Plot summary My Side of the Mountain



a willow whistle, similar 1 made in novel side of mountain.


shortly after befriending raccoon, sam hears sirens nearby. when returns hollowed out tree home, finds man there. @ first, sam believes man criminal, , nicknames him bando (a shortened version of bandit ). man professor of english literature, , merely lost. surprised find sam, , gives sam nickname thoreau . bando spends 10 days sam, building raft take them downstream catch fish. gives sam 10 pounds of sugar , teaches him make jam. shows sam how make whistle out of willow branch. bando tries make clay pots. bando departs, , agree bando come @ christmas visit sam.


sam remembers how, winter came closer, realized needed make clay fireplace keep home warm. sam steals 2 more dead deer local hunters make winter clothes, begins rapidly storing many fruits , nuts can (trying desperately them before squirrels do), , builds fireplace. sam insulates treehouse home well, however: fire generates carbon monoxide , not enough oxygen can inside treehouse. frightful becomes sick co poisoning, warns sam. sam puts ventilation holes in walls of treehouse admit more fresh air. tries go town visit library again, forced climb tree , stay there day avoid being discovered hunters. obtains 2 more deer; carcasses freeze in winter cold, not need smoke them. sam feels lonely , visits town again, gets haircut , meets teenage boy (tom sidler). on christmas eve, bando arrives @ mountain, showing sam many newspaper articles wild boy living in forest. on christmas day, sam gets surprise: sam s father has come visit. sam overjoyed see father again, , 3 have christmas dinner of venison together. sam s father relieved find sam doing fine.


the novel ceases flashback in chapter 18, , becomes straightforward narrative. sam learns many things how animals behave in winter, during terrible storms. after blizzard ends, sam must still forage food. happy great horned owl has taken residence on farm, means no people or building developments nearby. sam learns how frightful , baron manage survive during winter, helps local deer find nourishment cutting down tree branches them eat, , overcomes own vitamin deficiency eating right foods.


after spring arrives, matt spell, teenager wants become reporter local newspaper, arrives @ sam s treehouse home. matt wants write sam s presence on gribley farm. @ first, sam lies matt , says wild boy lives in nearby cave. matt doesn t believe him. sam offers matt deal: matt can come live him week during school spring break, if matt not reveal location. matt agrees. after matt leaves, sam realizes lonely , debates himself whether wants caught or not. few weeks later, sam encounters aaron, jewish songwriter visiting forest inspiration , singing song. tells sam close passover, makes sam realize matt visiting soon. matt spends week sam, gathering food during time. matt thrilled there, sam sad because realizes beginning replicate old life in new york city. matt makes sam more unhappy confessing told newspaper photographers find sam. bando arrives while matt visiting, , 2 work on making 1 of other trees guest house. short time later, tom sidler discovers sam living @ farm. sam calls him mr. jacket, , 2 boys play while. tom s visit makes sam realize desperate human companionship.


bando returns check on sam, , sam asks bando bring him jeans , shirt next time can visit new friend tom in town. in june, sam surprised 1 day find father, mother, , siblings have arrived @ farm. father announces entire family moving farm. @ first, sam (now 17 years old) overjoyed family has come see him. upset, because means end of life living off land alone. sam argues father family s decision. father says family loyal sam sam has been them, , build proper house family on farm. sam upset decision build traditional home. novel ends sam meditates on fact that, if went across pacific ocean away people, still craves friendship , family. journey in life, decides, balancing desire live off land desire people loves.







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