Citation:
Summary:
Brian Robeson is
headed to visit his father in Canada after his parents recently divorced. The
pilot flying the small plane Brian is travelling in has a massive heart attack
leaving Brian alone and unable to fly the plane. Brian is forced to crash land
in a lake and swim to nearby land. He must now survive with no food, no
shelter, and no way to contact anyone for rescue. Brian must learn how to survive
through various methods of trial and error, while using his only tool, a small
hatchet his mother gave him as a gift before his trip.
Critical Analysis:
Hatchet proves
to be an incredibly suspenseful novel, leaving the reader on edge wondering
what tactic Brian will use next to combat numerous near death experiences.
Brian not only must endure the hardships of the wilderness where he has been
placed, but also the difficult situation of coping with his parents’ recent
divorce. Author Gary Paulsen presents a very real and very vivid account of how
a young boy must battle the external elements, as well as the internal emotions
attacking him. For example, Brian’s “secret” proves to be just as unbearable as
his unfortunate quilling by a porcupine.
The novel is one definitely geared towards male readers. Adolescent girls might not be pulled into Brian's world as much as a teenage boy might. Brian is a character many adolescent boys can relate to. The reader is given a firsthand
account of Brian’s survival, allowing for a realistic read. We see Brian’s evolution as a naïve boy who is
inexperienced and frightened in the wilderness, transform into a confident
young man with the ability to persevere and survive whatever challenge he
encounters. The novel Hatchet is a
great adventure story demonstrating a protagonist’s personal struggle not only to
adapt to an unknown wilderness, but also discover his own identity.
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