Hatchet Questions

All the dates for the Hatchet online discussion are listed below. If you want to view student comments for a specific date, click on that date.

Chapter 1	Describe what happens to the pilot and Brian's reaction.
Chapter 2	Brian has to make a decision about landing the plane. What do you think he will do? Why?
Chapter 3	Describe the plane crash.
Chapter 4	How is "the divorce" affecting Brian? What makes you think this?
Chapter 5	Describe Brian's injuries. How are they affecting him?
Chapter 6	The mosquitoes have attacked Brian twice now. How do you think Brian could solve this problem?
Chapter 7	What did Brian learn from his encounter with the bear?
Chapter 8	Do you agree with Brian that feeling sorry for yourself "doesn't work"? Do you think Brian was wrong to sit in the cave and cry? Explain
Chapter 9	How do you think Brian's life will change now that he has fire? Why?
Chapter 10	Compare/contrast Hatchet with another survival story.
Chapter 11	Describe how Brian is changing.
Chapter 12	Discuss the signal fire, the chance for rescue, and Brian's devastation when he misses that chance.
Chapter 13	Discuss the setting of this chapter. What clues does the author provide to help you understand the passing of time?
Chapter 14	Mistakes. Brian has made a lot of them. How does he use his mistakes to learn? What has he learned? Are you like this?
Chapter 15	Describe the impact the skunk had on Brian and his life.
Chapter 16	Describe the tornado and the changes it caused.
Chapter 17	If you were Brian, would you try to get the survival pack out of the plane? Why or why not? If so, how would you do it?
Chapter 18	Predict the ending of the story.
Chapter 19	• Brian says that the survival pack "gave him up and down feelings." What do you think this means? • Did your predictions about the end of the story come true? What, if anything, surprised you about the ending?
Epilogue	• How has Brian's life been changed permanently by this experience? • What did the epilogue tell you, if anything, about Paulsen's purpose for writing this book?