The River

These chapters develop Brian’s character and reveal his mental grit and observant nature. For example, when Brian feels scared on the plane and flashes back to the plane crash, he successfully controls his fear and overcomes it. The mental strength he possesses is important for survival. He is shown to be observant when he takes note of Derek’s physical characteristics. He sees that Derek is not athletic or coordinated and understands his inexperience in terms of survival skills. His observant nature will serve him well as he attempts to survive in the woods.

The contrast between Brian and Derek also develops. Derek doesn’t see how precarious survival is; he sees it as a game. Oppositely, Brian sees the seriousness of their situation. Because of Brian’s firsthand knowledge, he is the authority figure and adult, while Derek is the child. Brian asserts his leadership by insisting that the gear will ruin the authenticity of the survival experience and elects to leave it behind. Although the men are different, Derek quickly follows Brian’s lead and heeds his advice. For example, Brian shows his mental toughness when he tells Derek to “settle” in his mind (33) rather than fight the mosquitoes. Derek quickly heeds the advice and encourages Brian to share other helpful tips, as well as “externalize” his thought process (40).

Paulsen develops the theme of luck: He highlights Brian’s perceptions of how luck has helped him in the past and his hope that it can help him again in the present. For instance, Brian feels lucky for having survived the plane’s crash landing two years ago. Also, as he and Derek begin to walk around the lake, Brian knows they will need good luck in order to find food, shelter, and a fire stone. He waits for luck in the back of his mind, knowing that he will need patience to wait out bad luck and be prepared to take advantage of good luck when it comes.

Paulsen also highlights the way Brian changes because of his experiences and environment. To survive, Brian’s thinking needs to revert to a survival mindset. During The Time, he had to become part of the woods. When he returned to his life in the city, he had to change to become part of city life. Now that he is back in the woods, an immediate and palpable change comes over him. Paulsen uses sensory imagery to depict this change, describing Brian’s alertness to each sound in the forest. He senses coming weather in the smell of the air and checks for nearby animals by tasting the air. His body quickly acclimates to constantly evaluating his environment. These descriptions highlight Brian’s mental process as well as his adaptability.

Repetition functions in the chapters to emphasize Brian’s mental struggles and create a seemingly factual storyline. For example, when Brian feels afraid in the plane, repetition expresses his calming self-talk: “easy now, easy and easy and easy” (16). Other repeated words and phrases such as “He slept” (23) and “talk” (27), highlight unexpected events and thoughts. For example, Brian is surprised that he can sleep on the plane, and he thinks about the excess of talk when time is so vital for finding shelter and preparing before nightfall. Paulsen also uses short, simple sentences to express Brian’s thoughts: Sentences such as, “There was too much” and “It was all wrong” (21) act as a component for revealing Brian’s psychology and creating a story that feels true-to-life. 

The motif of food develops as Brian explains the intense hunger he experienced during The Time. In the morning after the rain, Brian already feels hungry, but he knows the worst form of hunger is yet to come. Brian recognizes that food means everything for survival. All of nature revolves around finding food, and Brian thought only of food the first time he was in the woods. Brian’s perceptions of food and hunger help the reader see how people often take food for granted, despite its necessity for survival.

Paulsen uses vivid imagery to show how Brian observes detail in his surroundings. For example, the narrator gives descriptions of the plane and its parts, as well as the landing process. Brian watches the pilot and recognizes mistakes he made during his crash landing, as well as the functions of various parts of the plane. This shows that Brian constantly learns from what he sees. Imagery also juxtaposes the beauty of nature against its tremendous power. For instance, when the mosquitoes are “whining” and “filling their eyes and ears and nostrils” (32), Brian and Derek still notice the beauty of the lake. Later, the description of the rain through violent images, such as “roaring” and “ripping” (37), shows the dominion of nature over the men. Despite their difficult first night, the men still see beauty in their lakeside environment and recognize both the power and the splendor of nature.