Hatchet Novel Study Activities -Character Analysis
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Feb 21, 2024
If had to choose, I would award Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet the prize for the best book to hook reluctant readers. It is a story of strength and survival that instantly grabs the attention of even the most unmotivated middle schoolers. Because of this, it makes for a fantastic novel study. In a previous post, I discussed a variety of different Hatchet novel study activities to incorporate into your ELA curriculum. Today I zone in on character development, and share some effective analysis activities that work great with the novel.
Looking for some no prep resources that you can download and use right away in your classroom? Click on the image or button below to download the COMPLETE Hatchet Novel Study!
Hatchet Novel Study Activities – Character Analysis
Hatchet follows the adventures of Brian, a teenage boy who crash lands into the remote and unyielding Canadian wilderness. Armed with nothing but strength, perseverance, and a small hatchet, Brian must find a way to survive.
This engaging story of survival is an excellent choice for in depth character analysis. Because Brian is alone in the wilderness, the story revolves around only his character. Throughout the story, he faces a variety of emotional, mental, and physical obstacles. He must overcome these struggles through inner strength and perseverance. He is a truly dynamic character, and his growth is made evident as the novel comes to a close. Because of this, Brian makes for a compelling character to closely examine.
Looking for more information on Hatchet novel study activities for teaching about character traits? Be sure to check out our complete guide!
Internal and External Conflicts
Internal and external conflicts are important terms for students to understand when analyzing a character. These internal conflicts occur when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs. External conflicts occur when a character is faced with something or someone that they do not have control over.
Throughout the story, Brian battles with a variety of internal and external conflicts. In a classic man vs self scenario, he struggles with his parent divorce, and a “secret” he has been keeping. The conflict of man vs nature is also very prominent, as he attempts to survive in the rugged Canadian wilderness.
This graphic organizer makes for a great addition to a Hatchet novel study or Interactive Notebook, as it allows students to record the different internal and external conflicts they notice while reading. I have my students record the things they notice during our independent reading time, and then share them with the class during group discussion. This allows us to review their findings, and also helps those students who may have missed one of the conflicts while reading.
I find these Hatchet novel study activities especially helpful because students can add to them throughout the novel study. Instead of being something that is simply “one and done”, students can go back and record new findings as they work their way through the book.
For more ideas for teaching the elements of literature, check out these tips!
Character Motivation
Character motivation is the reasons behind a character’s actions in a story. Sometimes students can struggle with understanding why a character reacts differently than they would in a particular situation. This graphic organizer asks students to look closely at the ways Brian is feeling at certain points in the novel. It really helps students gain understanding about Brian’s actions throughout the story.
Another activity I love to use when talking about character motivation is this activity about Brian’s feelings. Students choose an event from the novel, and draw and write about things they think were going through the character’s head during that time. It helps put students into the shoes of the character, and helps them gain important perspective about why they choose to act the way they do.
Tracking Character Changes over Time
Dynamic characters are those who learn a lesson or change as a person over the course of a story. Brian is a classically dynamic character. The things he experiences in the wilderness cause him to grow and change. By the end of the story, one can clearly see that he is a different boy than he was when the plane first crashed.
This character chart works great for examining these changes. At the top of the chart, students must record three words to describe Brian at the start of the story. At the bottom of the chart, students record three words to describe him at the end of the novel. This is perfect opportunity to work on those descriptive language skills!
This Before and After graphic organizer also works great for teaching character motivation, and asks students to tap into their artistic sides. One one half of the page, students are required to describe and illustrate Brian at the start of the novel. They must record key information about the things he thinks, feels, and hears. On the opposite side of the page, students describe and illustrate Brian at the end of the story.
This graphic organizer is super effective, as students can visually see the way Brian has changed from the beginning of the novel to the end.
On the hunt for some engaging graphic organizers that you can use with ANY novel study? Check out this post – and grab an exclusive free resource!
Looking to grab these Hatchet Novel Study Activities to use in your class?
You can grab the complete novel study in my TPT shop by clicking here or on the image below. It contains everything you need for a complete novel study, with questions, vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, and projects. It is a TPT best seller, with over 3,000 copies sold!
You can see this novel study in action by clicking on the video below.
If you are struggling with choosing the perfect book for your next novel study, you won’t want to miss our lists of favorite middle school and upper elementary novels!
For more information on teaching specific novels, you won’t want to miss our posts on teaching Wonder, The Hunger Games, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Outsiders!
Interested in reading more about Hatchet Novel Study Activities?
Check out my previous post about this engaging survival novel here.
Looking for some FREE Hatchet Novel Study Activities?
Click here or on the image below to snag this FREE Author Interview Activity. It is a fun way to introduce this engaging novel to your learners. The resource contains links to an online interview with the author. It also includes a set of response questions.
You can also click here or on the image below to download these FREE Hatchet Group Discussion Cards. They make great class review or warm up activities, and can be completed individually or in small groups.
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