Hatchet
(Gary Paulsen)

Survival

Survival is the main theme of “The Hatchet” because the whole novel is about a boy’s determination and struggle to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash. At first Brian searches for temporary solutions, assuming that he will be rescued soon, but he then realizes that he must find more permanent solutions because he has no idea how long he will be there alone. Brian teaches himself to make his own tools, to hunt with what he has available to him, to deal with the elements as they come, and to hone his senses to pick up environmental clues.

Nature

Nature is something that Brian knows he must become one with. He has a turning point when he realizes that he is a part of nature now, and every animal within nature must use its own instincts to survive and to thrive in its surroundings. Brian uses nature to his advantage, in building tools and shelter, and he takes the blows of nature with a grain of salt, such as the tornado. Brian develops a respect for nature because nature is what helps him survive when he nearly loses hope. He uses the clues of nature to survive, and it becomes something that he always considers a part of him.

Growth

Brian goes from a boy to a man in his time living in the wilderness; he truly grows as a person both physically and mentally. He starts he journey on the plane being overcome by thoughts of his mother’s “secret” that he is unable to get away from, even when it becomes obvious that there is something wrong with the pilot. Even in his first few days in the wilderness Brian cannot stop thinking about his parents, but soon he realizes that he must do what he can to survive. Through this process, Brian becomes a man and learns to fend for himself.

Positivity

When Brian first lands in the wilderness and realizes that he may not be rescued right away he is full of self-pity and feels as though his situation is hopeless. The final straw for Brian comes when a plane flies overhead and does not see Brian’s signal fire; he feels that he may never be rescued at this point and tries to take his own life. Brian then remembers his old teacher, Mr. Perpich, who always stressed the power of positive thinking. From this moment, Brian never felt sorry for himself again but took the blows as they came and accepted them as a part of life.

Environment

A major theme of “Hatchet” is the environment, and more importantly adapting to the environment you are in at the moment. On the plane, Brian is forced to take charge and land safely, when the pilot has a heart attack; he has no idea what he is doing, but he uses the clues from his environment to adapt to the situation and he manages to survive. Once Brian is living in the wilderness, he must again use the clues and cues from his environment to survive. His senses become quite adept to picking up on signs of the wilderness to keep himself safe and fed.

Betrayal

Betrayal is an emotion that consumes Brian for much of the beginning of his journey. He is totally focused on, and distracted by, his mother’s betrayal of his father and him, as well. When Brian learned “the secret” that his mother was having an affair with a blond-haired man, he is scared to confront the truth of that situation and he feels as though his mother’s dishonesty has destroyed his family, his father, and his life. It takes a long time for Brian to put aside the betrayal that he feels and to focus on his current situation of living, and surviving, alone in the wild.

Death and Rebirth

When Brian first crashed he experiences a lot of self-pity and hopelessness though he soon learns the power of positive thinking and becomes one with his surroundings. He considers the plane crash to be the death of the “old Brian” and everything past that point to be the rebirth of the “new Brian”. After the crash, Brian is no longer just a boy, but a man who is forced to grow up quickly in order to keep himself alive. The new Brian is thoughtful, observant, and aware of what is going on around him; he is intuitive and strong.

Challenge

Brian is challenged by every event that happens in his life and each of those challenges results in growth and understanding. Brian is confronted with the challenge of knowing his mother’s secret and deciding how to deal with it, he is challenged by his parents’ divorce, and he is challenged with survival against the odds. From the moment that Brian is forced to fly and land the plane by himself his brain begins to switch to survival-mode, though it takes some time before he lets his other challenges go. Every challenge is a survival lesson for Brian, some more literally than others.

Perseverance

Perseverance is one of Brian’s most redeeming and respectable qualities, and something that he possesses in large amounts. While his will to survive does waver when he feels as though he may never be rescued, he comes back with a vengeance and a thirst for life that he did not have before. Brian is constantly thinking of ways to improve his position in life and to thrive in his environment, not knowing how long he may be there for but prepared for whatever may come. Brian manages to think positively and avoid the feelings of hopelessness that plagued him before.

Learning

Learning is something that Brian continues to do throughout the novel, and something that he takes immense pride and joy in. His first learning experience comes from flying the plane by himself, and from that moment on he is constantly learning from his surroundings and teaching himself through trial and error. Brian learns to take cues from the messages the environment is sending to him and if he fails at something he tweaks his approach and tries again. When Brian is successful, such as the first time he starts a fire out of sparks, he takes immense pride in his accomplishment.