Who are the other main characters in Hatchet besides Brian?

• A. Brian's mother (and briefly his father), and the pilot who crashes with him inside the plane.
• B. A guide who helps him through the wilderness.
• C. A ranger who appears in the middle of the story.
• D. A friend who accompanies him on the journey.

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is who, besides Brian, acts as a main presence or helper through the journey in Hatchet. The story centers on Brian’s solo struggle to survive in the wilderness, relying on his wits, willpower, and the hatchet he carries. In that light, the fastest way to frame the “other main character” is to think of guidance not as a person, but as the support Brian draws from within and from his tool—his growing sense of resourcefulness and problem-solving.

So the choice that mentions a guide through the wilderness can be understood as referring to that form of guidance. Brian isn’t accompanied by a human mentor or companion; there isn’t another steady character who travels with him or teaches him in person. Instead, the “guide” is the combination of his own evolving skills and the hatchet, which shapes his decisions and helps him navigate challenges.

In sum, while there aren’t other human main characters in the story, Brian is guided by his own determination and the hatchet, which functions as the essential tool and symbol of his growing survival knowledge.