He felt his heartbeat increase as the fear started.To get bigger or faster.
Hatchet
Chapter 5
Gary Paulsen · Trailblazers 4th–6th
Copywork
He felt his heartbeat increase as the fear started. The thought was there but he fought it down for a time, pushed it away, then it exploded out. They might not find him for a long time.
Read the passage aloud. What changes between the first sentence and the last?
Discussion
Narration Tell the chapter back in order: waking thirsty, drinking at the lake, thinking about the searchers, the pocket inventory, the shout, and the worry about the flight plan.
- Brian expects to be home "by late night or early morning." What is that expectation built on? Inference
- Brian yells "I'm hungry" until the whole forest goes quiet. Why might he need to say it so loudly? Character
- Brian lays out everything he has, then adds the one thing Perpich says he always has: himself. Does that count for much out here? Theme
- Brian keeps measuring his own trouble against the movies. Why might Paulsen keep bringing the movies in? Author's choice
- Brian wakes thirsty and ends the chapter on his feet, saying he has to do something. What moves him from one to the other? Plot structure
Make a Connection Tell about a time you were sure something would happen soon and it took longer.
Vocabulary
- increase
- exploded
then it exploded out.
Burst out suddenly and with force.- wither
he felt that he would wither up and die
To dry up and shrink.- stranded
What did they do in the movies when they got stranded like this?
Left in a place with no way to leave.- frantic
His father and mother would be frantic.
Wild with worry or fear.- extensive
When a plane went down they mounted extensive searches
Covering a large area or a lot of effort.- pitiful
It was pitiful enough.
So small or poor that it makes you feel sorry.- intense
it was so intense that it seemed to become part of him.
Very strong or deep.- gradually
Gradually, like sloshing oil his thoughts settled back and the panic was gone.
Slowly, a little at a time.
Critical thinking
- Brian drinks the lake water even though he does not know if he can. Using two pieces of evidence, explain why he does it.
- Brian works out that the plane may be far from where searchers will look. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he reaches that.
- Brian tells himself to slow down and think in short thoughts. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what that does for him.