Chapter 9 · Hatchet

Copywork

I have a friend, he thought—I have a friend now. A hungry friend, but a good one. I have a friend named fire.

Read the passage aloud. What does Brian do with the word "friend" each time?

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in order: the failed sparks, the twenty-dollar bill, the birch bark, the spark nest, the fire, and Brian's last thoughts.

Brian tears up the twenty-dollar bill, calling it "Worthless paper out here." What does that choice show about how his world has changed? Theme
Brian leaves the birches for "a full half-minute" before they "registered." Why might the answer be in front of him so long without his seeing it? Inference
Brian thinks of the sparks as starving, "like me." Why might he see himself in them? Character
Paulsen ends the chapter with three short thoughts about his father and his mother. Why might he end it there? Author's choice
Brian says "I would kill" for a book of matches. What might that show about how he is feeling just then? Tone

Make a Connection Tell about a time you worked a long time on something before it finally worked.

Vocabulary

friend: A hungry friend, but a good one. Someone who is on your side.
hungry: A hungry friend, but a good one. Wanting food badly.
tinder: some kind of tinder or kindling Dry stuff that catches fire easily.
sputtered: just sputtered and died Made weak spitting sounds, then stopped.
haunches: He settled back on his haunches The back legs, or the hips and thighs.
flammable: They seemed flammable, dry and nearly powdery. Easy to set on fire.
slivers: cutting the bark in thin slivers Long, thin, small pieces.
smoldered: grew, smoldered and caused the bark to take on the red glow Burned slowly with smoke and no flame.
gratified: was gratified to see them take Pleased and satisfied.
flue: an almost perfect drawing flue that carried the smoke up A channel that carries smoke up and away.

Critical thinking

Brian's first tries at fire fail. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he learns from them.
Brian blows on the sparks twice. Using two pieces of evidence, explain what he learns about blowing.
Brian calls the fire "a friend and a guard." Using two pieces of evidence, explain why each word fits.