Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

1. Hatchetby Gary Paulsen Published 1987 (revised) 1999 PowerPoint presentation by Walker Johnson

2. Setting The setting is the Canadian wilderness during multiple changing conditions, climate, seasons, etc. there is a crashed airplane near an L-shaped lake, which is where it all begins.

3. Plot(conflict) • Brian is stuck in the wilderness after a plane crash, and needs to find help. After he makes a camp, he hunts, gathers, and learns that his experiences can help, and teach him to survive. He goes through many threats, but seems to overcome it by using his experiences and the hatchet given to him by his mom.

4. Characters • Brian Robeson – A 13-year-old boy from New York city who lives with his father during summer, and his mom during school. He was taking a plane to his father’s home in Canada when it crashed. • “Have rest. Have rest forever.” Brian praying for the dead pilot. • Brian’s mother – Brian’s mother is always wondering why Brian is being moody, not knowing it’s because of her cheating on her husband. She gives Brian a hatchet to take with him on his trip. • “Open the Package.” His mom giving him the hatchet. • Brian’s father - Brian’s father is unaware that his wife was cheating on him, and houses Brian over the summer. He works in the Canadian wilderness. • The pilot - The pilot was hired to fly Brian over to Canada, where Brian’s father lives. He has a heart attack in the flight, so Brian has to take control. The pilot dies of a heart attack during the flight. • “It’s easy” The pilot teaching him to fly the plane.

5. Plot(resolution) Brian soon learns to survive with old experiences, that teach him how to build tents, what berries are ripe, and most important, to stay positive. His hatchet helps him cut wood and build a fire. When the crashed plane appears in the lake after a storm, Brian finds a transmitter that signals for help. Brian finally gets rescued after 54 days by the pilot he talked to earlier in the book, during the crash, and is taken to his father. He had lost almost all of his body fat, and became skinny for years. He had become more aware, and easy to react. He had became a real man, mature, smart, and caring for others.

6. My Opinion I believe the book is good, but gets lost in Brian’s thoughts at times. The plot itself is original, and detailed. The book does make you feel like you are Brian, and makes you curious of what happened, what was that, etc. You can feel how he’s confused since he can’t stop thinking about his parents instead of how he should survive.

7. Gary Paulsen • Born in 1939! • Ran away from home at 14 and traveled with a carnival! • Entered the Iditarod two times! • Loves to read! • Has written more than 175 books!

8. Test Questions • Brian’s _______ gave him the hatchet. • A)Mom B)Dad • Which parent was he supposed to live with during the summer? • A)Mom B)Dad • Brian learn to be positive from his… • A) History teacher B) English Teacher • Did the pilot he flew with die or not? • Yes B) No • Brian _____ reveal the secret. • Did B) Didn’t • When was Brian aware of his cheating mom? • A) Before the crash • B) During the crash • C) After the crash

9. Summary A thirteen year old boy named Brian gets stuck in an airplane crash, and the only other person with him died in the air before the trip was finished. Since the pilot had showed Brian how to fly the plane, he was able to crash land in a lake in the wilderness. Brian uses personal experiences to teach himself to survive in the wilderness. He uses the hatchet his mom gives him, and couldn’t survive without it. He eventually finds help, but by then he is mature, independent, and had a camp completely made to give him shelter. He is then taken to his father.