A Do It Yourself: "How to Talk to a Hunter"

I really enjoyed reading the short story, “How to Talk to a Hunter” by Pam Houston. The protagonist, who is nameless, can be identifiable by anyone who reads the story. The Hunter’s character also applies to any type of men; particularly men who fear commitment. This story portrays the universal themes of commitment issues and “rocky” relationships by providing nameless characters; so any persons can identify with the story. There are also other “characters” in the story, who act like the protagonist conscience. Houston calls them, “Your best male friend” and “Your best female friend. They also act like a support group for the protagonist. Another aspect of the story that I liked, was the part of “owning a key to his place”. In relationships, when people give each other keys to their houses, it really does not mean commitment. Generally, the owning of a key does mean commitment, but anyone can go out to an ACE Hardware store and make copies. In the end, the scene of the dog chained outside, representing the protagonist is probably foreshadowing more obstacles to enter her relationship with the Hunter.