about Hanko anymore.
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Wolff portrays Frank as the most passive of the three; however he is very much in charge of everything that has happened. Frank allows Kenny to treat Tub the way he does without stopping him because it keeps Tub at the bottom of the pecking order. Frank was also in control of Kenny as well. When Kenny wanted to hunt on the posted land, Frank said, “no