The Sign of the Beaver

A supporting character, 14-year-old Attean is a member of the Penobscot people—specifically, the Beaver clan. He despises the European colonists, including Matt, in part because, when he was younger, his parents were killed by settlers. But over time, he comes to admire Matt, at least for his courage and willingness to learn. In the process of both teaching and learning from Matt, Attean becomes more patient and more of a friend (which is cemented by him giving away his dog, Aremus, as a parting gift).

Attean struggles to read English, but greatly improves his English speech. In requesting English lessons for Attean, Attean’s grandfather Saknis hopes the boys will become friends—and thus improve clan-colony relations. Attean must also find his manitou (a spirit guide) in the woods, a rite of passage that Penobscot boys complete to become men. For Matt, Attean’s success is bittersweet, as the latter is outgrowing him. Overall, Attean’s journey forces Matt to search his own soul, endure a tough winter for his family, and find that he, too, has become a man.

A supporting character, Saknis is an older man who leads the Beaver clan of the Penobscot people. He rescues Matt from a bee swarm and tends his wounds. In return, he requests English lessons for his grandson, Attean—but his real purpose is to connect the two impressionable boys in friendship. Saknis hopes their ability to work together will rub off on their respective peoples in the future. In doing so, he embodies the compassion and wisdom of his people—which contrast with stereotypes perpetuated by European colonists.

Saknis’s wife is Attean and Marie’s grandmother. The siblings call her “Grandmother,” but considering she and Saknis raised them since their parents’ deaths, she’s also a mother figure to them. Saknis may be the village leader, but Grandmother—“an aging woman, gaunt and wrinkled, but still handsome”—is, in Matt’s eyes, “a figure even more impressive than the old man” (94). She despises the European colonists, largely because they killed Attean and Marie’s mother for a cash bounty. When Attean slays a bear and Saknis invites Matt to the celebration, Grandmother objects—and it’s not until Matt saves Attean’s dog Aremus that she takes to him. Though a minor character, Grandmother embodies her people’s resentment at the cruel treatment of colonists, and their willingness to be fair to open-minded newcomers like Matt.

Marie is Attean’s sister. She’s capable and methodical, helping Matt save Attean’s dog Aremus from a leg trap. A younger Marie was baptized into the Catholic faith, making her a living reminder of colonial influence. Though a minor character, Marie is the type of character Matt might have introduced to his sister, Sarah, in a sequel.

The Hallowells, Matt’s family—especially his father—are the driving motivation for Matt’s adventures in the forest. His job is to protect the family’s new cabin until their arrival, and he especially wants to live up to his father’s expectations. Thus, though they only appear at the end of the novel, their presence is ever present.

Mr. Hallowell briefly appears at the beginning and end of the story; Matt’s mother and sister, Sarah, also appear at the story’s end, thinned by typhus. Their arrival fulfills Matt’s task and foreshadows a new chapter in his life—in which he will try to convince them that the local Indigenous people aren’t a threat.

Attean’s dog Aremus—whose name simply means “dog”—is mangy, its head scarred from many fights. Despite Aremus being of little use as a hunting companion, Attean loves him. The dog avoids Matt, and when caught in a leg trap, snaps at the boy when he tries to save him. However, when Matt and Marie rescue the dog, he finally warms up to Matt. When Saknis’s village moves away, Attean places Aremus in Matt’s care. In other words, as the dog comes to trust Matt, so does Attean.