Gentle Ben is a novel by Walt Morey set in the Alaskan wilderness. The main character, Mark Andersen, experiences loneliness after the death of his older brother Jamie; however, he finds comfort in Ben – an Alaskan brown bear. A family-oriented adventurous story of a boy’s friendship with a terrifying animal sets a unique scene that attracts readers of all ages. Narrated from the second person, a book fascinates by its combination of nature descriptions and family life.
The story begins with the introduction of a thirteen-year-old boy Mark, living in an Alaskan fishing village with his family. Mark cannot last a day without stopping by the shed with a five-year-old bear Ben. It is not maintained well, is poorly fed, and lives in a small space, which upsets Mark. One day at dinner, Karl had a sudden offering to purchase the bear from the owner. The boy tried to persuade his parents to accept the offer, providing an argument when he led Ben home by his chin. Mark’s parents debate over the decision whether to purchase it as their son has a tight bond with Ben: “I only know that sometimes something does happen between people and animals” (Morey). Ellen gives reasonable arguments why they should favor the request.
The turning point of the story appears when Mark decides to set Ben free while hiking in the Tundra. The scene is dramatic; the reader anticipates the result of such a decision; though, the bear refuses to let go of his beloved friend. Nevertheless, the owner is determined and plans to him into the tall sedge grass in the hopes he can sneak off while Ben is feeding. At this time, Karl – the father notices his son’s disappearance, and he follows the bear’s footprints with immense anxiety just to find him asleep next to the animal. This is the point of the highest tension in the novel, exposing the reader to the anticipation of what will happen to the bear and how Karl will punish Mark for such doing.
As a result of the conflict, Mark was told about his responsibilities and how wrong he was by thinking he could do such a thing. The bear, on the other hand, was taken into a shed. Karl explains all the responsibilities that will include taking care of the bear. He outlines conditions under which he will agree to purchase Ben, including feeding him, cleaning the shed, and working on the boat, to which Mark excitingly agrees. A boy relentlessly works and simultaneously strengthens the bond with the acquired friend. However, after Ben’s attack on a man, he has to be released in the wilderness. During the time Mark spent with the bear, his physical and emotional state significantly improved.
The Gentle Ben novel does not end exactly well for the friendship bond, as the two are destined to be separated. However, Mark – the protagonist, on the one hand, acquires the immunity and energy, ensuring his long life, and manages to maintain his grief for the brother. Such experiences as working for Ben’s upkeep, learning to work on his father’s boat, and dealing with the death of Clearwater helped Mark mature and came out a drastically different person at the end of the story. On the other hand, Ben is released into the wilderness, to hopefully survive on his own, as an alternative for the resident’s request of killing it. The novel sheds light on many aspects of friendship and introduces the readers to the notions of responsibility.
Work Cited
Walt Morey. Gentle Ben. Puffin, 2006.