The Bear Study Guide

The opening lines of the book introduce the reader to several important characters. The first character is Old Ben, a bear who has become infamous in the forest and has earned himself a human name. Second is a man named Boon who we learn later is the man who kills Old Ben. Next is Sam Fathers, a man that is a mentor to the narrator. Finally, we learn the name of Lion, who is the unloving dog that hunts Old Ben. Sam Fathers, Lion and Old Ben are described as taintless and incorruptible. The boy, Ike, narrating the story is sixteen, and we learn he has been hunting for six years. The boy describes the importance of the wilderness, the presence of alcohol on all of the hunting trips, and that the day in December when Old Ben is caught starts with whiskey. (read more)