Analysis of The Novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Title

The title of this novel is Hatchet. I believe it is a tool that one of the characters in this novel will have to use and rely on. I think this title was chosen due to Brian having to use the weapon a significant amount of times.

Setting

The Book does not really specify where it takes place because Brian has crashed on the airplane. But what we do know is that it is in the North Woods, a vast area that covers much of central Canada.

Exposition

Brian Robeson is a thirteen-year-old boy who undergoes a difficult transition when his parents file for divorce. The memories of the divorce, fresh, painful, and plague him throughout the book, although less so the more time passes. Brian's mother is a woman who is having an affair with another man and who also wants a divorce. Brian's dad does not want a divorce. Yet he does not know about the affair. Terry is a good friend of Brian back when he was in New York. Terry would usually play with Brian at the Park. Then there is Mr. Perpich little is known about him but he would also tell Brian to keep a positive attitude. Finally, there is Uncle Carter also little is known about him but what we do know is that he would eat raw chicken eggs.

Conflict

There seem to be only two conflicts in this book. These two conflicts have made the novel very amusing and popular. The first is Brian versus his own self because he was stranded and sad about his parents divorcing he tried to cut himself with the hatchet. The second conflict is Man versus nature. The reason for this is because Brian does not know how to survive in the wild. For example how to start a fire and how to know what is poisonous and not. What we see and experience in this book is surviving without technology. Brian must make smart decisions or he could possibly die from making the wrong decisions.

Rising action

The novel has many actions and events which have made the book fascinating. One of these actions is Brian's skill to survive in the wood with no technology. The rising action begins in chapter one when Brian is trying to survive in the harsh wilderness of the Canadian forest. He encounters dangerous animals such as porcupines, bears and a moose. When Brian wakes up form him passing out in the plane from the crash he is battered and hungry.The first couple nights in the woods he eats these berries but then gets sick and find out they are poisonous. After this event Brian’s skill in the wilderness had started to grow with him and he has learned how to make a fire and build a shelter.

Climax

The climax of the novel is when a tornado hits and completely destroys everything Brian has expect his Hatchet. When the tornado passes he is back to square one no food, battered and bruised. Except that the tail of the plane is sticking out of the lake. Brian knows that there is a survival pack in that tail of the plane. The plane comes by Brian looking for survivors but Brian has no way to get its attention so it flies away. Finally this is the worst possible point for Brian.

Falling action

The falling action is when Brian figures out a way to successfully build a raft, dive down into the plane, get the pack, and get out. There is a weird device that he doesn't know what is it. After this a plane comes over and Brian is successfully to get its attention but then the pilot tells him it is an tracker and he has been in the woods for over two most and thought everyone had died. After this the plane ends up coming and rescuing Brian from the Forest in Canada.

Resolution

Brian gets picked up from the airplane.Brian then goes home to his mom and she tells him that he was all over the news and about how much she really missed him. He eventually starts talking to reporters how he survived out in the woods. For one example he said how started a fire and built a shelter to survive.

Main character

Brian Robeson is a thirteen-year-old protagonist main character in the novel. Brian Robeson undergoes a difficult transition when his parents file for divorce. The memories of the divorce, fresh and painful, plague him throughout the book, although less so the more time passes. An incredibly dynamic character, he starts out as a New York City boy who takes for granted the daily conveniences of urban life, and transforms himself into a man of the wilderness, completely self-sufficient and very knowledgeable about his surrounding natural environment. I believe Brian is the main character because the book only talks about him and his past and does not focus else on any other character.

Antagonist

In this book there is really no antagonist. The closest thing to the antagonist role would be Mother Nature. The reason for this is because Mother Nature destroyed his shelter and he saw unfriendly bears. Throughout the book the Brian is trying to stay ahead of Mother Nature. He is trying to not starve and not get attacked from an animal.

Favorite Character

My favorite character is Brian. There are four main reasons for this. First he was able to survive in the forest with nature keeping attacking him. Second he decided to keep surviving when he lost all hope. Third he was able to survive in the forest with just only him and his hatchet. Finally He was the only character that the author went in depth with.

Theme

After Brian's parent divorce, he finds himself alone and with little experience in life. The first thing he needs to learn is to be independent and this is the first message of the story. He needs to rely on himself on everything he needs in life, such as food,protection and shelter. The second theme of this story is survival. Brian finds himself in a place never seen and never use to it. It's a place with no modern tools that he is and someone teach him how to use it. Knowing Brian must learn to learn to live in this environment by experience.There is no one to teach him and give him advice.He is thrown in a place only with one tool which is his hatchet. He has to figure out how to stay alive in the wilderness.

Opinion

I think the novel was a good and respectable book I read. I would recommend this book to other students who like to read. By reading this you will learn new things regarding life in general. In our lives we meet many challenges, we need to know how to deal with them and move on with our life. After Brian's parents divorce, he accepted and learned how to deal with this problem. I also recommend this book to other because it teaches people how to be independent and survive in the wilderness.