Brian's Return

Caleb is a tall, stocky African American man who fills the room of his small counseling office. He retired from the police force when he suddenly became blind, and now works as a family counselor. His straightforward manner catches Brian off guard at first, but soon earns Brian’s respect. Although Caleb cannot see physically, he is the character who first perceives Brian’s need to return to the woods. His willingness to listen to Brian’s stories about the woods gives Brian the opportunity to tell someone about his experiences in detail. Caleb allows Brian’s stories to move him emotionally, and Caleb’s appreciation motivates Brian to share fascinating moments that he has never articulated before. This helps Brian come to the realization that he must go back to nature.

Caleb’s character illustrates the simple effectiveness of processing one’s experience by talking about it with another person who cares enough to listen. Although Caleb says that his time with Brian is not an official counseling session, Paulsen notes that this practice is essentially what counseling is: “telling somebody something and getting help with a problem” (32). Paulsen uses Caleb’s character to portray counseling in a simple and positive light.

Caleb also has a significant influence on Brian. The bond that Brian and Caleb form is the strongest friendship Brian shares with another person in the entire Hatchet series. Caleb provides the gentle push that Brian needs to return to the woods, and even influences the items Brian decides to take with him, such as tea, sugar, Shakespeare volumes, and journals. Through their bond, Paulsen shows the influence that friendships have on people’s lives and the power of simply listening.

Billy is a middle-aged man who lives in the woods and briefly crosses Brian’s path. Like Brian, Billy is acutely aware of his surroundings, demonstrated when he uses his senses (sight, smell, hearing) to know that Brian is behind him with a grouse. He has skin like “polished wood” (98) and wears his hair in a ponytail. His simple gear shows signs of wear and use, indicating that he has lived in the woods for an extended period. Brian notes that Billy doesn’t feel the need to speak unless he has something he truly wants to say.

Billy teaches Brian about the concept of medicine: connection to nature and respect for it. His hunting practices, which are similar to Brian’s, stem from his respect for living things. He avoids bad medicine by allowing animals to prepare for death rather than being killed instantly by a gun. Billy teaches Brian that Brian’s medicine animal, a deer, will show him the way to go; Billy’s own medicine animal is a crow. Brian realizes that Billy is a manifestation of who Brian will be in the future if he continues on his current path. Meeting Billy is integral in Brian’s self-discovery process and helps Brian feel confident in his decision to remain in the woods for the foreseeable future.