Chapter 19 · Hatchet

Copywork

The rifle changed him, the minute he picked it up, and he wasn't sure he liked the change very much. He set it aside, leaning it carefully against the wall.

Read the passage aloud. What does the second sentence show Brian doing about the change?

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in order: the contents of the pack, the rifle, the lighter, the transmitter, the feast, and the plane.

Brian thinks of the pack's contents as "presents." Why might he think of them that way? Tone
Brian feels the rifle "somehow removed him from everything around him." What do you think he means? Character
Brian puts the rifle aside and says he "could deal with that feeling later." Was it wise to wait? Moral reasoning
Brian meets the plane at the moment his "mind full of home" smells the cooking beef. Why might Paulsen time it that way? Author's choice
When the pilot arrives, Brian asks if he would like something to eat. What might that tell us about who Brian is now? Theme

Make a Connection Tell about a time something that made a task easier also made you feel you were missing something.

Vocabulary

rifle: The rifle changed him A gun with a long barrel.
carefully: leaning it carefully against the wall With attention to avoid harm.
oblivious: oblivious even to the mosquitoes Not noticing at all.
rummaging: Rummaging through the food packets Searching by moving things around.
marveling: marveling at how easy it was Being filled with wonder.
grime: Thick with grime and smoke dirt Dirt that has built up.
matted: matted with fish and fool-bird grease Tangled into a thick mass.
taxi: settling with a spray to taxi and stop To move slowly along water or ground.
emergency: Emergency Transmitter. A sudden danger that needs quick help.

Critical thinking

Brian finds food in the pack and says he will have a feast first. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he is deciding.
Brian carries water to the fire in a pot. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why such a small thing amazes him.
The pilot says Brian's search was given up long ago. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how Brian reacts.