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Brian’s father is a mechanical engineer working in the oil fields of Canada post-divorce. He has designed a self-cleaning bit for oil drilling, hinting at the innovative, resourceful nature that Brian could have inherited. The novel does not tell us how much Brian and his father would have worked on projects together, but Brian’s detailed knowledge of his father’s job implies he is at least interested in what his father does. The skills and problem-solving methods Brian uses to survive in the wild echo the kinds of designs and solutions Brian’s dad may need to use in his job, so it seems Brian likely picked up at least a few things from his dad.
Early on after the crash, Brian realizes he needs to make a fire to protect himself, but he cannot figure out how to start one without matches or a tinderbox. He has a dream in which his father tries to help him understand what he needs to do to make a fire. Brian’s father waves his arms and appears to be shouting at Brian, but Brian cannot hear him. Brian trusts his father and is convinced it is important to understand what his father has to say. When Brian does not understand, his father gets upset and fades from the dream. Brian recognizes the shift in his father’s attitude from when Brian has asked too many questions of his father before, indicating that he is a parent with high expectations. Later, as Brian catalogues all the mistakes he has made during his time in the wilderness, he thinks about how he will tell them to his father. Brian wants to prove himself, but he also wants his dad to see which problems he’s learned how to solve.
When Brian allows himself to think about what his life could look like if he is rescued, he realizes he knows nothing about how his dad lives now. He has not seen his father since the divorce, so while he understands his mother a bit, his dad’s new life is something of an unknown. Brian does get to spend time with his dad after he is rescued, but he never tells him about “The Secret”—his mother’s affair. Brian wants to tell his dad about his own mistakes, but experiences hesitancy to share his mother’s.
