In Chapters 1-3, Paulsen highlights the changes that Brian recognizes in himself over the past few years, and the way Brian continues to change as he grows and learns from his experiences. Brian’s first survival experience at age 14, detailed in the novel Hatchet, changed him profoundly. When Brian returned home after spending months alone surviving in the wilderness, he discovered that he did not care about the same things anymore and struggled to fit in with his classmates at school. His newfound dislike for the noise and bustle of civilization drives him to return to the wilderness multiple times, including his return in Brian’s Hunt.

Brian often reflects on how his growth in wilderness knowledge and experiences in the wild have changed him. He contrasts his survival experience in Hatchet and the way he now thrives in the woods. As Brian watches the dog eat rabbit guts, he recognizes that in the past, he would have gotten sick at this sight, but it does not bother him anymore. Tasks like hunting and cooking over an open fire are now second nature to Brian, and he does them with ease. In the past, he learned survival skills through trial and error, and nothing came easily as he experienced hardship along the way.