Hatchet

By Gary Paulsen

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 childThere 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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.