Throughout the novel, the motif of the bear represents the Cherokee people’s desire to survive, and it also alludes to a traditional Cherokee myth in which the Cherokee people forget their origins and turn into bears. This story illustrates how their greed caused them to shed their human bodies. The recurring bear imagery therefore illustrates the importance of preserving culture and unity despite the harsh conditions and destruction of the Trail of Tears. In the story of the bear, the Cherokee people turn into animals because they have lived “without any connections” and “forgot [they] had a language” and “how to speak” (176). Having lost a sense of community and connection to the Earth, the Cherokee people in the myth also lose their humanity. Glancy utilizes this myth to illustrate the Cherokee people’s motivation to maintain a connection with each other and counteract their displacement from their homes.

Maritole has her own abstract interpretation of the bear; she sees the bear as restricting her from moving forward, and she physically feels as though a bear is holding her back and crushing her. This feeling extends to her perceptions of other characters as well, as she states, “I felt there was a dark presence over us.