81 pages • 2 hours read
My Side of the Mountain
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Chapters 17-19Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 17 Summary: “In Which I Pile Up Wood and Go On with Winter”
Sam informs the reader that he’s almost reached his first snowstorm (which is where the story begins in Chapter 1). Before that happens, though, Sam gets to work chopping wood and stacking it in piles to last throughout the winter months. Sam sets up piles of wood in such a way to where he envisions being able to burrow through the snow to a new pile once the previous runs out. Sam feels relived when this much-anticipated first snowstorm arrives. He tells the reader, referring back to Chapter 1, “Now I am back where I began. I won’t tell it again, I shall go on now with my relief and the fun and wonderfulness of living on a mountain in winter” (113).
During these early days of winter, Sam ventures through the snow with Frightful, hunting, ice fishing at the now frozen creek, and digging through the snow to pick plants. Sam also enjoys having plenty of time to improve his cooking and create new meals. At the end of this chapter, Sam realizes that he’s not once made a tunnel to get to each pile of firewood; instead, he simply walks to the next pile in the same way The Baron Weasel and other animals walk on snow to get food.
Chapter 18 Summary: “In Which I Learn About Birds and People”
Sam settles into winter, feeling less lonely than expected and also pleasantly surprised by how exciting winter in the Catskills can be. Part of Sam’s enjoyment comes from watching groups of birds busily interacting each day. The way they rush from tree to tree in search of food reminds Sam of people who lived in his Third Avenue apartment back in the city. Because of that, Sam goes on to name several of these chickadee birds after those people—Mr. Bracket, Mrs. O’Brien, Mrs. Callaway, and Mrs. Federio—seemingly adding to his amusement.
With Christmas nearing Sam starts preparing for the return of his friend and English teacher Bando. As promised back in the summer, Bando arrives on Christmas Eve. After eating a wonderful feast, Bando pulls a newspaper clipping out of his pocket to show Sam an article from a New York paper with a concerning headline reading: “WILD BOY SUSPECTED LIVING OFF DEER AND NUTS IN WILDERNESS OF CATSKILLS” (120). Sam discovers that local residents were claiming to have seen a boy in the Catskills and that hunters suspected this same boy to have stolen deer from them.
Bando removes another clipping, dated December 5, with an article titled: “OLD WOMAN REPORTS MEETING WILD BOY WHILE PICKING STRAWBERRIES IN CATSKILLS” (122). Bando then reveals a third article that quotes the fire warden, Jim Handy, who spent several days investigating around Sam’s camp a few months prior. These articles engender fear in Sam. Bando attempts to calm Sam down, convincing him that they’re just rumors with no concrete evidence or way to find him. Contrary to this idea that no one would find Sam, on Christmas Day Sam’s dad shows up at the Gribley farm property for a surprise visit. Sam’s dad reveals that he figured out where Sam lived based on the newspaper articles and also from asking help of the old woman (Mrs. Fielder) who met Sam while picking strawberries.
Sam, Sam’s dad, and Bando enjoy Christmas together. Bando leaves a few days later, telling Sam as he’s leaving that he’ll collect any more newspaper clippings he sees and perhaps try to throw off the papers by giving some fake information. Sam’s dad stays until the New Year, spending a few more days ice fishing, setting traps, and generally following Sam’s lead in experiencing winter in the Catskills. Both proud and impressed by Sam’s ability to survive on his own, Sam’s dad departs, telling Sam that he’ll go such a way back into town so as not to leave a trail for anyone else to find Sam’s camp.
Chapter 19 Summary: “In Which I Have a Good Look at Winter and Find Spring in the Snow”
After Christmas and New Year’s Day, Sam recognizes the winter weather becoming more dangerous. As Sam describes for the reader, “The snows deepened, the wind blew, the temperatures dropped until the air snapped and talked. Never had humanity seemed so far away as it did in those cold months of January, February, and March” (131). Afraid of getting stuck in a snowstorm, Sam watches the neighboring animals and uses them as a barometer for when it’s safe to venture out of his tree. Sam describes times when snowstorms turn into ice storms, making it even more difficult to find safe periods for leaving his tree home to find food.
Because of Sam’s inability to gather fruits and greens to eat, he starts experiencing nosebleeds. Fortunately, Sam solves this dilemma by figuring out that the liver of rabbits contains vitamin C. As Sam continues to spend time watching the activity of different animals, he grows concerned over how they might find vitamins to consume during the winter. Such thoughts lead Sam into chopping tree limbs for deer, recalling something he read that suggested tree bark contains vitamins.
In February Sam watches snow melt and deer forage on their own again, realizing that these are the first signs of spring. The emotion of having survived through winter overcomes Sam; he trembles and admits to crying. Shortly after this Sam pens a journal entry describing great horned owls laying eggs. This creation of new life indicates even further to Sam the arrival of spring. At the end of this chapter, Sam falls asleep excited at the thought of flowers that will soon start blooming.
Chapters 17-19 Analysis
In Chapter 17 Sam returns to the start of his adventure, when the first snowstorm of winter arrives. Interestingly, Sam chooses to skip over this climactic event rather than describe it once again. This is perhaps because Sam actually enjoys the early parts of winter more than expected. In a subtle yet key scene of Chapter 17, Sam ventures out into the snow by simply walking to his pre-stacked piles of wood whenever he needs more firewood. Sam makes sure to point out to the reader how he never once burrows through the snow to retrieve the firewood as anticipated, which is important because it proves that winter was not as terrifyingly difficult for Sam to survive as he imagined. The climactic moment of winter arriving is not as dramatic or treacherous as Sam has built it up to be.
Sam also feels much less lonely during winter than expected. In fact, Sam receives visits from Bando and also his dad over Christmas, demonstrating that he is not entirely cut off from humanity during all parts of the winter. At the same time, we get a sense of how valuable it is for Sam to be surrounded by a small community during winter, albeit a fairly small one. Sam’s dad witnesses first-hand that Sam is capable of taking care of himself, a discovery that will allow him to deliver good news to the rest of Sam’s family. Sam’s dad even tries his best not to leave a trail to Sam’s camp when he leaves, showing his approval for Sam’s adventure.
Although he’s become a skilled survivalist, in Chapter 19 Sam reminds the reader that winter in the mountains is still dangerous. Sam experiences nosebleeds due to the lack of vitamins and nutrients he’s able to consume during ice storms and periods when he can’t leave his tree house. Sam’s adventure remains real in this moment—things are mostly enjoyable, but Sam continues to face bumps in the road here and there.
Even more reality sets in for Sam when Bando shows Sam several of the newspaper articles that have been written about him. This scene hints to Sam’s whereabouts and his activity becoming noticeable by the public. Although it’s not clear now, the reader may consider whether Sam has been careless with revealing his location or whether he has intentionally welcomed elements of regular society back into his life.
At the end of these chapters, Sam tears up at the first signs of winter ending and spring beginning. Spring is often a symbol of life, which is how Sam views it in this book. Sam witnesses the creation of new life as a great horned owl lays eggs. The prospect of other natural life being created excites Sam as he thinks about flowers that will soon bloom.
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