Hatchet

1. Hatchet By Gary Paulsen

2. Main Characters There really is only one “main” character • Brian Robeson-13 year old boy planning to visit his father in Canada/his parents recently get divorced/he is an only child There are some other people in the story but they are not in the story for very long • Pilot-pilot of the plane who dies during the flight • Mrs. Robeson-Brian’s mother

3. Setting • On the plane at first and then in the wilderness (forests) of Canada. • Lots of trees • Wild animals • A lake • No tents or shelter • No food or drinking water available

4. Chapters 1-3 • Brian Robeson is on a plane going to see his father in Canada. His parents just got divorced so he is very sad. • The pilot lets Brian handle some of the controls on the plane. • The pilot starts to get sick. • We learn that Brian’s mom gave him a hatchet for his trip. • The pilot dies while they are still flying. • Brian tries to reach someone on the plane’s radio. • Brian lands the plane by himself in a lake.

5. Chapters 4-6 • We learn that Brian saw his mom with another man and that is why his parents got divorced. • He pulled himself out of the plane and out of the water and then fell asleep. • He gets bitten by a lot of bugs and is cold and sore from the plane crash. • Brian drank from the lake. • He realizes that the plane was off course and that people may not find him easily. • He found a ledge to sit/sleep on and made a little shelter. • Brian found some berries.

6. Chapters 7-10 • Brian gets sick from eating the berries. • He sees his reflection in the lake and is surprised to see how swollen and cut it is. • Brian finds raspberries to eat. • He sees a bear and runs away. • A porcupine comes into the shelter and when Brian kicks it he gets stuck with the quills. • Brian tries to make a fire and is successful. • Brian finds turtle eggs and eats them.

7. Chapters 11-14 • Brian decides to try to make a signal fire, a spear to try and catch some fish and a bow/arrow. • He hears a plane but they did not see him. • Brian gets very depressed. • A skunk steals brian’s turtle eggs and gets sprayed when he tries to shush him away. • He makes a new, better shelter.

8. Chapters 15-17 • Brian gets a bird and a rabbit to eat. • A moose attacks Brian and nearly kills him. • A tornado ruins Brian’s home and hurts him. • The tornado also made the plane more visible. • Brian sets out to rebuild his shelter and find some food. • He wants to go inside the plane to see if he can find anything useful.

9. Chapters 18-End • He loses his hatchet while trying to break into the plane. He later finds it at the bottom of the lake. • Brian finds a bag in the plane and takes it to shore. • In the bag there is a sleeping bag, a foam mat, food, matches, compass, utensils, a first aid kit and an emergency transmitter. • He plays with the transmitter but thinks it is broken. • Brian is finally rescued after 54 days in the wilderness.