Brian's Hunt

Paulsen builds tension in this section as Brian gradually uncovers the horrific aftermath of the bear attack. Paulsen uses several techniques to build tension in the narrative. First, Paulsen uses the close third-person narration to allow the reader to discover the clues alongside Brian. Brian’s internal monologue is inextricable from the narration, creating a sense of real-time deduction: “All right, they were gone. That was too bad but they would come back and… The door to the cabin was open” (70). Each new observation interrupts Brian’s previous train of thought, as made clear by the use of ellipses, and the constant readjustment makes the shocking and upsetting discovery more immediate for the reader. The reader does not have more context or knowledge than Brian, and this creates a sense of urgency in the narrative to discover what happened to the Smallhorns.

Paulsen also creates tension by highlighting Brian’s unexplainable instincts. Brian trusts the feeling that he needs to head north, recognizing that something meaningful but unidentifiable is pulling him in that direction. This creates suspense, as the decision is not grounded in tangible evidence or any obvious external compulsion and suggests that Brian’s connection to the natural world has made him more intuitive. Paulsen foreshadows that Brian’s need to go north may be related to the dog’s wounds and the Smallhorn family because the Smallhorns and the dog are the only elements introduced in the novel so far with a connection to the north. As Brian makes his way towards the Smallhorns’ island, the mood grows increasingly eerie as he notes the sudden quietness in the woods, the lack of a smoke smell on the breeze, and the dog’s discomfort. Chapter 8 ends suspensefully as Brian prepares his weapon because he senses danger on the island, maintaining the rise of dramatic stakes that will continue until the denouement of the central conflict in Chapter 9.

Paulsen continues to increase the tension in Chapter 9 through his use of diction and narrative techniques to vividly describe Brian’s shock and horror at the cabin scene. He responds with a stream-of-consciousness exclamation of “Oh my, oh my, ohmyohmy” (72) after seeing David’s body, suggesting that the terror of the discovery transcends his ability to verbalize his feelings. The following repetition of the phrase “Please no” (76) conveys Brian’s horror as he discovers Anne’s body. Paulsen presents the cabin scene gradually, describing one section of the cabin at a time to create a growing sense of dread and establish the enormous scale of the tragedy. Despite the terrible and shocking situation, Brian displays his maturity as he forces himself to stay focused. He does not give in to shock and panic but instead methodically searches for clues to piece together the details of the bear attack, and he figures out where to look for Susan. Brian’s tracking abilities reveal the bear’s character: The bear played with Susan, taunting her by running after her whenever she tried to come ashore. The bear seems to be killing for sport rather than for survival, as the bodies Brian finds are only partially eaten. Brian’s assessment of the situation points to the bear’s cruelty and shows that its attack was unprovoked. The bear complicates Brian’s Respect for Nature by displaying this respect as partly because of, rather than in spite of, the dangers of the wilderness. Brian’s initial return to nature at the beginning of the novel was peaceful and idyllic, but the bear shows that nature can be violent, unpredictable, and end human lives. The bear is part of the natural environment as much as Brian’s dog or the pike he hunted in Chapter 2. As a completely wild animal, its behavior is only attributable to nature, though Brian’s horror and the evidence of the bear’s taunting suggest a moral element to the bear’s acts of destruction. Brian struggles to see the behavior as purely natural, because it seems intentionally cruel. He refers to the animal as a “rogue bear,” emphasizing that its behavior is unexpected and concerning, and laying the foundation for his later disbelief that the authorities do not plan to track down the bear and prevent it from enacting further harm. Before the bear, Brian’s greatest concern was how and if he could integrate into society. With the introduction of the bear, Brian’s story becomes a conflict between him and the natural world that he respects, suggesting that his place within it may be as tenuous as his place in civilization. If Brian is to find a satisfying sense of belonging, he must reconcile the sanctity he feels in the wilderness with the difficulties of surviving there.

Brian’s reaction to the Smallhorns’ demise emphasizes the Value of Simplicity, even as Brian resists the influence of his own fear. Chapter 7 shows that Brian’s use of the bow symbolizes his deeper connection with nature compared to modern-day hunters, who use rifles. The rifle is a slow, clunky weapon that even the experienced David could not get ready in time to defeat the bear. However, frightened by evidence of the bear’s violence, Brian considers arming himself with the rifle anyway, seeking a sense of safety in the more sophisticated and deadly weapon. It’s only his calm recollection that “a broadhead [arrow] was an incredible weapon” that reminds him to stick to the tools he knows best (74). Brian doesn’t need to abandon his principles nor embrace more complicated tools to ensure his safety; he only needs to continue to trust in his skill, knowledge, and intuition.