Watson Grade4 Language
Novel Study – Hatchet
March Break
Summary Chapter 11:
In this chapter, Brian shows how he has matured as he understands he’s on his own to survive. In first few weeks after the
plane crash, Brian focused on the world in which he used to live, constantly seeking and hoping for a way out of his
situation. He thought his stay in the woods would be short-term and because he pitied himself, he did not do much until he
was really hungry and in danger. Now, Brian accepts that it may be some time before he leaves the woods. He is starting to
adopt a more active and positive attitude and stop complaining about his bad luck. Brian makes efforts to gather food, make
fire, and perfect his tools. He’s becoming a hunter and gatherer!
Question: What sort of tool would you use to trap or catch fish without a fishing rod?
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Summary Chapter 12:
Brian spends many hours perfecting his fish spear, but in the end it fails to help him catch any fish. In
need of a way to send the spear into the water, Brian decides to make a bow and arrow. While searching
for wood, Brian almost steps on a bird and it flies up in a flurry of feathers. It occurs to Brian to try to
catch these birds, slightly smaller than chickens, which he calls "foolbirds." At that moment a plane flies
overhead, giving Brian hope that the searchers have come for him. Gesturing and yelling at the top of his
lungs, Brian falls into despair and hopelessness when the plane flies past him and away into the horizon.
He begins to lose faith that he will ever see his family and friends again, and experiences profound
emptiness and loneliness.
Question: What would you do? How would you re-gain hope?
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Summary Chapter 13: Brian finally realizes that he may likely stay in the wilderness for a long time,
maybe, for the rest of his life.
Question: Do you think Brian needs to find a way to feel happy again? What kind of things would you
do to feel some happiness and avoid boredom?
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Watson Grade4 Language
Novel Study – Hatchet
March Break
Summary Chapter 14:
Brian understand that it’s not enough to find food for the moment, but also to figure out a way to
keep his food safe in the future and avoid incidents like the one he has with the skunk who ate the eggs he had saved for
later.
Question: List at least 2 ways in which Brian will store his food in a safe place?
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Summary Chapter 15: Brian finally catches a bird. He has a hard time cleaning it at first but he manages
to roast it. He is so eager to gobble it up but he stops and thinks….
Question: What do you think is going on in his mind?
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Summary Chapter 16: In this chapter, Brian is hit with two major dangers and survives - the moose and
the tornado. This is reinforcement for the fact that life in the wilderness can change at any moment, and
even though he has matured and learned, he is not exempt from the whims of nature. The difference,
however, is a big one: he knows now how to rebuild. He also has changed in that he finally has a
realization of the sadness of the pilot’s death and forgets himself for a moment to pray for the man who
had died on the plane.
Question: You are not in Brian’s situation, but there might have been moments when you felt sorry for
yourself. Give an example of how “thinking of others in more need than you” has helped you in the past.
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