Story plot worksheet for "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen.

You’ve uploaded a story plot diagram worksheet for the novel *Hatchet* by Gary Paulsen. This is a common educational tool used to help students understand and visualize the structure of a narrative — specifically, the five parts of a story’s plot: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.

Since you’re being asked to fill in the blanks on the diagram and explain your answers below, here’s how to complete it:

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📈 STORY PLOT DIAGRAM FOR “HATCHET” BY GARY PAULSEN

#### 1. EXPOSITION (Beginning — sets up the story)
> Brian Robeson, a 13-year-old boy from New York, is flying to visit his father in Canada after his parents’ recent divorce. He carries with him a hatchet given to him by his mother as a gift — a seemingly insignificant object at first. The pilot suffers a sudden heart attack and dies mid-flight, leaving Brian alone in the small plane.

#### 2. RISING ACTION (Builds tension — problems arise)
> Brian crash-lands the plane into a lake in the Canadian wilderness. He survives but is now completely alone, with no food, shelter, or way to signal for help. He struggles to adapt: he builds a shelter, learns to make fire with his hatchet, catches fish, faces dangerous animals (like a porcupine and a bear), and battles despair and loneliness. He also deals with emotional trauma — especially the memory of his mother’s secret affair, which he calls “The Secret.”

#### 3. CLIMAX (Turning point — highest tension)
> Brian is attacked by a moose and nearly killed. Shortly after, a tornado strikes the lake, destroying his shelter and scattering his supplies — including his precious hatchet. He dives into the lake to retrieve it, risking his life. Later, he discovers the survival pack in the submerged plane wreckage — including a rifle, food, and most importantly, a transmitter that could save him. But when he tries to activate the transmitter, it doesn’t work — until he realizes he must turn it on properly. In a moment of desperation and realization, he finally gets it to work… and hears a voice respond.

#### 4. FALLING ACTION (Tension begins to ease — consequences of climax)
> After successfully activating the transmitter, Brian waits anxiously. A rescue plane eventually spots him and lands on the lake. He is saved and flown back to civilization.

#### 5. RESOLUTION (End — wraps up the story)
> Brian returns home, forever changed by his experience. He is physically thinner and mentally stronger. He no longer sees himself as just a city kid — he’s a survivor. He keeps the hatchet as a symbol of his transformation. The novel ends with Brian reflecting on his journey and realizing that he now carries “the secret” of survival within himself.

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✍️ EXPLANATION (to write in the lines below)

> In *Hatchet*, Gary Paulsen uses a classic five-part plot structure to show Brian Robeson’s transformation from a scared, unprepared boy into a resilient survivor. The exposition introduces Brian’s personal conflict (his parents’ divorce) and the inciting incident (the plane crash). The rising action details his daily struggles against nature and his own fears. The climax occurs when Brian retrieves his hatchet and activates the survival radio — this is the turning point where hope returns. The falling action shows the rescue, and the resolution reveals Brian’s inner growth: he is not the same person who boarded the plane. The hatchet becomes more than a tool — it represents his strength, resourcefulness, and identity.

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✔ Tip for Students: When filling out the diagram, write short phrases or keywords along each line of the triangle (e.g., “Plane crash,” “Moose attack,” “Rescue”), and then use the space below to expand with full sentences explaining each part.

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or a student-friendly simplified summary!