Sam Arthur

Sam Arthur is the main character of the novel. Throughout Bear, the third person narrator inhabits Sam’s consciousness and renders the narrative world and action according to Sam’s experience of them. In the narrative present, Sam is 28 years old. She lives on San Juan island off the coast of Washington with her older sister Elena and her dying mother. Ever since her mother was diagnosed with “sarcoidosis, pulmonary hypertension, [and] interstitial lung disease,” Sam has felt trapped by her life (28). Immediately after their mom fell ill, Elena told Sam that they would leave San Juan once she died. At the time, Sam thought her mom had no more than five years to live. Roughly a decade has passed since, and Sam’s mom is still alive. She loves her mom, but at times wishes her death were already over so that she and Elena could...