The document provides a template and example for writing a one-paragraph summary of a story. It demonstrates how to summarize the key elements of the plot, including setting up the character and conflict in the exposition, major events in the rising action, the climax, falling action, and resolution, using Gary Paulsen's novel Hatchet as an example.

1. Writing a One-Paragraph
Summary of a Story
A template and guide
using Gary Paulsen's
Hatchet as an example
novel.

2. Writing a Summary
When you are writing a response to
literature essay or a book review, you
should summarize the action of the
story, but that should not be the entire
report. One big mistake student's
make on an essay or report is to just
write a big, long, boring summary.

3. Writing a Summary
To keep from ruining your essay with
a too-long summary, follow this
template to keep your plot events in
order, show that you read the story,
and lead the rest of your essay into
what is important, the analysis of the
story.

4. Summary Template
In the (genre) story (title) by (author),
(protagonist name)
learns/changes/grows through (theme).
Example:
In the adventure novel Hatchet by Gary
Paulsen, Brian grows through
perseverance.

5. Summary Template
• In the exposition of the story,
(character name) is a (age) (gender)
who is (a character trait or situation).
Example
• In the exposition of the story, Brian
is a teenaged boy who is flying to
meet his newly divorced father.

6. Summary Template
As the conflict develops, (character
name faces the challenge of (name
the major conflict of the story).
Example
As the conflict develops, Brian faces
the challenge of survival when the
pilot of the plane has a heart attack
and dies.

7. Book Report Summary
• In the rising action of the story,
(character name) (what the character
does). Then (something else happens).
Later, (one more event).
Example
• In the rising action of the story, Brian
crash-lands the plane into a lake. Then,
he eats too many berries and drinks too
much water and gets sick. Later, he
builds a shelter and learns to fish and
hunt for food.

8. Summary Template
• The climax of the story happens
when (character name) faces the
greatest challenge when (event that
turns the story around).
Example
• The climax of the story happens as
Brian faces the greatest challenge
when a tornado destroys everything
he has created and stored for
survival.

9. Book Report Summary
• The falling action tells of (character
name) (action).
Example
• The falling action tells of Brian being
rescued after turning on a
transmitter that he finds in the
plane’s survival kit.

10. Book Report Summary
• In the resolution, (character name)
(how he is at the end of the story).
Example
• In the resolution, Brian returns home
a stronger person mentally and
physically, and adjusts to his parents
divorce.

11. Summary Put Together
• In the adventure story Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Brian
grows through perseverance. In the exposition of the
novel, Brian is a teenaged boy who is flying to meet his
newly divorced father. As the conflict develops, Brian
faces the challenge of survival when the pilot of the plane
has a heart attack and dies. In the rising action of the
story, Brian crash-lands the plane into a lake. Then, he
eats too many berries and drinks too much water and gets
sick. Later, he builds a shelter and learns to fish and hunt
for food. The climax of the story happens as Brian faces
the greatest challenge when a tornado destroys
everything he has created and stored for survival. The
falling action tells of Brian being rescued after turning on
a transmitter that he finds in the plane’s survival kit. In
the resolution, Brian returns home a stronger person
mentally and physically, and adjusts to his parents
divorce.