The Spirit Bear is the central symbol in the novel and the primary catalyst for Cole’s growth as a person and his healing from his past. Spirit Bears are an extremely rare type of black bear found in Northern British Columbia, Canada. They have creamy white fur and a ghostly appearance that lends them their name. In the story, the Spirit Bear behaves in a ghostlike manner, appearing at random times or peering at Cole through the trees and then vanishing. Cole hears about Spirit Bears from Edwin, who explains “animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher […] Off the coast of British Columbia, there is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. It’s pure white and has pride, dignity, and honor. More than most people” (17).

When Cole first hears of the Spirit Bear, he says he would kill one if he saw it—an indication of his bravado, self-destructiveness, and disrespect for life. When Cole first sees the bear, it stares at him for a moment, “motionless as a statue” as Cole yells at it (37), and then wanders off. Cole is confused why the bear does not want to kill him or seem afraid; the bear symbolizes an awareness of the oneness of all life that Cole can’t grasp yet.