Chapters 1-5 1. Why is Brian visiting his father in Canada? How does Brian feel about his mother? Brian is visiting his father in Canada because his dad has summer visitation rights. Brian doesn’t really like his mother because she ended the marriage for his parents. 2. What is Brian's plan for landing the plane? What conclusions can you draw about Brian from the actions he takes before the crash? He tries to get the nose to be up a little to make him go slow then point it down to make it go fast. He tries to land by the lake edge so Brian doesn’t hit tree or land completely in the water. 3. What lesson does Brian recall from Mr. Perpich, his English teacher? How does the lesson help Brian as he sits beside the lake? The lesson helps him motivate himself and keep going and not give up. That’s why Brian went out and looked for food and built a house because the teacher helped him go out there and do things what he needed to do but it hurt when he moved. 4. Sometimes Brian's thoughts go back to an earlier time, when he was with his mother. What effect does these "break" have on the story? He felt down when he had flash backs from his mother with that other man because they broke up the marriage. 5. Are Brian's reactions to the pilot's death and the crash realistic? Does Brian seem like a real thirteen-year-old? Explain your answer. Yes, I think he is acting his age because who would not be scared after all this happen to you. I think a 22 year old would act like Brian did too. Some things he is taking okay, but what would you do if you don’t know where you are and stuck here till someone finds you or you find a way out yourself. Chapters 6-12 6. Where does Brian find shelter? Why does he consider the find lucky? Brian finds it on a ledge. It is shaped like a dome and it is perfect because all it needs is a door. 7. What does Brian see among the raspberry bushes? What does he learn from this experience? Brian see he is the not the only one who needs that bush to survive on and it is the only thing he found in the woods to eat (that is safe to eat). 8. What wild visitor helps Brian figure out how to build a fire? What does the fire mean to Brain? The porcupine come along and hurts Brian by stabbing him with its needles. Then Brian throws the hatchet and the animal but misses and it hits rock. When it hit rock it sparked. 9. What do you learn about Brian from his dreams and memories that you have not learned for other parts of the story? When his dad and his friend come in the dream and tell him to make a fire.10.What do you think Brian means when he tells himself that selfpity doesn’t work? That when you feel bad for yourself. Like it is not going to be okay and you are thinking negative. Brain wants think positive because he wants every thing to work for him. Chapters 13-19 and Epilogue 11. What tools does Brian make and for what does he use them? How does this accomplishment make Brian feel about himself and his situation? He finds food sources and he also built a new home. His tools are hatchet, clothes, spear, and bow. He uses them all to survive and build stuff like a home, bow, and spear. 12. In what two ways does Brian measure time? Which way has the most meaning for him and why? He does notches and events to keep track of time. 13. What causes Brian to have to rebuild his shelter twice? Why does Brian spend so much time on rebuilding? He builds it twice because there was a tornado the wreaked everything of Brian. 14. The author spends more than two chapters describing Brian's trip out to the plane and back. What effect does this description have on you? I would be a little sad because everyone stops looking for him after two months. I would be a little happy to know that I am home and back to my normal life. 15. Why might Brian have mixed feelings about using some of the items in the survival pack? He has mixed fells because he had other ways of surviving and he wanted to keep living that way to know he can live on his own.