How did the tone of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet change through the first six chapters?

During the first six chapters of Hatchet, Brian Robeson begins his transformation into a crafty, tenacious survivor.

The tone of the story shifts between the despair and uncertainty caused by Brian's parents divorce and Brian's logical appraisal of his survival situation.

When Brian thinks about the divorce, his feelings are communicated through clipped, powerful images. The abruptness and clarity of these images effectively communicate the rawness and despair Brian feels.

Conversely, as Brian begins to focus on the forest and his survival in the Canadian wilderness, the reader is treated to detailed, almost beautiful descriptions of the scenery.

"Everything was so green, so green it went into him. The forest was largely made up of pines and spruce, with stands of some low brush smeared here and there and thick grass and some other kind of very small brush all over."

Additionally, these early chapters demonstrate how Brian's thinking begins to change over the course of the book. He begins to examine his situation logically, and to think about training he received when he was younger.

Overall, these early chapters demonstrate a shift from personal struggle to Brian's eventual mastery of his wilderness domain.