Novel Study Guide- hatchet ch 1 - 19

Hatchet Novel Study Guide Gary Paulsen

Answer all questions in sentence form.

Chapter One

1.Describe the setting at the beginning of the story.

2.How old is Brian Robeson?

3.Why is Brian unable to carry on a conversation with the pilot?

4.With what single word did his thinking always begin?

5.What was "The Secret"?

6.Why is the pilot rubbing his shoulder?

7.What has Brian's father designed or invented?

8.Where is his father presently working?

9.What would have happened if Brian had gone through regular airport security in today's world?

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Chapter Two

1.How did Brian initially react to the situation?

2.What motivated Brian to finally attempt to fly the plane?

3.Explain how Brian called for help and describe what happened.

4.What would eventually happen to the plane?

5.Why did Brian think that the best place to set down the plane was the edge of the lake?

6.Describe what happened immediately after the plane's engine coughed and died.

Chapter Three

1.What suddenly disappeared as Brian put the plane into a fast glide?

2.What did he think he saw near the edge of the pond?

3.What stroke of good luck did he have just as he approached the lake for his landing?

4.Describe the actual scene at the moment of the crash including his escape from the plane.

5.Chapter one ended with one word, "alone" while chapter three also ended with one word, "nothing". Explain why this is effective.

Chapter Four

1.Explain "The Secret".

2.What happened to the plane?

3.What caused Brian considerable discomfort just as the sun began to rise?

4.Describe how you might feel if you were in a similar situation to Brian.

Chapter Five

1.What overpowering craving did Brian have when he initially awoke?

2.What had happened to his face while he slept?

3.What happened to Brian's determination to take only a small drink from the lake?

4.Why was Brian initially so sure the search planes would find him within a day or two?

5.Make a list of all the things that Brian has in his possession including his clothes.

6.Make a second list placing every item in order of importance to his survival.

7.According to Brian's former English teacher, what was a person's most important

asset? Do you agree? Explain.

8.Why did Brian feel the hair on the back of his neck go up at the end of the chapter?

9.Why does Brian finger the hatchet towards the end of the chapter?

Chapter Six

1.Describe Brian's new shelter.

2.Why does Brian decide to eat before constructing the lean-to?

3.Explain why the author writes the word secret with a capital or uppercase letter.

4.Why does Brian stay close to the lake while searching for food?

https://www.sodocs.net/doc/5e12744587.html,ing Brian's description, find out what type of bird was eating the berries.

6.Why did Brian almost spit out the berries?

Chapter Seven

1.Why did Brian wake up in the middle of the night?

2.Why did Brian crawl out of his shelter?

3.What memory did he have upon returning to the shelter?

4.Why did Brian slap the water with his hand?

5.How do we know that Brian is developing an affinity for his shelter?

6.What type of food is he delighted to find?

7.What does Brian stumble upon in the bush?

8.Why does Brian come to a stop after initially fleeing the area?

9.What does he discover when he looks back?

10.Why did Brian place the hatchet by his head when he went to sleep that evening?

Chapter Eight

1.What woke Brian in the middle of the night?

2.Explain the cause of the musty smell in his shelter that night.

3.What important rule of survival did Brian learn?

4.Explain how Brian fought off the intruder.

5.What did Brian experience when he removed the quills from his leg?

6.Why did Brian feel it was important to make a staff or lance for himself?

7.What important discovery does Brian make when he examines the rock at the end of

this chapter?

Chapter Nine

1.Why was Brian so willing to use money to help start his fire?

2.What kind of home did Brian construct?

3.How long did it take Brian to build the home?

4.What key element was still missing that prevented the fire from igniting?

5.Describe how Brian felt when the "nest" finally burst into flames.

6.Explain why Brian described his new "friend" as hungry.

7.Why did the fire trigger Brian's memory of his encounter with the porcupine?

Chapter Ten

1.Why did Brian refuse to leave the fire at first?

2.How did he resolve the problem?

3.How large was his initial stockpile of wood?

4.What unexpected benefits did Brian derive from the fire?

5.Describe What Brian found under a pile of sand.

6.What did Brian do with his new find?

7.Why was he unable to cook his food?

8.Provide evidence that despite his perilous situation Brian remains optimistic.

Chapter Eleven

1.Where did Brian store the remaining eggs?

2.Why was cleaning the camp a laughing matter?

3.What was Brian's suggestion for avoiding depression?

4.Explain how Brian's body and mind had changed.

5.How did the sight of the kingfisher awaken him to a new source of food?

6.How did Brian hope to obtain this new source of food?

Chapter Twelve

1.How does he modify his spear in an attempt to make it work more efficiently?

2.What did he discover after spending hours modifying his spear?

3.What sudden explosion terrified Brian?

4.What is the source of the persistent whining noise?

5.Why is Brian so distraught at the end of this chapter?

1.What does the first sentence of this chapter indicate?

2.Why was Brian looking for one of the foolish birds?

3.What other animals did Brian encounter on his search for the flock of foolish birds?

4.What incident marked the passing of the "old" Brian and the birth of a "new" one?

5.Describe his first attempt at making a bow and arrow.

6.What new hope sprung from his misfortune?

1.Explain the difference between a mistake in the city and one in the wilderness.

2.Why did Brian attempt to chase the skunk away from his campsite?

3.Explain how Brian's encounter with the skunk had almost fatal results.

4.How long did it take for Brian to improve his shelter so that he would be safer from the

elements and the creatures of the wild?

5.What "constant" problem did Brian face in the wilderness?

6.Describe Brian's new location for storing his food securely.

7.How was he able to reach this new location?

8.How was Brian able to obtain a ready supply of fresh fish for his diet?

1.What special day was burned into Brian's memory?

2.What secret key finally enabled Brian to detect the birds before they exploded into flight.

3.Explain how he finally got the bird?

4.What problem did he face once he had killed the bird?

5.How does the author make us aware of Brian's appreciation for the new food?