How to Talk to a Hunter by Pam Houston
**Overview of "How to Talk to a Hunter" by Pam Houston**
“How to Talk to a Hunter” is a narrative that explores the complexities of a relationship between an independent young woman and a hunter set against the backdrop of a harsh Alaskan winter. Told in the second person, the story captures the nuances of their connection, which is marked by emotional distance and infidelities. The narrator frequently spends time at the hunter's cabin, yet maintains her own independence, as evidenced by her decision to keep her separate living space. The dynamics of their relationship are complicated by the presence of other women in the hunter’s life, specifically a character named Patty, who creates tension and uncertainty.
As Christmas approaches, the relationship becomes a blend of intimacy and estrangement, with the narrator wrestling with her feelings of being one among many for the hunter. Despite the hunter's visits and tender moments, the underlying infidelity looms large, impacting the narrator's sense of self-worth and choices. The story reflects broader themes of love, companionship, loyalty, and the emotional challenges that arise in non-traditional relationships. Through its vivid imagery and poignant storytelling, the piece invites readers to contemplate the nature of connection and the complexities that accompany human relationships.
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How to Talk to a Hunter by Pam Houston
First published: 1990
Type of plot: Psychological
Time of work: The 1980's
Locale: Alaska
Principal Characters:
The narrator , a single womanA hunter , her loverHer best male friend Her best female friend Patty Coyote , another of the hunter's lovers
The Story
"How to Talk to a Hunter" is told in the second person through what appear to be notes or journal entries. In Alaska's bleak midwinter, as Christmas approaches and the days grow colder and shorter, an independent young woman has a relationship with a hunter. When the story begins, the hunter has given the narrator a key to his cabin. The two are not so close, though, that she has given up her own cabin—nor has the hunter given up his other girlfriends.
The narrator spends so much time at the hunter's house that he cannot play back the messages piling up on his answering machine. Clearly, though, a woman has been calling, perhaps more than one woman. While making love to the hunter, the narrator hears a female voice leaving yet another message.
Perhaps this voice belongs to Patty Coyote, who calls one day while the hunter is out. A few days before Christmas, the hunter tells the narrator that he has a friend in town and so cannot see her. Though the hunter does not mention the friend's gender, the narrator knows that Patty has come from Montana to be with him. The narrator spends the night with an understanding male friend. When she returns home the next morning, she finds a tin of chocolates and a loving note on her pillow.
The hunter finds the narrator sufficiently attractive to visit her under the pretext of going to work, even though Patty is still in town. The narrator makes clear that she knows that the hunter is cheating on her. He replies with excuses: The visit was all the friend's idea (still no mention of the friend's gender), some good will come from this experience, and after holding the narrator, he cannot be comfortable holding anyone else. At night, though, he goes back to his cabin and to Patty. Once Patty leaves, the hunter returns to the narrator. Together they will finish decorating the Christmas tree and then make love beneath it as the stereo plays Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper."