Throughout the story, Ann constantly makes use of what is at hand in order to solve novel problems. She cannot order something online, call her parents, contact the police (to save her from Mr. Loomis), travel to the hospital (to save Mr. Loomis from dying), or look for assistance anywhere. She can only rely on her own grit, knowledge, resilience, and skill set. This is precisely what makes her a bricoleur.
The French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss used the term "bricoleur" to describe how different societies throughout time engaged in the practice of myth-making. This was done in order to make sense of the world. For Lévi-Strauss, the bricoleur is adept at performing a large number of diverse tasks.
Ann's universe of instruments is closed and the rules of her game (survival) are always to make do with "whatever is at hand" - with a set of tools and materials which is always limited but also diverse. What it contains bears no relation to the current project or problem that Ann faces, or to any object in particular. Part of Ann's resilience and ability to adapt to new situations is what makes her engage in bricolage - such as the compromise she attempts with Mr. Loomis, her escape from the valley, and her ability to bring Mr. Loomis back to health despite not having any experience with medical care. All of these are instances of what Lévi-Strauss would call "bricolage," and Ann is quite the bricoleur. She is incredibly innovative and clever in situations of distress, despite living in a dark world and facing an uncertain future. In no way did Ann know that the tools she uses to solve the problems she faces - the safe suit, the gun, the woods (as a tactical position), the tractor, or even her binoculars - would allow her to achieve the objectives and carry out the plans that she did.
