Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Sign of the Beaver, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival and Indigenous Knowledge
Colonialism, Land Rights, and Entitlement
Nature
Friendship and Respect
Coming of Age and Manhood
Summary
Analysis
Matt stands at the edge of the clearing, staring into the trees, and hoping his father might come back. However, Matt knows this won’t happen: his father is gone, and Matt is alone. Matt turns around and looks at the log house, which he helped his father build, and the young corn and pumpkin plants growing beyond that he and his father planted.
Matt reads as very young here: he wishes for an adult to keep him company and guide him. Further, the young corn and pumpkin plants mirror Matt’s youth—both Matt and the plants will have a lot of work and growing up to do over the next several months.
Themes
It’s just so quiet, and it’s a different kind of quiet than when Matt’s father is around—Matt’s father isn’t much of a talker. Still, Matt knows it’s time for his father to return to Massachusetts. Last winter, the winter of 1768, Matt’s father spread out a map and pointed out the land he’d purchased in Maine. In the spring, Matt and his father came north—a grueling journey by ship, riverboat, and on foot—to build the cabin and plant corn. Now, in the early summer, it’s time for Matt’s father to go back and fetch Matt’s mother, sister Sarah, and the new baby, who was born after Matt and his father left. When they get back, Matt’s father will add a loft for Matt and Sarah to sleep in, build a real chimney, and put in a window.
Here, the narrative explains why Matt is here on his own: it’s up to him to hold down the fort while his father fetches the rest of the family. The difficult journey to the Maine homestead highlights how remote the territory is at this point in time. Matt might have a cabin and a corn patch, but there’s nothing else around but forest for miles. Or, more accurately, there aren’t many European settlements in Maine at this time: several Native American tribes remained in the area despite years of conflict with the British (Britain also forcibly relocated Native Americans to contemporary Louisiana). Maine is, at this point, a territory under British control.
Themes
Before he left, Matt’s father told Matt he’d be gone about six weeks. He suggested Matt make notches on sticks to keep track of the days, and when he’s notched seven weeks, Matt’s family will be close. Matt thinks this is silly—he knows how to count—but he didn’t argue. But then, his father held out his big silver watch to Matt and told him to wind it every time he makes a notch. The watch would be Matt’s soon anyway, his father explained, and its ticking can keep Matt company. Matt got a lump in his throat at this—the watch is the most expensive thing his father owns.
Matt reads as pretty childish when he scoffs that he can count. He may be right, but he seems to underestimate how easy it can be to lose track of time when a person is all alone. Still, that Matt’s father passes along his watch to Matt suggests that over this summer, Matt will come of age. The watch is framed as something passed down from father to son when a son reaches adulthood.
Themes
Then, soon after, Matt’s father explained he was going to leave his rifle for Matt, as it’s better than Matt’s matchlock rifle. He warned Matt to only shoot if he’s “dead sure,” rather than wasting powder shooting willy-nilly. When his father said this, Matt could tell his father was nervous about leaving him alone. Now, Matt takes the fine rifle down and reasons that he should take a practice shot. He cleans the gun, loads it, and walks into the woods. After a while, he spots a squirrel and takes aim. Matt misses, but the shot feels clean, and the gun doesn’t kick back. It’ll take some getting used to.
The rifle reads as a far more obvious symbol of adulthood to Matt: Matt has thus far been using a subpar rifle, while his father has used the better one. Still, Matt’s father seems to worry some about Matt’s maturity. Warning Matt to not waste powder shooting at everything makes it seem like Matt might very well think it’s okay to shoot for fun. However, Matt’s careful practice shot suggests that while Matt will have to practice to become proficient with this gun, he’s perhaps more mature already than his father believes.
Themes
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Returning to the cabin, Matt eats part of a johnnycake and realizes he has a whole afternoon to pass before he can cut his first notch. His father will be back sometime in August, and Matt will turn 13 while his family is gone. His father must’ve forgotten about Matt’s birthday.
Again, Matt appears young, vulnerable, and totally alone. He doesn’t yet know how to fill his time, and he focuses on slightly more childish concerns, such as his father forgetting his birthday.
Themes
