Hunters in the Snow

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

Activity 1: “Multimedia Collage: Themes, Literary Devices, and Character Development”

In this activity, students will create a physical or digital collage that visually represents various aspects of the story, including at least 3 themes, 3 literary devices, and 3 characters.

Create a physical or digital collage that represents key aspects of the story. Be sure to include at least 3 themes, 3 literary devices, and the 3 main characters in your collage. You can use images, photographs, drawings, magazine cutouts, textures, found objects, sound bites, music, or digital graphics to create a montage that captures the essence of “Hunters in the Snow.”

Part A: Themes

• Incorporate visual representations of the 3 main themes: Toxic Friendships, Narcissism and Neglect, and Man Versus Nature.
• Include a brief written explanation of each theme and its connection with the visual(s) you chose.

Part B: Literary Devices

• Identify 3 literary devices at play in the story.
• Incorporate visual representations of these literary devices.
• Include brief accompanying written explanations of your choices.

Part C: Characters

• For each of the 3 main characters (Tub, Frank, and Kenny), create a visual portrait that captures details of body language, facial expressions, and emotions.
• Include brief accompanying written explanations of your choices.

Part D: Written Reflection

• Write a one-page reflection touching on each of the categories and exploring the significance of the themes, literary devices, and characters to the overall message of the story.

In either a gallery walk or individual presentations, you’ll have a chance to share your work as well as to interact with and consider your peers’ takes on the task.

Teaching Suggestion: In Wolff’s short story, the themes, literary devices, and characters are interconnected and reflect one another in layers of meaning. This activity provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding and thoughtfully represent these elements in unique ways. You might consider having students take notes or discuss in an additional journal entry about what new things they considered about the story and its message through the activity.

• Resources like this Literary Devices page may be helpful in identifying and reviewing literary devices.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who are more literal or who have diverse differences, pair or group activities encourage brainstorming with others and collectively exploring ideas. In a group of three, each student may be responsible for one theme, one literary device, and one character—or one student could tackle characters, another literary devices, and a third themes. Alternatively, individuals or groups can also focus on fewer elements (one theme, one literary device, one character); then, in a gallery walk or during presentations, they can take notes on themes, characters, and literary devices they didn’t cover in their own collage. This allows English language learners or those with processing differences to devote more attention to the theme, literary device, and character that most resonates with them. Students with visual learning differences may use sound, texture, manipulatives, topography, or other means of expressing themselves.

Activity 2: “Setting: Harsh Environment”

In this activity, students will identify and analyze the setting from the short story.

Consider the setting in the story “Hunters in the Snow.” The rural Washington winter setting is the predominant environment with clear symbolism, but there are also tableaus within the larger setting (snow-laden forests, the farmhouse, pit stops off the highway) that enrich the impact and add complexity. In this activity, map or chart the various places that exist within the larger setting, and note the associations and significance of the details to the whole.

Part A: Brainstorm and Sort

• Using a cloud map or other brainstorming tool, begin by listing the various places in which the story takes place. Break each one down into descriptive details.
• Highlight or mark each of these details to sort them by associations or significance to the story. Consider sorting positive or negative associations, connection to themes, etc.

Part B: Organize and Present

• When finished, form a pair or small group and discuss your findings; then, work together to organize your information visually (e.g., word maps, bird’s eye map, scenes from story with labels, or key symbols to signify connections or sorted categories).
• Include quotes from the text embedded in your visual, as well as brief analyses of significance for key details and places.
• Display or showcase your setting findings and follow through with a gallery walk, encountering and considering your peers’ representations of the setting in the story. List commonalities and differences in your notes.

In a journal reflection, write a brief reflection on the setting and the role it plays in supporting Man Versus Nature or other themes. What does the setting reveal about the dark side of human nature? In what ways does the environment reflect or symbolize the dynamics and actions of the characters?

Teaching Suggestion: Within the larger setting of rural Washington in winter, Wolff uses specific places and environments to mirror the characters’ lives and struggles. The bleak, unforgiving nature of the cold intensifies the feelings of isolation, hardship, and vulnerability experienced by the characters. The forest backdrop to their unsuccessful hunting trip underlines the pressure of survival and instinct and highlights the brutal reality of the natural world and humans’ reliance on it for sustenance and purpose. Students also can explore the individual scenes and settings of the story; for example, the forest and the roadhouse parallel the contrast between the characters’ bleak, toxic friendships with their enduring human desire for connection despite being ill-equipped to have healthy relationships. In the forest, there is scarcity of game and loyalty, while the roadhouse appears to offer warmth and connection. The objectives of the activity challenge students’ perceptions of the literal and the figurative. Students will also recognize connections and associations with the larger message about human nature and relationships in Dirty Realism.

Paired Text Extension:

This activity could bridge to a reading of “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell and a discussion or written reflection on the ways in which both Wolff and Connell use setting to showcase the darker side of human nature.

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell (full text)

The Most Dangerous Game on SuperSummary (study guide)

•  Read the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell and reflect on the similarities and differences compared to “Hunters in the Snow.”
• On a separate sheet of paper, draw a chart to compare how the two short stories use the setting and the Man Versus Nature theme to add commentary about the darker side of human nature.

Teaching Suggestion: In a journal or a graphic organizer, have students compare the two stories, paying special attention to the setting, the Man Versus Nature theme, and the messages regarding the darker side of human nature.