Hatchet Flashcards
Protagonist
Brian Robeson
- 13 year old boy
- parents recently divorced
- New Your City boy
Terry
Brian’s friend back in New York
Jim or Jake
The pilot of the Cessna plane. He is a man in his mid-forties and the only other person on the plane.
Theme: Man Versus Nature
Gary Paulsen’s works often center on the theme of man versus nature, showcasing both the struggle against and the ability to live in harmony with nature. In Hatchet, Brian’s connection with the animals around him reflects Paulsen’s belief that humans are part of nature, not separate from it. Brian faces the same challenges as the animals—searching for food, staying safe from predators, and surviving the elements. His encounters with wolves and bears teach him to trust his instincts and respect the animals’ intentions, fostering a sense of mutual understanding.
While Brian experiences nature’s dangers, he also comes to appreciate its beauty, even in its most destructive forms, like a tornado. However, the novel focuses not just on Brian’s physical survival, but also on his personal growth. Isolated in the Canadian wilderness, Brian is distanced from societal pressures, allowing him to confront his sense of self. The wilderness serves as an ideal backdrop for his character development, testing his strength, patience, and resolve.
Theme: The Power of Positive Thinking
Brian undergoes many transformations throughout the course of the book; perhaps most significantly, Brian learns the power of positive thinking. Initially, Brian’s setbacks leave him frustrated, hopeless, and full of self-pity. He longs for home, focusing on the past rather than the future. Early in his stay in the woods, Brian recalls the words of his old English teacher Mr. Perpich. He constantly encouraged his students to think positively and to motivate themselves, saying, “You are all you have.” This advice helps Brian to a certain extent, but he does not fully realize the import of positive thinking until a certain incident forces him to see it.
Motif: Rationality Versus Emotion
Brian constantly fights emotional weakness, recognizing the need to think clearly and rationally. As he spends more time in the woods, his problem solving and brainstorming capabilities improve. He begins to overcome his natural tendency to become frustrated, understanding that he must approach each problem anew. While he also develops physical strength, his determination and intelligence serve the greater role in his survival. Brian makes many mistakes throughout the course of the book, but when he thinks rationally about how to improve upon those mistakes, he makes significant progress. For example, he finally succeeds in catching fish from the lake when he remembers from his science class that the refraction of light on water distorts the appearance of objects underwater.
Motif: Past Versus Present
Gary Paulsen employs the literary technique of shifting back and forth through time. While Brian experiences his present situation and its urgency, he constantly refers to the past, which shapes his thoughts and actions. Paulsen uses flashbacks to inform the reader of past events, and specifically, of the circumstance surrounding Brian’s parents’ divorce. For example, the reader learns of Brian’s knowledge about “The Secret” when he thinks back on it and recalls his feelings that day. In addition, Paulsen incorporates the past into the present by commenting that the hate Brian felt that day returns to him with intensity when he remembers the incident. In painting a vivid picture of Brian’s emotional landscape, Paulsen effectively interweaves past and present.
Symbol: The Hatchet
When Brian leaves for Canada, his mother gives him a hatchet to use during his summer in the Canadian woods with his father. Attached to his belt during the plane crash, it serves as the sole tool in his possession. He depends upon it to make all his hunting tools and to start a fire. Most importantly, he uses it to gain access to the survival pack, which makes his rescue possible. The hatchet symbolizes the only constant element in Brian’s entire adventure. Brian’s multiple uses of the hatchet attest to his resourcefulness.
Symbol: The Rifle
Brian finds a rifle in the plane’s survival pack; surprised by its presence, Brian rejects the gun and puts it aside. To Brian it represents the unwelcome intrusion of civilization and technology on his wilderness world. While the rifle provides efficiency and convenience, it does not represent the self- sufficiency Brian has come to appreciate. The rifle separates Brian from his way of life and from the other creatures of the wilderness.
Author and date
Gary Paulsen (1939-2021) wrote Hatchet, a young adult novel about survival in the wilderness, in 1987
