In his 54 days in the wilderness, Brian had managed to perform most of the survival tips, however, there were a few survival actions he should have cultivated during his survival in the wilderness.
An important step discussed in “Survival by the Numbers” was related to the fundamentals of building a fire. In this section, Kummerfelt discusses the three elements combined to build a fire: oxygen, fuel, and source of heat. In the wilderness, the first obstacle Brian had faced was to build a fire. As stated in Survival by the Numbers in section three, “Stop and identify what’s causing the problem. Is the fuel thin enough and dry enough? Is the heat source hot enough to light the tinder? Is there enough oxygen reaching the point where the heat is being applied to the fuel? Identify the problem and then proceed.” In the Hatchet, Brian had to analyze the obstacles and think about the fire elements. Such can be observed in page 85, stating, “You have to have fuel, he thought-and he had that. The bark was fuel. Oxygen-there had to be air. He needed to add air.” Brian had analyzed his obstacles, and thought about the essential element …show more content…
One must be able to observe what is around them. As stated in the guide in section four, stating, “Observe the area you find yourself in. What are the hazards? What are the natural resources that you can benefit from? Are there sources of help available? What can you take advantage of to help you survive?” In desperate need of food, Brian observed the fish that can be seen upon the surface of the lake. He had not been able to find food other than gut cherries, however, upon instigating the area from a height, Brian observes the fish in the lake, which he can cook and consume. This is described in page 102 in Hatchet, “It was, he saw after a moment, literally packed with life. Small fish swam everywhere, some narrow and long, some round, most of them three or four inches long, some a bit large and many smaller.” Upon his observation, Brian had potentially found a food source, which would help him survive in the wilderness. Accordingly, there were also many aspects where Brian could have improved his action. A key point in Survival by the Numbers was desire. One must be optimistic about the future; be patient. Such can be seen in section six, describing, “Desire. You must want to survive. You must