Literary Analysis

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Plot Elements (The Freytag Pyramid

• Exposition-–Brian Roberson leaves New

York and flies to visit his father.

The Freytag Pyramid

• Rising Action:–The pilot has a heart attack, and

Brian lands the plane.–Brian finds berries and builds a

shelter.– Brian in attacked by a porcupine.

The Freytag Pyramid

• Climax– Brian tries to commit suicide,

fails, and realizes he is strong.

The Freytag Pyramid

• Falling Action – –- Brian survives a moose attack,– Brian survives a tornado–- Brian retrieves the survival

bag

The Freytag Pyramid

• Resolution–- Brian is rescued

Setting

• The sky and the wilderness

Theme – (underlying meaning or the central message)

• Survivala. Physical survival in the wildernessb. Mental/emotional in the aftermath of

divorce

• Challenge (sub-theme of survival and divorce)

Point of View

• Third person, but everything is seen through Brian’s eyes

Characterization

• Direct – the author describes a character• Indirect –the author reveals a character

through speech and action• Static – A character who does not change

throughout the story • Dynamic – A character who changes

throughout the story• IS BRIAN A STATIC OR DYNAMIC CHARACTER?

Conflict

• You must also be able to identify the specific types of conflict that we discussed in the student packet you completed on Hatchet (passages A – H).