About Brian Robeson and the real life book called "HATCHET"Brian Robeson, is a thirteen-year-old boy from New York City. This novel primarily deals with themes of man and nature as well as of self-awareness and self-actualization, mainly through Brian's experiences living alone in the wilderness. Therefore, he is essentially the only principal character. Brian's parents have just recently divorced, and this conflict between them has deeply affected Brian and his sense of stability. His sense of self has been disrupted by his parents' split, and he bears the burden of "The Secret," that is, the knowledge that his mother is having an affair with another man.
Brian is an exceptionally dynamic character. While he demonstrates vulnerability, frustration, and anger at the beginning of the novel, his experiences in the north woods of Canada alter his perspective forever. He learns lessons and adopts qualities that are relevant not only to wilderness survival but also to life as a whole. Patience, observation, an appreciation for the natural world, and a newfound connection between mind and body all contribute to Brian's character development and to his emerging manhood. Brian matures through his new ability to be patient. Setbacks that would have immobilized the "old Brian," the Brian at the start of the novel, later become manageable. He learns to control his temper when he realizes that his frustration and hopelessness does not help his family situation. When he works to complete a specific project, such as hunting or building a shelter, he learns by trial-and-error. If certain methods fail to accomplish the job, Brian learns from his mistakes rather than dwelling on them. He modifies his approaches to the problems of survival in the woods and tries again and again until success comes to him. |