Beartooth Summary, Characters and Themes

Beartooth by Megan E. Freeman is a powerful narrative about survival, family ties, and the complex dynamics between two brothers, Thad and Hazen, as they navigate both physical and emotional challenges in the wilderness.

Set against the backdrop of an isolated rural lifestyle, the story is a tale of resilience, moral dilemmas, and coming to terms with the burdens of the past.  The brothers’ journey through hardship—both internal and external—reveals a world where nature is as unforgiving as the emotional struggles they face. Freeman intricately explores themes of responsibility, grief, and the consequences of choices made in the pursuit of survival.

Summary

The story follows Thad and his younger brother, Hazen, who lead a difficult life in the wilderness, doing hard physical labor to survive.  The brothers are tasked with hunting a black bear out of season, a risky endeavor that provides them with valuable bear parts they plan to sell.

Their relationship is complicated, marked by a blend of camaraderie and competition.  While Hazen is skilled at butchering and handling the animals, Thad, though older, feels the weight of their illegal actions and the looming presence of law enforcement, which makes their work more dangerous.

The brothers’ journey back to their truck is filled with hardship as they trek through rugged terrain under the scorching heat of late summer.  While Thad remains focused on the task at hand, Hazen, more carefree and distracted, engages in his own antics, like attempting to communicate with pikas.

Their bond is tested as Thad grows increasingly frustrated with Hazen’s carefree attitude, particularly when Hazen’s rebellious behavior leads to a moment of tension, where he disregards Thad’s authority and attempts to start a fire.  This event sparks a conversation between the brothers, shedding light on their contrasting perspectives on life and the challenges they face.

Their family dynamics are further complicated when their estranged mother, Sacajawea, returns after years of absence.  She lives in a van on their property, carrying out strange routines and speaking cryptically.

While Thad is disturbed by her presence, which disrupts his already strained routine, Hazen seems more accepting of her, even engaging with her eccentric behavior.  Sacajawea’s return forces Thad to confront unresolved emotions about his family, adding to the pressure he already feels due to their father’s recent death and the responsibilities thrust upon him.

As the story progresses, the brothers’ financial struggles lead them to enter into a questionable venture with the Scot, a mysterious figure who offers them an illegal business opportunity involving the collection and transport of elk antlers.  This journey takes them deep into the wilderness, where they endure difficult conditions, navigate treacherous terrain, and reflect on their complicated relationship and the legacy of their father.

The danger of getting caught by Park Service rangers is ever-present, and they narrowly escape after a bear distracts the rangers, allowing them to continue their journey unnoticed.

Tension mounts as Thad’s internal conflict grows.  He is burdened by the responsibility of keeping things together for Hazen, but his patience is worn thin by his brother’s recklessness and lack of direction.

The brothers’ relationship reaches a boiling point when they return home and deal with a series of external pressures, including accusations about their involvement in illegal activities.  As the story progresses, Thad becomes increasingly isolated, struggling to maintain his sense of duty while grappling with his growing disillusionment with his life.

In a dramatic turn, Thad and Hazen face a near-fatal encounter with the river.  While transporting heavy loads down the creek, Thad suffers a broken arm in the rapids, enduring excruciating pain and blood loss.

Despite his condition, the brothers press on, determined to protect their gear.  Thad’s injury exacerbates his internal struggle, and he reflects on his choices, particularly his dissatisfaction with his life and the complexity of his relationship with Hazen.

The brothers manage to secure their boats, but Thad’s worsening condition requires urgent care when they reach the hospital.

As Thad recovers, he is forced to confront the emotional aftermath of the events, as well as the deepening rift with Hazen.  The mystery surrounding their actions—specifically the rumored valuable items they supposedly found—haunts Thad, as he grapples with guilt and regret over their decisions.

Hazen, seemingly more distant and erratic, reveals bits of information about their discoveries in the river, heightening Thad’s sense of unease.

The brothers’ quiet existence is further disrupted when Hazen goes missing amidst raging wildfires in the region.  Thad embarks on a journey to find his brother, trekking through the wilderness in search of any trace of Hazen.

As he navigates the harsh landscape, Thad’s memories of their father, a history enthusiast, resurface, and he reflects on his own feelings of abandonment and grief.  Despite his efforts, Hazen remains elusive, and the emotional toll on Thad intensifies.

He also receives a letter containing a sum of money, which could provide financial relief, but he decides to discard it, unwilling to accept any help that might symbolize giving up on finding Hazen.

As time passes, Thad’s journey becomes both physical and emotional.  His healing process continues, but the loss of Hazen weighs heavily on him.

When he returns home, he finds Sacajawea and a young woman named Naomi, who is staying with them.  Naomi’s presence unsettles Thad, particularly when Sacajawea insists on her staying, despite Thad’s objections.

This leads to a confrontation, where Thad’s frustration with his situation boils over.

Thad’s grief and sense of loss deepen when he discovers an old fishing raft belonging to Hazen, which sparks his imagination about Hazen’s journey.  He begins to fantasize about his brother traveling far, possibly to the Gulf of Mexico, and wonders if Hazen’s disappearance is a quest for something deeper.

This leads Thad to discover an ancient bison skull, which he learns is linked to Hazen’s search for meaning.  Thad’s research into the skull reveals it is from an extinct species, Bison antiquus, prompting him to question what his brother might have been searching for in life.

The story takes a darker turn when Thad encounters Lewis, a collector of historical artifacts.  After selling the skull to Lewis, Thad becomes uncomfortable with the collector’s obsession with rare and bizarre items, including human remains.

This encounter unravels a sense of unease, as Thad contemplates the fine line between collecting history and exploiting it.

The narrative concludes with Thad coming to terms with his grief and loneliness.  He continues with his life, repairing his home and reflecting on the choices he and Hazen made.

Ultimately, Thad accepts that understanding his brother’s disappearance and his own place in the world may never be fully realized, but he is resigned to the consequences of their lives.  The story is a powerful exploration of survival, loss, and the ongoing search for meaning in a world shaped by isolation and family ties.

Characters

Thad

Thad is the older brother, carrying the heavy burden of responsibility for both himself and his younger brother, Hazen.  His role as the more mature and dutiful sibling is a key element of his character, yet it often leaves him feeling weighed down by the pressures of survival and the legacy of his father.

Thad’s relationship with Hazen is complicated by his sense of duty, which contrasts sharply with Hazen’s carefree, impulsive nature.  Thad constantly feels like he must hold things together, whether in the practical sense, by shouldering the physical labor of their lives, or emotionally, by attempting to maintain some semblance of stability despite their fractured family dynamic.

Thad’s internal conflict grows as he navigates his own moral dilemmas.  He is torn between his desire to escape the monotony of his laborious existence and his deep-seated need to uphold his father’s legacy.

This conflict becomes more pronounced after their father’s death, which leaves Thad in charge of the household and responsible for Hazen.  His sense of duty extends to his interactions with others in the community, such as his work with Old Lauren, where he continues his father’s practice of doing work for people who can’t afford to pay.

This responsibility, though admirable, takes a toll on Thad, leading him to question whether he will ever be able to break free from the cycle of hard work and self-sacrifice.

Thad’s journey is also deeply marked by grief, not just over the loss of their father, but also in the form of his growing emotional distance from Hazen.  Despite their shared history, Thad often feels isolated, especially when he faces the possibility of losing his brother.

His sense of guilt and regret over his role in their illegal actions weighs heavily on him, and it’s only when Hazen disappears that Thad begins to fully confront his own emotional scars.  Throughout the narrative, Thad is the anchor of the story, though he remains haunted by his unresolved feelings of abandonment and fear of the unknown.

Hazen

Hazen, the younger brother, embodies a contrasting personality to Thad’s more grounded nature.  He is carefree, adventurous, and prone to impulsive decisions that often put him at odds with Thad’s sense of responsibility.

Hazen’s ability to adapt and engage with his environment, especially in the context of hunting and surviving in the wilderness, showcases his innate skill and confidence, though it sometimes manifests in reckless behavior.  His relationship with Thad is characterized by a deep emotional connection, but also by an underlying tension, as Hazen’s behavior continuously challenges Thad’s authority and sense of control.

Despite Hazen’s seemingly carefree demeanor, there are hints of deeper emotional turmoil.  His actions, often impulsive and erratic, can be seen as manifestations of his internal struggles.

Hazen is not completely detached from the weight of their circumstances, though he tends to express his frustrations in less direct ways.  For instance, his playful attempts to communicate with animals, such as the pikas, suggest a desire for escape and perhaps a form of rebellion against the harsh realities of their lives.

This escapism, while somewhat lighthearted, reflects Hazen’s difficulty in confronting his own responsibilities and the weight of his family’s legacy.

Hazen’s actions also reveal a certain level of rebellion against Thad’s authority, and while he doesn’t outwardly resent Thad, his behavior suggests an ongoing struggle for independence.  His eventual disappearance amid the wildfires symbolizes his ultimate rejection of the constraints placed upon him by his environment and by Thad.

His journey, though often seen through Thad’s eyes, is marked by a search for something beyond the everyday life they’ve known—whether it’s purpose, freedom, or understanding.  The complexity of Hazen’s character lies in the tension between his natural talents and his struggle to find his place in a world that often seems too confining.

Sacajawea

Sacajawea, the estranged mother of Thad and Hazen, is a figure that contrasts sharply with the brothers’ practical, survival-focused lives.  She is a nomadic, free-spirited woman who seems disconnected from the reality of her children’s upbringing.

Her sporadic presence in the narrative is a source of discomfort for Thad, who finds her erratic behavior unsettling and disruptive.  Sacajawea represents a different kind of freedom, one that is at odds with the grounded existence that Thad has tried to maintain since their father’s death.

Her return to live on the property in a van is a symbol of her refusal to be tied down by responsibility or conventionality, which stands in stark contrast to Thad’s own rigid adherence to duty.

While Thad feels burdened by her presence, Sacajawea remains somewhat indifferent to his discomfort.  Her interactions with Hazen reveal a more open, albeit strange, acceptance of her children’s lives, and she seems less concerned with conventional ideas of parenting or stability.

Sacajawea’s eccentricity serves as a reminder of the unresolved emotional wounds in the family, particularly for Thad, who sees her return as a destabilizing force.  Hazen, on the other hand, seems more willing to engage with her, highlighting the differences in how each brother navigates the complications of their family history.

Though Sacajawea is not central to the plot, her presence underscores the theme of abandonment and the difficult legacies left by the family.  Her refusal to conform to societal norms and her absence from the brothers’ lives for much of their upbringing complicate the emotional landscape, particularly for Thad, who is left to carry the weight of both parental figures’ responsibilities.

Old Lauren

Old Lauren is a minor but significant character whose relationship with Thad and his father is reflective of the themes of labor and duty that dominate the story.  She represents the idea of tradition and the expectations that come with it.

Thad’s decision to unload firewood for her without compensation is a direct continuation of his father’s practice, highlighting Thad’s deep sense of obligation and his willingness to put others’ needs before his own.  However, Lauren’s refusal to pay, despite her obvious financial struggle, adds a layer of complexity to Thad’s actions.

It raises questions about the nature of generosity and obligation—whether Thad’s decision to continue his father’s legacy is an act of kindness or a reflection of his own inability to break free from the patterns of the past.

Old Lauren’s character adds to the story’s exploration of survival in a community that is both physically and emotionally barren.  Her cabin, full of decay, mirrors the isolation and the sense of stagnation that Thad feels in his life.

She becomes a symbol of the burdens of tradition and the complicated, sometimes thankless nature of the work that sustains their lives.  Her role is not to advance the plot but to deepen the themes of labor, obligation, and the struggle to find meaning in a life shaped by hardship.

Themes

Family and Responsibility

The complex dynamics between Thad and Hazen serve as the emotional heart of Beartooth.  Thad, as the older brother, bears the weight of responsibility, feeling the need to protect Hazen and uphold the legacy left by their father.

This responsibility is not just physical but deeply emotional as Thad continually tries to navigate the gap between his duty and his own desires for independence.  Hazen, in contrast, is portrayed as more carefree and disconnected from the realities that Thad faces.

While Thad is focused on the long-term consequences of their actions, particularly the illegal and dangerous tasks they undertake, Hazen tends to act impulsively, seeking distractions and avoiding the burdens that Thad shoulders.  This difference in temperament creates an ongoing tension between the two brothers.

Thad is constantly trying to balance his care for Hazen with his own frustrations, leading to emotional distance and occasional conflicts.  Their bond, although strained, is crucial to their survival in the wilderness and represents the dual nature of familial ties—both a source of strength and a cause of internal conflict.

The story suggests that family obligations often come with sacrifices and that the choices we make for those we love can lead to personal turmoil, even as they shape our identities.

Survival and Resilience

The brothers’ journey through the wilderness highlights a theme of survival in the harshest conditions.  Their physical struggles, from navigating treacherous terrain to enduring the grueling labor of hunting and foraging, parallel the emotional battles they face within themselves and with each other.

Thad’s increasing physical deterioration, exacerbated by his broken arm and growing sense of hopelessness, reflects the larger metaphor of survival—not just in the wild, but in the emotional wilderness they both inhabit.  The physical labor they undertake, which is grueling and often thankless, mirrors the emotional weight they carry as they attempt to live up to their father’s legacy while contending with personal doubts and frustrations.

Thad’s internal struggle, as he pushes through pain and exhaustion, illustrates the resilience required not just to survive physically but to continue emotionally in the face of overwhelming odds.  The wilderness, with its indifference to their plight, serves as a backdrop that amplifies the emotional and psychological challenges the brothers must confront.

Thad’s journey ultimately underscores the idea that survival is not merely about enduring hardship but also about coming to terms with the cost of those hardships.

Guilt and Regret

The theme of guilt permeates much of Beartooth as Thad grapples with the consequences of his decisions, particularly those regarding his father’s death and the illegal activities he and Hazen engage in.  Thad’s internal conflict over the choices they make in the wilderness—such as hunting out of season—reflects a deeper sense of moral questioning.

His desire to provide for his family, to honor his father’s legacy, and to ensure his brother’s safety often comes at the expense of his own sense of right and wrong.  This sense of guilt intensifies after the brothers’ near brush with law enforcement, and as Thad faces increasing emotional and physical pain, he reflects on the things left unsaid and undone.

Hazen’s carefree attitude and lack of moral accountability add to Thad’s sense of isolation and frustration, as Thad is left carrying the burden of both their actions and the legacy of their father’s unspoken expectations.  The discovery of the bison skull, which symbolizes a link between past and present, deepens Thad’s reflection on the past and his unresolved guilt about the choices he made.

In the end, the story suggests that guilt is an inescapable part of life, and while one might try to escape it, the consequences of actions—whether through internal reflection or external consequences—are inevitable.

Loss and Grief

The theme of loss is central to Beartooth, particularly through the emotional journey Thad undertakes after Hazen’s disappearance.  The story explores how loss, both physical and emotional, shapes individuals and relationships.

Thad’s grief over the death of his father is compounded by the disappearance of Hazen, forcing him to confront not only his sorrow but his deep-seated fears of abandonment.  His emotional turmoil is compounded by his memories of the past, particularly of his father, whose influence looms large even after his death.

As Thad searches for Hazen, he is forced to confront the possibility that he may never find his brother, which deepens his sense of isolation and loss.  The physical journey through the wilderness mirrors Thad’s emotional journey, as he navigates both the external challenges and the internal struggles of letting go.

The discovery of Hazen’s belongings, including the fishing raft, further intensifies Thad’s longing, as it represents both a connection to Hazen and a reminder of his brother’s absence.  The emotional scars that remain after the loss of a loved one are depicted as not just a phase of grief but an ongoing process, one that requires acceptance and the painful realization that some bonds may never fully heal.

The Search for Meaning

The quest for meaning, both in life and in the broader world, is another key theme in Beartooth.  Thad’s reflections on his father’s teachings, particularly his father’s fascination with history and the Crow people’s spiritual rituals, suggest that the search for understanding is an inherent part of the human experience.

Thad’s own quest for meaning is mirrored in his search for Hazen, as he questions his own role in the family, his sense of duty, and his connection to the past.  The bison skull, which symbolizes a lost history, becomes a physical manifestation of the brothers’ struggle to understand their place in the world.

Thad’s journey is one of both physical survival and existential questioning, as he searches for answers that will allow him to make sense of his life and the choices he’s made.  The discovery of the skull, coupled with the unsettling encounter with Lewis and his collection of historical artifacts, further complicates Thad’s search for meaning.

The juxtaposition of history’s remnants—whether in the form of a skull or a family legacy—forces Thad to confront not just the past but how the past informs his present and future.  The story suggests that the search for meaning is often elusive, shaped by personal experience and the painful awareness that some answers may remain beyond reach.

Isolation and Loneliness

Beartooth is also a profound exploration of isolation, both physical and emotional.  The brothers’ life in the wilderness, far from the reach of society and law, amplifies their sense of being cut off from the world.

Thad’s internal struggle is compounded by this physical isolation, as he becomes increasingly disconnected from others, particularly after Hazen’s disappearance.  The narrative underscores how isolation—whether voluntary or circumstantial—can lead to deep introspection, which, in Thad’s case, is filled with conflicting emotions and unresolved pain.

The presence of Sacajawea, their estranged mother, and her eccentric lifestyle only heightens Thad’s sense of disconnection, as he feels trapped between his duty to his family and his desire for normalcy.  The emotional distance between Thad and Hazen, combined with the harsh and unforgiving environment they live in, reflects the broader theme of human loneliness.

Thad’s journey, both literal and emotional, is marked by his attempts to bridge the gap between himself and those around him, though this proves increasingly difficult as he faces the weight of his responsibilities and the ghosts of his past.  The story poignantly captures how isolation can be both a physical state and an emotional condition, one that can shape an individual’s sense of identity and purpose.