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Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

An interactive notebook book study

It is simple! All you need is a composition book or a spiral notebook to get started. • Cut on the dark lines• Fold on the dotted lines• All definitions of literary devices should be cut out and glued on the page.• Glue down the flaps that are created from folding on the dotted lines.• Most of the time, answers are written on the paper underneath the flaps that

are created.• Occasionally, answers will be written on the cut-out shapes themselves.

How do I put together an interactive notebook?

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Chapters 1-3

The setting of this story is in Canada. Find where the boreal forest (taiga) is located in Canada. Color the section of Canada that contains the boreal forest green. Research the taiga forest and write 3 facts about this biome.

What happened to the pilot of the plane? If you were Brian, what would you have done if you were in the co-pilot seat? Would you have done anything differently? If so- what?

Notice the author’s craft in these chapters. Some of his sentences are only one word long. The writing also seems very disjointed and more difficult to understand. Why did Gary Paulsen choose to write in this style at this point in the story? How does it fit with what is happening in the story?

Why did Brian want to aim for the lake instead of landing somewhere else?

Chapters 1-3 continued

Chapters 1-3 continued

Chapter three is very intense in its description of the plane crash. Illustrate what you visualized in your mind’s eye after you have reread this chapter.

Chapters 4-6

Brian thinks to himself, “if you keep walking back from good luck, you will come to bad luck.” Do you think that there is a connection between good luck and bad luck? Do you think there is such a thing as luck at all? Explain your thinking.

In chapter 5 the word, “nothing”, keeps being repeated. Why does this word keep coming into Brian’s head? Brian does have a few things that can be useful for him. What does Brian have that could help him?

What does Brian realize will be a big obstacle to rescuers trying to find him?

Chapters 4-6, Continued

Brian understands that fear is his real enemy. When he starts to get afraid, he quickly stops the fearful thought and tries to be positive. Why would panicking be the worst thing for Brian to do?

Brian tells himself not to panic.

Brian is stranded in the wilderness.

Brian gets bitten by mosquitoes.

The pilot has a heart attack.

Brian’s parents are divorced.

Brian’s memory of “The Secret”makes him angry

at his mother.

Brian knows he must gather food, but is not

sure how.

Brian reminds himself that he is the best thing

that he has.

Try to make a connection. Have you ever had to stay calm in a stressful situation? Did you panic? Describe what happened.


Types of Conflict- In every story, there is a problem (conflict) or most often, many conflicts throughout the story. This is what holds the reader’s interest. Common types of conflict include: person vs. himself/ herself, person vs. person, person vs. society, and person vs. nature.

Think about the types of conflict found in the story. Cut apart the examples provided and sort them according to the type of conflict that they represent.

person vs. himself

person vs. person

person vs. nature

Chapters 7-9

Brian

Character trait:

Example:

How would you describe Brian in this part of the story? Think of one of his character traits (an adjective to describe him) and then give an example from the story that shows this character trait.

How is Brian starting to think about the cave? How are his feelings about his surroundings starting to change?

Chapters 7-9, continued

Brian thought that the streets in the city were more dangerous than meeting a bear at the raspberry bushes. Why did he feel more safe with a bear nearby than in a park in a city at night?

Brian figured out that an important rule of survival is that, “feeling sorry for yourself just doesn’t work.” Make a connection. Did you ever have a tough situation in which you had to stop feeling sorry for yourself and just keep going? What happened?


Gary Paulsen uses dichotomy in Brian’s feelings about his mother. On the one hand, he blames her for being there but how was she also very important for his survival? (Think- what did she give him?)

Dichotomy is a technique that authors use to divide something into two equal parts that are opposite of one another. Authors use this technique to create conflict in their stories. Examples: good vs. evil or real and make-believe

In chapter 9, Brian learns how to make fire. Why is fire such an important thing for him to use?

Chapters 10-12

precious (adj.)

What clues did Brian use to find the snapping turtle’s eggs?

In desperation, Brian eats raw turtle eggs. If you were in his situation, would you have done the same thing? Why or what would you have done differently?

Define:


Brian changes in many ways (think about how he sees the world around him) throughout the course of this book. Contrast Brian at the beginning of the story to Brian at this point in the story.

Brian at the beginning of the story

Brian at this point of the story

flail (v.) taper (v.)

heft (v.) lunge (v.)


Brian, when thinking of creating a bow and arrow, thinks that, “discoveries happened because they needed to happen.” The ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, agreed with this idea when he said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Put this idea into your own words. What are Brian and Plato talking about?

At end of chapter 12, Brian’s attitude seems very different from before. What happened? What do you think is more important, creating a bow and arrow or hope? Why? (Be sure to support your answer with reasons why you think that.)

Chapters 13-15

A flash-forward is when the author moves the story forward in time. A flash-forward is interjected into the story. It is the opposite of a flashback.

The author uses a flash-forward at the beginning of chapter 13. Why do you think Gary Paulsen chose to use this literary device in this part of the story?

At this point in the story, Brian is much more confident about living in the wilderness. List at least two major improvements he made to his living arrangements that would allow him to get food more easily.


I wonder…

I wonder…

I wonder…

My I wonder questions

Glue around the edges to create a pocket:

Now that you have read these chapters, what questions do you have about the story? Is there anything you are wondering about Brian? Write down three questions that you have about the story so far. Example: I wonder if anyone will come for Brian?


Brian said that he was full of “tough hope.” Try to make a connection. Have you or anyone else you know ever had to be filled with “tough hope?” Describe what happened.

In chapter 13, Brian mentions that he has been “made new.” He also says that, “he would not let death in again.” What part of him “died” when the plane didn’t see him? Try to connect this idea of death making new life with how Brian survives in the wilderness.

Chapters 16- end

A paradox is a saying that might at first seem to argue with itself or be silly, but actually includes truth to the statement.

Example: A wise fool

Find the paradox that Gary Paulsen uses to describe the tornado in chapter 16. How can it be both at the same time?

Brian said, “I’m tough where it counts- tough in the head.” What does he mean by this?

Chapters 16- end

Brian decided to go back into the plane to retrieve the survival pack. Do you think that was a good idea or not? Support your answers with examples from the story.

Going back into the plane for the survival pack was a good idea.

Going back into the plane for the survival pack was a bad idea.

Brian has several bad encounters with animals in this story. What is unexpected about the animals that injure him? What about the bear and the wolf in the story? What might the author be saying about nature in the notion that Brian is attacked by a porcupine, skunk, and a moose instead of the wolf or the bear?

Chapters 16- epilogue

Complete a plot diagram for this story:

Exposition:(give the setting and the main characters in the story)

1. ___________________

2. ___________________

3. __________________

4. __________________

Climax or turning point: The most tense part of the story or where things start to change for the main character.

______________________

Resolution: The end of the story.

______________________

1. ______________________

2. ______________________

Rising

Acti

on

serie

s of o

bstac

les th

at the

main ch

aracte

r has

to

overc

ome. Falling A

ction

The conflicts are starting

to resolve.

Name two possible themes (big ideas) found in this story.

2. The pilot died of a heart attack. Answers will vary.

3. Visualizations will vary. Some elements of the pictures could include: the plane crashing next to the lake, Brian trying to pilot the plane, or trees hitting the plane.

Chapters 4-6

1. Answers will vary.2. Brian has his hatchet, shoes, socks, clothing, a belt, his windbreaker, a broken watch, and

himself. 3. Brian realizes that when the pilot had his heart attack, he jerked the rudder pedal and the

plane started flying in a slightly different direction. Brian then flew for several hours in the new direction. This means that he ended up in a very different place than the flight plan would indicate.

Answer Key

Facts could include: •coniferous forest •also called a snow forest •world’s largest biome,

apart from the ocean •temperatures can drop to

-50 in the winter •also contains swamps

Chapters 1-3

location of boreal forest

4. When a person panics, that person cannot think clearly. Brian needs to be able to think clearly in order to figure out what he needs to do in order to survive.

5. Answers will vary.6. Person vs. himself- Brian tells himself not to panic, Brian reminds himself that he is the best

thing that he has, Brian knows he must gather food, but is not sure how. .person vs. nature- Brian is stranded in the wilderness, Brian gets bitten by mosquitoes, the pilot suffers a heart attackperson vs. person- Brian’s parents are divorced, Brian’s memory of “The Secret” makes him angry at his mother.Chapters 7-9

1. Possible character traits include: Foolish (gets a horrible stomach ache from eating the wrong fruit), skittish (he was immediately afraid of the bear, he thought the porcupine was a monster or Bigfoot), careless (he threw the hatchet, he kicked a porcupine), gritty (he kept trying until he was able to make fire), lonely (he thought of the fire as a friend).

2. Brian is starting to think about the cave as being his home. He is starting to think about the future and he is starting to adapt so that he can survive if no one comes to his rescue.

3. Brian realizes that the bear was just going about its own business and did not intend to harm Brian. It was merely gathering food like Brian was trying to do.

4. Answers will vary.5. The dichotomy is found in the fact that while his mother’s actions lead to his parents’ divorce

and Brian ending up on the plane trip to northern Canada to be with his father, she also gave him the one item that has helped him the most: his hatchet.

6. Fire will allow him to cook, to stay warm, to protect himself from any other unwelcome visitors to his cave, and chase the mosquitoes away.

Chapters 10-12 1. precious- of high value or great value2. Brian noticed the tracks in the sand and a pile of sand. He also knew by then that animals

do not waste their energy, so there must have been a reason for the sand pile.3. Answers will vary.4. Brian at the beginning of the story- Ideas could include: unsure of himself, scared, hungry,

foolish, felt sorry for himself Brian in this part of the story- more confident, his senses have sharpened and he notices more now, his senses work more with his body and he is more ready to deal with what surrounds him.5. flail- to beat or swing vigorouslytaper- to become smaller and thinner toward one endheft- to lift something heavy; to heavelunge- a sudden forward movement6. Answers will vary. The main idea is that when something is needed, people will work to create a tool that will help their lives be made easier. 7. Answers will vary. Check that the opinion is supported with examples from the story.

Chapters 13-15

1. The author uses flash-forward to quickly show Brian’s progress in learning how to survive in the wilderness. Instead of showing daily progress, he skips ahead and shows how he has changed a few weeks later. It is also more dramatic to skip ahead in this manner. The reader can clearly contrast Brian at the beginning of the story who knew nothing of survival, to the Brian in this part of the story, who is confident in his abilities to get food for himself.

2. Answers can include: he made a bow and arrow, he made a small enclosure for live fish in the pond, he created a food shelf to store food, and he figured out how to “see” a fool bird and kill one.

3. Answers will vary.4. Answers will vary.5. Brian is devastated when the plane leaves without noticing him. His hope of being rescued

died. When that hope died, it allowed him to focus on surviving and learning to live in the woods. He made a new life for himself, a life in which he would be able to take care of himself, in case no one came back for him. This is also similar to the fact that Brian has to kill fish and birds in order to eat and give him new strength. This is another way it shows the idea of death to life.

Chapters 16- Epilogue

1. paradox- “It was beautiful and terrible at the same time.” The tornado was almost pretty in its power, but the destruction it caused was terrible.

2. Brian has achieved mental toughness. He learned to control his fear and learn from his mistakes. He learned not to panic, but how to help himself during difficult times.

3. Answers will vary. Reasons it was a bad idea could include: he dropped the hatchet in the water, he could have died getting the survival pack, it was very risky.

Reasons it was a good idea could include: he was able to get more food, he got the emergency transmitter and this allowed him to be found.4. The author again is showing how the wilderness is unpredictable. Animals that Brian would usually laugh about (like the skunk or a moose) proved to be more dangerous than the wolf or the bear, who left Brian alone. This again, showed just how much Brian needed to learn about the wilderness, in order to survive. 5. exposition: Setting- the boreal forest in northern Canada

main character: Brian RobesonRising Action could include: Brian’s plane crashes.

Brian gets quills in his leg.Brian gets sprayed by a skunk.Brian makes fire.Brian gets sick from eating “gut cherries.”

Climax: A rescue plane disappears before it sees Brian.Falling action: Brian makes a bow and arrow to fish.

Brian survives a moose attack.Brian survives a tornado.Brian retrieves the survival pack from the crashed airplane.

Resolution: Brian is rescued and returned to his parents. 6. Possible themes could include: mental toughness, survival, importance of family, loneliness, instincts, inventions, or hope.

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