Woodsong Study Guide & Notes

Woodsong Plot Summary

Preview of Woodsong Summary:

Author Gary Paulsen, especially well-known for the young adult book Hatchet, uses Woodsong to communicate various stories about Paulsen's experiences with animals in the woods in Alaska over the ten or so year period where he trapped animals and ran dog sleds. The main themes of the book focus on the beauty of nature, both animate and inanimate. But it is especially focused on the beauty, depth and complexity of animal life and about how Paulsen came to appreciate the importance of treating animals with dignity and respect. The book runs the emotional gamut, from times of exaltation and joy to experiences of pain, despair and terror. Paulsen is often unusually lucid and at other times bogged down with injury and hallucination. But throughout the book, Paulsen's animals are always around, and his dogs in particular are always available to help.

Woodsong is divided into two parts. Part I, Running,...
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