Chapter 8 · Hatchet

Copywork

When he sat alone in the darkness and cried and was done, was all done with it, nothing had changed. His leg still hurt, it was still dark, he was still alone and the self-pity had accomplished nothing.

Read the passage aloud. What do you notice about how often the word "still" comes back?

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in order: the smell in the dark, the porcupine, the night of crying, the dream, and the sparks from the hatchet.

Before Brian knows it is a porcupine, he thinks of the bear, Bigfoot and fright-movie monsters. What is the dark doing to his thinking? Inference
Brian kicks out and throws the hatchet at the sound in the dark. Was that foolish, or just what a frightened person does? Character
In the dream, Brian's father and Terry try to tell him something without words. Why might Paulsen send the message that way? Author's choice
"So fast things change," Brian thinks after the porcupine. What does the night show about how safe he is in the shelter? Theme
Brian thinks "I can't do this" again and again in the dark. What might he mean by it? Character

Make a Connection Tell about a time something went wrong at night and looked different in the morning.

Vocabulary

accomplished: the self-pity had accomplished nothing Got done; achieved.
self-pity: came new waves of self-pity Feeling sorry for yourself.
musty: some musty rot Smelling old, damp and stale.
skittered: and skittered on his backside Scurried quickly and lightly.
rasping: pulled a rasping breath in Rough and scratchy sounding.
gingerly: His fingers gingerly touched Very carefully, to avoid pain.
intense: made the pain more intense Very strong.
stiffened: which had stiffened like wood Became hard and hard to bend.
imbedded: imbedded in it were large pieces Set firmly into something.

Critical thinking

Brian pulls the quills from his leg. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he gets through it.
Brian tests the dark stone with the hatchet. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how he gets from a few weak sparks to flying sparks.
After the porcupine Brian sleeps lightly. Using two pieces of evidence, explain how the night has changed the way he acts.