In Elizabeth George Speare's novel The Sign of the Beaver, the main character, Matt Hallowell, is left to live on his own in the wilderness for several weeks. Set in the rural woods of Maine in the 1760s, twelve-year-old Matt must rely on his survival skills in order to protect the newly-built family home while his dad travels to get their family from another town.

Matt's ability to survive changes as the story unfolds. Early on, Matt makes mistakes which leave him with limited supplies, and his attempts to fend for himself fail. Matt's age plays a role in his struggles. He is young and inexperienced. As the novel continues and Matt is befriended by Attean, his knowledge on survival skills grows.

It is the maturation of Matt that changes his ability to survive. Throughout the novel, he grows in his knowledge as a friend, student, teacher, and son. All of his experiences play a role in the changing of his ability to survive.

How did Matt change from a boy to a man in The Sign of the Beaver?

Matt's change from a boy to a man was essentially inevitable, considering the situation that his father left him in. Matt is left entirely on his own in a wilderness scenario far longer than intended. He is forced to survive on his own, which includes defending himself against predators as well as obtaining food.

He does get help from the natives in the area; however, the natives are not exactly thrilled about helping a white person. Matt must fight against his own prejudice while working hard to prove that he isn't the weak, stupid, disloyal white kid that the natives think that he is.

If you have to provide a moment in the story in which Matt crosses the threshold from boy to man, then pick the moment in the end of the story when Matt refuses to leave his family's house and go with the Penobscots. Saying "no" and choosing loyalty to his own family finally shows Matt and others that he is now a man.