GO BEAR GO

The Bear is a deeply symbolic novel that not only symbolizes relationships but also what every man must go through; the right of passage. This novel has the boy desperately waiting his turn to go along on the hunt and when that turn finally arrives he naturally is not sure if he is ready. He mentions a few times, that if given the option he would not be able to shoot the bear; he already feels some sort of deeper connection to it. The bear itself represents a greater power in the forest. It seems to be the wisest creature there and the strongest, yet at the same time cleverly elusive. The bear, to me, represents something more, something ever-present, and something deeply in touch with both the men and the forest. The bear is there reason for being there. He is the legend they all hope to be a part of, and the one creature they all respect. They call it his forest because that is what it is. He sees them more than they see him, and the men know this. It is the boy's turn now to experience the bear, and that truly is what it is; and experience. Sam has to teach the boy how to be patient and wait for the clear shot. The boy has to learn how to be a man and find his own way without taking the stupid risks that could lead to other hunter’s deaths. He has to learn how to be stealthy and quiet, patient and careful, and above all else the boy has to learn to be smart; all the same qualities that are prized in the bear. Without these the boy is still a boy and will never be the man that he went out there to be. It is for these reasons why it is so important to the boy to see the bear. He knows the bear knows about and has seen him, but he is not going to be a true member of the forest, or even of the pack of men, until he sees the bear and becomes an equal.