my side of the mountain

Sam is smart and resourceful, doing a significant amount of research at the library on survival skills before embarking on his adventure in order to ensure its success. He is capable and able to create a life for himself without man-made comforts. He is also a very reflective person who realizes at the end of the novel that is he somewhat lonely and that while life with society can be hard, it is also necessary. With the arrival of his family at the end of the novel, who are intent on living with Sam in the wilderness, Sam is able to balance his need for human companionship with his true love for living self-sufficently in nature.