Hatchet Summary
Description
Here you will find a Hatchet summary (Gary Paulsen's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
Chapters Hatchet Summary Overview
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson leaves New York City to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness. His journey is complicated by the recent divorce of his parents and the knowledge of his mother's infidelity. During the flight, the pilot suffers a fatal heart attack, leaving Brian to navigate the plane into a crash-landing in a remote Canadian lake. Stranded and alone, Brian must now fight to survive in the wild. Initially, Brian struggles with finding food and is injured from the crash. His optimism for a quick rescue dwindles when a passing plane overlooks him. Encounters with a bear, porcupine and a skunk provide new challenges and lessons in survival. Brian learns to make fire by striking his hatchet against a stone. He finds sustenance in turtle eggs and manages to catch fish. However, he experiences despair and even contemplates suicide, but he resolves to keep fighting for his survival. Brian's situation worsens when he is attacked by a moose and his shelter is destroyed by a tornado. Undeterred, he builds a raft to retrieve a survival pack from the sunken plane, despite a haunting encounter with the decaying pilot. The survival pack contains various useful items, but Brian prefers his self-taught survival methods. However, he does find freeze-dried food and a faulty 'Emergency Transmitter.' As he prepares his meal, a plane lands on the lake, and to his surprise, he is finally rescued.
chapter 1
Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year-old boy, is the only guest on a small plane heading from Hampton, New York to Canada's north woods. His initial excitement about the flight fades as he considers his parents' recent divorce. He's disturbed by the lawyers' upbeat descriptions of how his life will change. He also thinks about something he refers to as "The Secret," whose meaning remains unknown to us. Brian tries not to let the pilot, a middle-aged man whose name Brian can't quite remember, see his tears. When the pilot gives him a chance to steer the plane, Brian hesitates but eventually accepts, momentarily taking over the controls. The pilot's comment about his aching shoulder pulls Brian back to thoughts about his parents' breakup. Brian's father is unaware of why his wife wants to end their marriage, and he doesn't support the decision. The court orders that Brian will stay with his mother during the school year and his father in the summer. Brian's musings are interrupted when the plane shakes. He notices an unpleasant smell and realizes the pilot is unwell. Brian, who's en route to visit his father, a mechanical engineer, recalls the journey to the airport. During the trip, his mother tried to coax him into sharing his troubles, but he couldn't tell her about "the secret." Upon reaching Hampton, his mother gave him a hatchet for his summer stay in the woods. To appease her, Brian attached it to his belt where it's stayed throughout the flight. Suddenly, the pilot jerks in his seat, forcing Brian to appreciate the severity of the situation. The pilot is having a heart attack and struggles to use the radio. After a terrifying silence, Brian grasps the reality of the pilot's apparent death. With the plane soaring thousands of feet in the air, Brian struggles to figure out his next move.
chapter 2
Post the heart attack of the pilot, Brian is paralyzed with shock. The plane is in autopilot mode, and Brian realizes he needs to take charge. Overwhelmed by the cockpit controls, he tries to operate the radio. In the process, he accidentally jostles the wheel but manages to stabilize the plane. He tries to communicate through the radio but loses the signal before conveying any crucial details. He repeatedly tries to establish contact but fails. Thinking about landing the plane, he realizes he doesn't have enough time to strategize. The engine of the plane abruptly fails, forcing an unexpected landing. He steers the plane downwards and throws up.
chapter 3
Brian is certain he won't make it as the forest unfolds before him instead of open water. He spots an L-shaped lake in the nick of time but isn't sure if he can get there. Unexpectedly, the plane crashes into the tree line and lands in the lakes, with water quickly filling the cockpit. Brian, terrified, screams and throws up mid-flight but manages to unfasten his seatbelt and swim upwards. On reaching the shore, the pain and fatigue overwhelm him, and he falls unconscious.
chapter 4
Brian relives the moment he uncovered "The Secret" - witnessing his mother's infidelity while out with his friend Terry, igniting feelings of rage and shock. As he comes back to reality, he takes in the wilderness around him and remembers the plane crash. Feeling sore from the crash injuries, he drifts off to sleep. Upon waking, he can hardly believe he survived the crash, especially considering the pilot's unfortunate fate. He is assaulted by mosquitoes, leaving him covered in painful bites. Reflecting on his close shave with death, he notes how narrowly he missed a large nearby rock. Taking in the natural sights and sounds, Brian drifts back into sleep.
chapter 5
Waking up with an incredible thirst and hunger, Brian quenches his thirst with lake water, still unable to believe he's stranded in the middle of nowhere. He comforts himself with the thought of being rescued that very day, remembering his English teacher Mr. Perpich’s lessons on the power of positivity. This memory helps Brian fight off despair. He takes notice of the eerie silence of the wilderness, something he's never experienced in the city. Suddenly he realizes that he may have changed the plane's direction when he reached for the pilot's headset, meaning rescue might not come soon. Feeling panic set in, Brian fights to stay calm, vowing to find food and construct a shelter.
chapter 6
Brian remembers his playtimes with his best friend Terry in the city park, where they used to pretend to be lost in the woods and make a lean-to shelter. This memory triggers him to build his own shelter. As he gathers materials and finds a suitable overhang for his lean-to, he feels his weakness and hunger intensify. The simple task of finding food, once a given, now turns into a complex challenge. Amidst this, he contemplates telling his father "The Secret" linked to his parents' divorce once he's back home. In his search for food, Brian stumbles upon some red berries. Despite their bitter taste, he consumes them until he isn't hungry anymore. Without matches, starting a fire proves difficult, so he focuses on strengthening his shelter, weaving sticks into the walls. After consuming an excessive amount of berries, he feels ill but manages to fall asleep.
chapter 7
Jolted awake from a nightmare involving his mother, Brian suffers a severe reaction to the large quantity of berries he had ingested the day before. He's haunted by the memory of his mother's infidelity. He falls asleep again and when he wakes up, he heads down to the lake where he sees his own reflection. Disturbed by his disheveled appearance and injuries, he succumbs to his sorrow and cries. Feeling hungry, he consumes more of the red berries, this time carefully eating a smaller amount. Searching for a different food source, he discovers a raspberry patch and encounters a bear. Initially terrified, he soon realizes the bear poses no threat. He gathers and eats some raspberries, saving more for later. With the encounter fresh in his mind, he keeps his hatchet nearby as he drifts off to sleep.
chapter 8
Brian wakes up in the middle of the night to a strange noise in his shelter. He hurls his hatchet, only to experience a sharp pain in his leg. He's been attacked by a porcupine, leaving his leg filled with quills. After painfully removing each quill, Brian breaks down in despair, feeling a loss of hope. But once he's cried out, he realizes that self-pity and tears won't change his situation. This becomes a crucial survival lesson for him. As he drifts back to sleep, Brian dreams of his father and his friend Terry. His father seems to be trying to communicate a critical message to him, but Brian can't understand what it is. Then Terry appears, starting a charcoal fire while barbecuing in a park. Brian wakes up confused by the dream, unable to grasp its meaning. In the morning, as Brian is stretching, sunlight catches his hatchet, causing it to shine like flames. It's then that he links the dream and his current situation; his father and Terry were guiding him on creating fire. Determined to succeed, he strikes the hatchet against a rock and watches the sparks. Brian decides he will figure out how to generate fire with his hatchet.
chapter 9
Brian struggled more than expected to create fire from sparks. He had to make numerous adjustments before finally succeeding. He found birch bark to catch the sparks, yet he needed a more effective material. Despite numerous attempts, the fire kept dying. Feeling frustrated but determined, Brian recalled from school that oxygen aids fire growth. He blew on it, and after figuring out the right force, the sparks turned into flames. He fed the fire with more wood, celebrating his achievement. He saw the fire as a companion and a protector from wildlife and mosquitoes. Being alone in the wild, he wished to share the joy of his fire with someone else. Brian thought about his parents, wondering if his mother was with the man he'd once seen her kiss.
chapter 10
Fire provides Brian solace so he's hesitant to leave it. He spends his day collecting wood to maintain it, then falls into a profound sleep. A nighttime noise rouses him briefly, but no danger presents itself and he slips back into sleep. At daylight, he discovers tracks leading to the lake. Tracking them, he discovers a mound of turtle eggs. The realization that these eggs could be a good food source hits him. Recalling his Uncle Carter's habit of eating raw eggs, he decides to do the same out of necessity. Despite the odd flavor, he consumes several eggs, plans to ration the rest, and keeps hoping for his impending rescue.
chapter 11
Brian keeps busy by organizing the eggs, tidying up his shelter, and piling up firewood to prevent feelings of despair. He catches sight of his own reflection in the lake, acknowledging his physical changes - loss of extra weight and darker skin. More importantly, he recognizes his mental shift. Brian's perception of his environment has sharpened, helping him understand the forest better. His experience in the wilderness has created a new connection between his mind and body. On top of a hill beside the lake, he's struck by nature's beauty. It inspires him to realize he can fish from the lake for sustenance. Upon observing closely, he finds an abundance of fish in the lake. His initial attempts to catch them with his hands prove futile, leading him to the conclusion that he needs a fishing spear.
chapter 12
Brian dedicates numerous hours to crafting a fish spear, which ultimately proves unsuccessful. Needing a better method to catch fish, he opts to create a bow and arrow. During his wood hunt, he narrowly misses stepping on a bird, which swiftly launches into the air. This prompts him to consider hunting these birds, which he names "foolbirds" due to their size being slightly less than that of chickens. As he's considering this, a plane soars above him, filling him with temporary hope of rescue. Despite his desperate attempts to attract the plane's attention, it continues past him and disappears. Losing sight of the plane plunges Brian into deep despair and he feels a sense of loneliness and desolation, doubting he'll ever reunite with his loved ones.
chapter 13
While out hunting for 'foolbirds', Brian senses a nearby creature. He discovers a majestic wolf and its pack who then depart into the hills. After the distressing incident of a plane flying past him unnoticed, Brian plunges into despair, attempting suicide with his hatchet. Surviving the attempt, he decides not to entertain thoughts of death again, leading to the rebirth of a "new Brian." He finally unravels the mystery of catching the lake's abundant fish by understanding the refraction of light underwater and adjusting his aim. The first day he catches fish results in a satisfying feast, filling him with hope from his success and the promise of plentiful food. This hope, though, is no longer centered on rescue, which he perceives as unlikely. Instead, he nurtures a "tough hope" of surviving on his own, armed with his newfound knowledge of the wilderness.
chapter 14
A skunk intrudes the area where a turtle laid eggs, provoking Brian to shout at it. The skunk retaliates by spraying Brian, leaving him temporarily blind. Brian dashes into the lake to cleanse himself. He soon realizes the skunk has devoured the eggs he kept near the shore. From this episode, Brian extracts two wisdoms: to build a robust shelter and to secure his food. Over several days, Brian fortifies his shelter with extra wood and creates a food shelf high in a tree, out of bears' reach. Yet, food scarcity remains a challenge. Pondering over this, Brian decides to build a mini-pond for storing the fish he catches, lured by the leftovers of his previous catch. Brian's thoughtful actions reflect his efforts to not just find immediate sustenance, but also ensure future food storage.
chapter 15
In the wilderness, Brian gauges time by the incidents he encounters rather than conventional timekeeping, although he does keep a tally of days on a stone by his shelter. The significant events make up his real timeline, such as the day he first had meat. Despite surviving on berries and fish, Brian yearned for more substantial food, like meat. His eyes often landed on the foolbirds abundant around him, but they proved difficult to capture due to their elusive nature. Deciding on using his spear instead of his bow and arrow, Brian learns to creep up sideways and strike in the nick of time, bagging his first meat. Cleaning and cooking the bird was more challenging than anticipated, reminding him of the past when his mother would cook for him. He set up a system to roast the chicken over a fire and eagerly awaited his first bite. The anticipation led to him almost eating a piece that was still raw, but he reminded himself of the necessity of patience. Once the meat was fully cooked, Brian relished his meal more than any he had ever consumed.
chapter 16
Brian reflects on the major milestones since his crash, including crafting his first successful arrow and hunting his first rabbit. He rotates between hunting rabbits and foolbirds, providing sufficient meat for his meals. Over time, he becomes skilled at trapping foolbirds, even once capturing one with just his hands. However, a serene moment at the lake is interrupted when a massive moose charges him, injuring his ribs and shoulder. He collects his weapons and contemplates the assault before succumbing to sleep. In the middle of the night, he is awakened by an approaching tornado. It slams him against his shelter, which is destroyed in the storm. Vulnerable without his fire, Brian is besieged by mosquitoes. He spends the rest of the night considering the dramatic shift in his circumstances. Despite the moose attack and the tornado, Brian remains steadfast, determined to rebuild with his hatchet, the only tool he has left. As dawn breaks, Brian assesses the damage. The tornado had strewn the remains of his shelter across the area. Gazing at the lake, he sees the tail of his crashed plane sticking out of the water, which reminds him of the dead pilot. Overwhelmed by grief, he feels compelled to pay his respects, but struggles to find the "right words." Instead, he opts to quietly wish the pilot a peaceful rest.
chapter 17
Brian labors to fix his shelter and stockpile more firewood. Overwhelmed by fatigue, he's about to sleep when he recalls the pilot's survival pack that might still be on the plane. He imagines it could contain food or useful tools and decides to seek it out the next day. His last thought before sleep is an image of the plane's tail. The following day, he energizes with some fish before building a raft to reach the plane. He struggles to bind the logs of the raft, finally succeeding by weaving branches between them. As it gets dark, he struggles to move the raft and decides to continue the next day. Feeling autumn approaching, he retires to his shelter. The next day, he heads for the plane on his raft. As he secures the raft to the plane, a chilling thought hits him: he might encounter the pilot's body underwater.
chapter 18
Overwhelmed by his inability to enter the plane, Brian hits it hard, causing the aluminum shell to open. He furiously hacks at the other sections with his hatchet, which suddenly slips from his grasp and sinks to the lake's bottom. Despite struggling with limited breath, Brian retrieves the hatchet from the lake's floor. Resuming his cutting into the plane, he plunges beneath the surface to bring out the survival pack. To his horror, he spots the pilot's head, skin gnawed off by fish. Distressed, Brian vomits in the water and with great effort, dislodges the pack from the plane and surfaces. Drained by his ordeal, he hauls the survival pack back to his shelter and instantly falls into a deep slumber.
chapter 19
Brian explores the survival pack the following day, finding numerous helpful items such as a sleeping bag, cookware, matches, a knife, a compass, medical supplies, a hat, and fishing gear. He is startled to discover a hunting rifle, which he feels alienates him from the wilderness he has grown to appreciate. He is hesitant to use the rifle and other tools despite the ease they could provide, as he has developed a fondness for his self-reliant lifestyle. Brian experiences mixed emotions upon discovering the pack. He stumbles upon an emergency radio transmitter, which appears to be ineffective, leading Brian to believe it was damaged in the crash. The pack also holds several dehydrated food packages, which Brian decides to slowly consume after indulging in one gourmet meal. Amidst his meal preparations, he hears an overhead engine and watches a plane land on the lake. The pilot steps out, telling Brian he picked up the transmitter signal. The pilot puts two and two together, realizing he has found the missing Brian Robeson. Overwhelmed and taken aback, Brian introduces himself and offers the pilot some food.
epilogue
Brian eventually finds out that his rescuer is a fur trader inspecting Cree trapping sites. Following the crash, Brian has lost significant weight, which he manages to keep off for years. His experiences in the wild have left a lasting impression on him, particularly his heightened sense of observation and ever-present awe for food. Initially, his survival story garners media attention, but it quickly fades. Brian often dreams about his time in the wilderness, mostly fond memories. Surviving the winter would have been an arduous task. His parents are overjoyed by his survival and briefly reconcile, but soon revert to their separated lives. Despite intending to many times, Brian never reveals "The Secret" to his father.
