AMY NAGEL

The Sign of the Beaver

11/4/2013

Book Summary
pg. 54 pg. 74 pg. 85 pg. 87 pg. 92 pg. 95 pg. 115 pg. 116 pg. 117 pg. 130
My book tells the story of Matt and his father, who built a wooden cottage in Maine in 1768. Matt's father must go back to Quincy, Massachusetts, to get Matt's family who were left behind so Matt and his father could build a home for them. Matt's father promises to come back in seven weeks and Matt is left alone with his father's old watch and a hunting rifle to guard the new home and field crops. Matt finds himself enduring many tough times and is unprepared. His hunting rifle is stolen by a stranger named Ben, his crop is picked over by the wildlife, and his food supplies are stolen by animals. In order to find food, Matt raids a honeybee hive for honey and is attacked by harmful bees. Trying to escape the swarm he dives into the lake. Luckily, Matt's is pulled from the water and the Indians he has learned to fear, through tales that his father had told him, have saved his life. His stings are treated by the Indian chief named Saknis, and his grandson, Attean. After recovering, Matt offers Robinson Crusoe as a gift to Saknis. Saknis and his grandson, Attean, cannot read English and Saknis commands that Matt teach Attean to read. Matt and Attean are not friends at the beginning, but eventually get really close. Matt's family has not returned after a while and Attean invites Matt to join his tribe, who are moving west to new hunting grounds. Matt is not sure and has not forgotten his family. Matt has to make a decision before they leave. Matt decides not to go and the two boys trade gifts. Matt's family returns the next winter.

Vocabulary tramping stoutly steady lamely glazed protest pleasure gather reckoned braced

Attean and Matt sit by the river and learn about each others culture.

QWA BIT
The Native American word for beaver is qwa bit. The Native Americans had a legend about beavers.

About Matt
In the beginning of the story Matt was extremely afraid of the Indians because his father had always taught him they were mean and evil. He had never met an Indian or saw them act in a way that was harmful, but he trusted everything his father said. In the middle of the story Matt was rescued by an Indian which went against everything his father had ever taught him. Matt learns to appreciate and learn on his own the culture of different people. Matt is changed at the end of the story and loves Indians because he is their friend and they saved his life.