Polar bear

The polar bear is a symbol of death, and of Augustine himself. When he first sees the bear, Augustine refers to its immense power - "thousands of pounds of muscle. Pulling a ringed seal from its breathing hole and killing it with one powerful swipe" (7). He continues to see the polar bear wherever he goes, noting that it is unusual for a bear to be in the area of Lake Hazen. It is as if the bear is following Augustine, becoming increasingly nearer just as Augustine becomes closer to death. Later, Augustine feels a "kinship" with the bear because of his perceived loneliness, a feeling that Augustine can certainly relate to. At the end of the novel, Augustine finally approaches the bear and embraces him. The narrator says that Augustine "wasn't afraid anymore" and that when he felt the bear's "massive arms close over him...