How might this novel be used to discuss survival ethics?

• A. It argues that survival justifies harming wildlife without consequence.
• B. It raises questions about the line between resourcefulness and harm to wildlife, and the value of life.
• C. It claims ethics are irrelevant in wilderness survival.
• D. It emphasizes strict rules over personal judgment.

Answer: (B)

Survival ethics are at the center: in extreme situations, a person must weigh resourcefulness against moral considerations about harming living beings and the value of life. In Hatchet, Brian is forced to make real, high-stakes choices about food, shelter, and safety. Each decision carries moral weight, prompting readers to ask where the line lies between doing what’s necessary to stay alive and causing unnecessary harm to wildlife. The best answer to the question captures that tension and the broader idea that life—both human and animal—has value, even in dire circumstances.

The book doesn’t present ethics as irrelevant, nor does it propose that survival acts should be governed by strict, external rules. It doesn’t claim that harming wildlife is always justified or that there are no consequences to those actions. Instead, it models how a person might navigate difficult choices, weighing necessity against the impact on other living beings and reflecting on what it means to respect life when survival is on the line.