Chapter 16 · Hatchet

Copywork

I might be hit but I'm not done. When the light comes I'll start to rebuild. I still have the hatchet and that's all I had in the first place.

Read the passage aloud. What does Brian do with the small word "still" in the last sentence?

Narration Tell the chapter back in order: the foolbird hunt, the moose, the night of the tornado, the morning after, and the tail of the plane.

After the moose, Brian falls asleep "trying to make the moose have reason." Why might he need the attack to make sense? Inference
In the water, Brian moves only when the cow's hair is down and stops when it goes up. What has he worked out about her? Inference
The chapter calls the waterspout "beautiful and terrible at the same time." What in the scene makes it both? Tone
Brian says the day was "A flip of some giant coin." Is that a fair way to see what happened to him? Theme
Paulsen puts the moose and the tornado in one day. Why might he give Brian two blows so close together? Author's choice

Make a Connection Tell about a time something went wrong right after things had been going well.

rebuild: When the light comes I'll start to rebuild. To build again.
hatchet: I still have the hatchet A small axe with one hand.
perfected: he had perfected this method after many attempts Made as good as it can be.
alarm: a sign of alarm just before it flew A sudden fear of danger.
retrieved: Then he stood and retrieved his arrows Got back.
detach: saw a brown wall of fur detach itself from the forest To come loose and apart.
wrenched: his right shoulder seemed to be wrenched somehow Twisted and hurt.
restless: Restless threat, he thought Never still; always on the move.
emphasize: As if to emphasize his thoughts To make stand out.

Brian has improved as a hunter since the day of First Meat. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how.
In the morning Brian looks around the camp. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he finds that he can start from.
Brian sees the tail of the plane and thinks of the pilot. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he feels and what he does.