What does the bear that Lamentations sees near the waterfall symbolize in the novel, The Vaster Wilds?

The bear Lamentations encounters is a symbol of the divine. When she first spots the bear, Lamentations is moved to see the bear looking in awe at a nearby waterfall. The bear's demeanor allows Lamentations to consider the ways in which God might live in all creatures. The bear sighting thus grants Lamentations a more expansive spiritual understanding.