Chapter 7, An Interview with a Bear, Chapter 8, In the Midst of the Yosemite Fall Summary and Analysis

Muir does not care for shepherding because the "hoofed locusts" ate the meadows. To lift his spirits, he studies the plant and animal life of the area. He has an "interview" with a bear in this chapter, which displays his connect to animal life. It is a Sierra Bear, which Muir calls the "sequoia" of animals. Muir admires the bear's strength and ability to avoid going hungry due to his utter dominance of his territory.

In their first "interview," both Muir and the bear are frightened of each other. Upon first seeing the bear, Muir rushes at him to scare him and to study his gait when he ran. In fact, the bear does not...