HATCHET

BY

REVIEW
If you enjoy realistic fiction, the outdoors, as well as adventure and suspense, then you will enjoy Gary Paulson's Hatchet. The plot centers around the main character Brian Robeson who survives a plane crash in the Canadian Wilderness with nothing but the clothes on his back and a newly presented gift from his mother, a hatchet. Brian must rely on his prior knowledge and instincts as well as trial and error to survive in the wilderness.

THINGS TO NOTICE AND TALK ABOUT
-Not only is Brian fighting to survive he is also battling his feelings towards his parents recent divorce. Gary Paulson uses frequent flashbacks in this novel that take the reader back to an earlier part in Brian's life. The reader begins to piece the story together about why his parents are no longer together. Brian is confused and angry about his parents divorce and wishes it never took place.

-Brian makes several mistakes out in the wilderness while experimenting with spears, bows and arrows, animals and others. Mistakes can be costly when alone in the wilderness. Discussions can be centered around how Brain learned from his mistakes as well as comparing mistakes made in the city to ones in the wilderness.

-Since survival is the central theme of this novel, before the book is read have students make a list of items they feel should be part of a survival pack. Second, realizing that Brian has now crashed with just a simple hatchet have students make a second list stating ways in which Brian will survive. Lastly analyze the actual survival pack and discuss the items found as well as why Brian decides not to use some of the items.

-Discuss how Brian's feelings might have been different if he had dropped the hatchet in the process of swimming to shore right after the plane crashed into the lake.

-Discuss ways the students would have done things differently than Brian had done. Would they have made the same decisions? Think about his shelter, food, situations with animals, finding the survival pack, etc.

-Talk about whether this story would have been easier to write as a diary or journal.

ACTIVITIES
-Sketch a portrait of Brian. List the passages from the book that you used as references for your portrait.

-Based on Brian's experiences and your own knowledge, create a list of survival tips. Make a visual of your list and display on this web site.

-Write a news story about Brian's adventure as it might appear in our local newspaper. This can also be done as a television news broadcast with one person interviewing Brian and the other playing the role of Brian.

-Sketch a map of Brian's campsite and the surrounding area. Include the location of the plane in the lake as well as other places Brian mentions in the book.

-Make a collage of survival stories form newspapers and magazines. Then list common elements in these stories and in Hatchet.
RELATED BOOKS

-The River by Gary Paulson. This is the sequel to Hatchet in which Brian returns to the Canadian wilderness with a scientist who is interested in writing a book on survival. Unfortunate events occur where the scientist is knocked into a coma-like state and Brian is forced to find help by building a raft and floating it down the river. Brian's destination is an outpost, located on his map, where there should be people to help him.

-Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George. This is the story of an Eskimo girl named Miyax who runs away from her Eskimo village because it is no longer safe for her. She soon finds herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness. She is accepted by a pack of Arctic wolves. This is a story of the struggle to survive day to day.

-Monkey Island by Paula Fox. This is a survival story that takes place in the city, on the streets of New York. The central character, Clay Garrity, is homeless during the harsh winter months of January and February. Clay is befriended by two other homeless people who help him out during this tough time. Clay is in a constant search for his parents.

-The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulson. David Alspeth the main character in this story finds himself on sailboat spreading the ashes of his favorite uncle. Unfortunately David does not check the weather forecast before departing on his journey and a sudden storm comes up. David did manage to bring along food and water. Read this exciting story and find out how David survives at sea.

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