The theme of never giving up is one of the most prevalent themes in
that we are shown throughout the story that without hope, life is meaningless.
Brian learns this the hard way, but it is what sustains him when he faces
the most difficult challenges to his survival.
Another theme is perseverance and determination. This is especially
seen in how Brian learns to solve problems that will potentially be life-threatening.
He calls upon his intelligence, memory, and youth to overcome such experiences
as creating fire, fighting off a moose, building shelter, and finding
food.
A third theme is that of maturity. It is not enough that Brian must
grow up to hone his survival skills; he must also learn the compassion
and maturity it will take to keep the Secret forever secret.
Another theme is that of education. The pilot said that flying was just
like anything else: it just takes learning. This will be especially applicable
to Brian when he spends each day learning something new about survival
and life in general.
At times, the mood is just sad as Brian thinks about the Secret that
led to his parents' divorce; at other times, it is fearful as he learns
to deal with the dangers Nature throws at him; finally, it is uplifting
as the reader comes to applaud Brian's tenacity and will to survive before
he is finally rescued.
Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939, in Minnesota. He constantly moved as a child, because his father was in the military. Both of his parents were alcoholics, and he often used books as an escape. Early in his adulthood, he held many jobs to support himself, including being a trapper and joining the army. He decided eventually to try writing and even became the associate editor of a men's magazine in Hollywood, California.
His first book was Special War, published in 1966. This was followed by nearly forty more, as well as several articles and short stories. In 1977, he faced a lawsuit over his book, Winterkill, and even though he won it, it was at a high cost. During this time, he tried dog sledding which led to other books like Dogsong. A heart attack in 1990 has slowed him down, but has not stopped his interest in sledding, motorcycling, and sailing. He presently lives with his wife, Ruth, in La Luz, New Mexico, and Minnesota.
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Cite this page:
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on Hatchet".
TheBestNotes.com.
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