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 counts his notched sticks again and again. There are 10 of them, which means that September is almost over. The trees are turning red and gold, and the geese are headed south. There’s sometimes frost in the mornings. Matt wonders where his family is. To make Matt more anxious, Attean seems restless and doesn’t visit every day, and he seldom suggests he and Matt hunt or fish now. Matt is left often with his own thoughts and worries.
Tensions continue to rise as Matt’s family fails to return. Further, fall is coming—which means that a cold, harsh New England winter is also on its way. The change in seasons means that Matt is going to have to learn again how to survive in a different world, one where there aren’t bears to surprise him but where the cold could very well kill him.
Themes
Matt carefully marks trees as he walks into the woods, and he keeps an eye out for Native American signs. He’s comfortable in beaver territory, so one day, when he finds a turtle sign, he knows it’s time to head home. However, he hears a dog yelping in a tone that reminds him of the trapped fox. Ignoring Attean’s earlier warnings to leave turtle traps alone, Matt follows the sound and discovers Attean’s dog stuck in an iron trap, its eyes glazed and its mouth frothing. Deciding he can’t leave Attean’s dog in a trap, Matt tries to free the dog, but it still doesn’t trust him. It snaps at Matt as Matt tries to open the trap, and Matt has to let go. The trap leaves a nasty gash on Matt’s arm, and the dog continues to growl. Matt knows he has to get Attean.
Thanks to Attean’s careful coaching, Matt is now comfortable traversing the forest and able to stay in friendly territory. Finding Attean’s dog in the turtle trap highlights the cruelty of this hunting method. This is an animal that Matt doesn’t like but that he knows well, and seeing it in such pain is a galvanizing experience. When Matt vows to free the dog, he simultaneously rejects settlers’ hunting methods and the idea that he must unilaterally respect Native signs. It’s more important, he believes, to give the dog (and Attean) kindness and dignity.
Themes
Matt races through the forest until he finds the river, which is slow enough to swim across. Dogs race at Matt as he approaches the wall, and a group of girls follow behind the dogs. Matt asks for Attean, and when one girl says neither Attean nor Saknis is here, Attean asks to speak to Attean’s grandmother. The girls look nervous, but one girl agrees and leads Matt into the settlement. Standing before Attean’s imposing grandmother, Matt politely explains that he needs help to free Attean’s dog. A girl, who introduces herself as Attean’s sister Marie, appears and translates for her grandmother. The old woman scoffs “Aremus piz wat”—good-for-nothing dog—when she understands, but Matt argues that the dog is hurt, and Attean loves it.
Deciding to visit the settlement without Attean, knowing that Attean’s grandmother doesn’t want him here, is an anxiety-inducing prospect for Matt. Still, he remains firm in his belief that he’s doing the right thing—it’s morally correct to save the dog, and saving the dog is how he shows Attean he loves and respects him. It’s also worth noting that Matt is able to find the village thanks to Attean’s teaching, so his journey here proves that he’s learned Attean’s lessons well. Matt is now comfortable and self-sufficient in the forest, and this means he can use his new skills to help others.
Themes
Attean’s grandmother relents, and Marie grabs a blanket and meat—she’ll go with Matt to free the dog. But before they go, Attean’s grandmother grabs Matt’s injured arm and insists on treating the wound so it doesn’t “poison” him. In her cabin, Matt looks around and is surprised that he finds her room so beautiful. She packs his wound with a poultice, binds it, and offers him some cornbread before sending him and Marie off.
Attean’s grandmother might dislike or hate white people on principle, but she also seems to respect Matt’s desire to help the dog and Attean. Thus, she feeds Matt and tends to his wound (which could easily lead to a tetanus infection). The trap’s capacity to spread disease like this again highlights its cruelty.
Themes
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Matt doesn’t speak to Marie until they’re deep in the woods on the other side of the river. He notes that Attean didn’t mention he had a sister, and Marie laughs that Attean doesn’t care about girls much. Matt says he has a sister named Sarah and then asks about Marie’s name, as it’s Christian, not Native. She explains her father baptized her, and Matt privately remembers that French Jesuits have been living with Native Americans in Maine for decades.
Though Matt is coming around to the idea that his sister is a person worth caring and thinking about, neither he nor Attean think very highly of women and girls—they’re both way more focused on what it means to grow into men. Matt refers to the fact that Maine was part of New France; the French, generally speaking, were friendlier to Native populations than English colonists were.
Themes
By now, Matt and Marie can hear the dog yelping. The dog immediately recognizes Marie and accepts the meat from her, but she has to cover him with the blanket before he lets Matt handle the trap. Finally, they free the dog, which runs off on three legs. Marie says Attean will fix the broken leg. She and Matt follow the dog back toward the village, but Attean meets them about halfway. Though Attean calls the dog stupid and asks why he should keep such a useless animal, Matt knows he’s joking. As the dog looks at Attean adoringly, Attean bends to inspect the broken paw.
That Marie and Attean both help Matt save the dog shows that the rules governing turtle versus beaver signs aren’t set in stone. That Matt picks up on Attean’s sense of humor again highlights how well Matt now knows Attean. Attean is no longer an “expressionless” Native American; he’s a loving dog owner and a good friend.
Themes
