Analysis
Published in 1987 and a recipient of the 1988 Newbery Honor, Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet is a young adult, coming-of-age novel. It is a survival tale that follows Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year-old boy, on a transformative journey in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness. Paulsen uses a classic scenario often found in romantic fiction: placing an individual in solitude within a vast natural landscape to explore their character. By immersing the protagonist in unfamiliar settings such as the sky (experienced from a small plane) and wilderness without any assistance, Paulsen explores the shifts in the human psyche due to these experiences. He meticulously describes the physical sensations of the natural world—its sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and textures. The narrative captures intricate details about the flora and fauna of the wilderness, offering readers a sensory journey through Brian’s experiences.
Hatchet aligns with the survivalist literature genre, drawing inspiration from real-life accounts of people confronting similar challenges. It effectively portrays the resilience and adaptability inherent in human nature when confronted with adversity. The story opens with a sense of unease. Brian is traveling by plane to see his estranged father while carrying the burden of his parents’ impending divorce and keeping a secret about his mother’s infidelity. This initial conflict sets the stage for Brian’s emotional vulnerability and foreshadows the upheaval to come. The plane crash acts as the catalyst for the plot. Thrust into a desolate environment with limited resources, Brian experiences a period of despair and helplessness. His initial attempts at survival are driven by panic and desperation, highlighting his complete lack of experience in the wild and an overall lack of self-sufficiency. He adopts a more strategic approach, however, realizing the limitations of brute force out of a desire to not only survive but also comprehend the world around him.
The narrative employs recurring motifs to emphasize Brian’s changing relationship with nature. Food serves as a constant reminder of his dependence on the wilderness. Hunger forces him to learn to identify edible plants and fish and hunt small game. This struggle highlights his growing respect for the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Fire is another recurring motif. He learns to control fire, using it for warmth, cooking, and even as a deterrent against predators. This mastery over fire symbolizes his growing understanding and respect for the power of nature and is reminiscent of the early man who mastered nature around him to survive amongst predators.
Three stylistic techniques contribute to the rapid pace of the narrative. Paulsen uses elliptical sentences and sentence fragments to capture Brian’s impressions and thoughts accurately. Additionally, the frequent use of single-sentence paragraphs, and at times single-word paragraphs, accelerates the tempo for readers and underscores pivotal moments in the plot or significant insights from Brian. This also helps to illustrate the abruptness in Brian’s experiences and thoughts, which is justified due to the sudden calamity that has struck him. Moreover, Paulsen repeats key words or phrases to momentarily dwell on and heighten an impression. These shortened and reiterated expressions often convey Brian’s fleeting thoughts, including unsettling memories or images—such as the recollection of the pilot’s body in the lake—that he must suppress to manage his emotions.
In conclusion, Hatchet’s plot unfolds with a deliberate structure that effectively showcases Brian’s journey from a boy to a young man. The use of recurring motifs, the progression from despair to self-reliance, and the exploration of themes like fear, respect, and adaptation to nature all contribute to a powerful narrative. The book continues to be a popular inclusion in middle-school curricula as it resonates with young readers and offers valuable lessons about resourcefulness, determination, and the indomitable human spirit. It was later adapted into a film titled “A Cry in the Wild,” which was released in 1990.
