Summary

John is startled by the fact that spring is so close, and he knows bears only hibernate for the winter. John is so excited to see a bear, and now that reality has hit him, he realizes how scary that encounter would be. John panics and moves quicker to his Aunt’s. This may contribute to his forgetfulness in the next chapter. The author focuses on the isolation John is experiencing by bringing the reader's attention to the sound of John footsteps. It is very quiet on the mountain and all John can hear is his footsteps in the snow until he hears water dripping, signaling the return of spring. John becomes nervous since he has learned from his mom about bears in hibernation. This spurs John onwards to his aunt’s house.

Analysis

John is startled by the fact that spring is so...