Who is Mr. Perpich in Hatchet?

In the novel "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen, Mr. Perpich is Brian Robeson's English teacher. He is mentioned early in the book as the one who gives Brian the hatchet as a gift before his flight. Mr. Perpich serves as a minor character in the story, but his gift of the hatchet becomes crucial to Brian's survival in the wilderness after the plane crash.