Brian's Return

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1999

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-15

Chapters 16-18

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Chapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 7 Summary

Brian’s mother is reluctant to allow Brian to return to the woods; she is fearful of the wild. However, she eventually relents. Brian talks to the pilot who periodically brings supplies to the Smallhorns. Although the pilot can’t take Brian directly to the Smallhorns’ camp, he can drop him off about 100 miles away. Brian can then make his way through a chain of lakes in his canoe to their location. When Brian speaks to his mother and his father, he doesn’t correct their impressions that the pilot will be taking him directly to the Smallhorns. Brian is nearly 16 and feels that going into the woods is his chosen path; he doesn’t picture himself returning. Caleb makes Brian promise to write and hugs him goodbye.

When Brian’s mother says goodbye at the airport, she remembers the moment two years ago when he boarded a plane with the hatchet she gave him. As much as Brian loves his mother and will miss her, he knows that returning to the woods is the right thing for him to do.

Chapter 8 Summary

Upon landing in International Falls in northern Minnesota, Brian takes a cab with his canoe and gear to meet with the pilot. The pilot takes Brian to his shack on the lakeshore, and then leaves for the night; he will return before dawn the next morning with two fishermen, and they’ll head north. Brian considers sleeping in the shack, but decides he would prefer the shore, and he sets up his tent and sleeping bag on the bank. Although he told the pilot he had food in his pack, he actually did not. Brian fetches his fishing supplies—line, a hook, and a sinker, and uses worms to catch five fish. As he cooks a fish soup, he thinks of how right it feels to be in the open air, and he falls asleep within minutes that night.

Chapter 9 Summary

Brian wakes in the dark to a scuffling sound outside the tent and sees a skunk when he looks outside. He realizes the fish leftovers must have attracted it. Brian remembers the skunk he befriended during his winter in the woods and smiles. Brian decides to pack up and wait for the pilot. He makes some tea with sugar to stave off hunger pangs, and enjoys the sound of a loon calling until the pilot and two fishermen arrive. Brian worries the fishermen will be nosy but is surprised to find that despite being past middle age, they each have a similar mindset to Brian. They love to be outdoors, don’t use fussy or high-tech equipment, and they release the fish they catch. In fact, they seem to understand Brian’s need to return to nature, saying that Brian has the woods in him just like they do.

Brian’s list, started in Chapter 6, now contains a detailed account of every item he brings with him. Each item was chosen for its functionality and necessity, such as the canoe and his weapons—the bow, a knife, a hatchet, and simple fishing gear. While making his list, Brian decided to balance bringing functional and helpful equipment with maintaining his connection to nature. He allowed himself some nonessential, yet helpful items such as a volume of Shakespeare, small journals in which he can write to Caleb, backpacks, functional clothing, and a shovel. He also brings a few cooking supplies: two pots, salt, sugar cubes, rice, and tea. Brian has two backpacks’ worth of gear, but each item is carefully selected and serves a purpose; although some items will make his experience easier, such as matches, Brian is committed to maintaining a connection to the wild.

Chapters 7-9 Analysis

Paulsen highlights the ways Brian has changed since his initial time in the wilderness, and how returning to nature is the only thing that can give him the sense of fulfillment he needs. The night Brian spends near the pilot’s shack acts as a soft reintroduction to the wilderness for Brian. He immediately feels like he’s where he is supposed to be, and his peaceful spirit is confirmed when he easily falls asleep in his tent. Paulsen shows how much Brian has changed through several examples. First, Brian no longer views hunger as an enemy, but rather as an old friend. The food items that he once craved while in the wilderness the first time around have lost their appeal for him. Furthermore, Brian’s survival skills and knowledge have expanded considerably with his many experiences in nature. Catching fish, starting a fire, and cooking over an open flame come easily to him now, especially with the use of simple gear. Finally, the fishermen that join the flight out of International Falls put words to this change Brian has experienced. He has the woods in him now, and they will always be a part of his identity.

Paulsen highlights Brian’s relationships with others more so in Brian’s Return than in any other book in the Hatchet series. The goodbye Brian shares with his mother flashes back to her memory of dropping him off two years before and giving him a hatchet—the item that would become critical to Brian’s survival after the plane crash. Although Brian’s mother fears nature because of Brian’s previous experiences, she wants the best for her son, as shown when she puts aside her fear for his own well-being. Brian is not particularly close to either of his parents (his father is only mentioned once in the book), but he does love and appreciate them. Brian’s relationship with Caleb proves to be the closest friendship he has found since his return from the woods. Their goodbye shows how close they have become in just a few months, and Brian’s promise to write to Caleb serves to guide the structure of the remainder of the novel.

The simplicity theme continues in these chapters as Brian meets the older fishermen and learns that their love and understanding of nature is surprisingly close to his own. They have simple gear rather than the latest technology, and they go fishing each year not to kill fish but simply to enjoy the woods. In addition, Paulsen’s catalogue in Brian’s list of equipment shows the simplicity of the items Brian needs to survive. Brian carefully selects each piece and has the experience to know what will work best for his needs in this environment. The list also shows the balance that Brian strikes; he brings enough items to perform necessary survival tasks like fishing, hunting, and building a fire, yet doesn’t go so far that he loses a connection with nature in exchange for convenience. Even Paulsen’s description of Brian’s process of making and breaking camp suggests simplicity. Tasks like gutting a fish, cooking, cleaning the cooking pot, and brewing tea fill Brian’s time. Even though these aren’t dramatic events or exciting tasks, Paulsen describes them to show the reader the minimalism of Brian’s way of life.