Gary Paulsen’s theme of hatchet is sometimes in life one must remember to keep a secret one must have wisdom and patience. The theme of chapters 1-6 is the secret and divorce. Brian’s mom caused the divorce. The secret is Brian’s mom cheated. “Today was Thursday she always went to see him on Thursdays”. Brian had thought of the shelter as home. Brian picked and ate poison berries. Brian needs to adapt or he will die. The theme of chapters 7-13 is wisdom. Brian ripped the $20 dollar bill which he could have found a place to spend it or make a fire. He uses sun light to remember events. He is looking wrong. Kind of like a pear, he had thought, with a point on end was a description of