Death is a universal equalizer that all will come to face at different points in life. The discussion for death and the challenges it musters is presented in this theatre for young audience play titled “Arkansaw Bear,” which was written by Aurand Harris in the 1940s and first produced in 1980 by Anchorage Press Plays. Death is a huge element in the play that directly affects the characters, and this is attributed by not only by the plot and theme but by the symbolism behind it as well. The story of “Arkansaw Bear,” touches on the multitude of obstacles that death presents in one’s life and not just the actually idea of loss life. There are two parallels throughout the play: The first deals with how Tish is to bear the weight of her grandfather’s death while the other had The World’s Greatest Dancing Bear finding a solution to the finality of death and how to leave a lasting mark on the world. Tish comes to understand the reason for her grandfather’s passing after her events with the Dancing Bear and the Ringmaster which makes her understand no one is expemt from the touch of death, but some are lucky enough the be remembered and cherished like she will with her grandfather and the…show more content… The segue way from Tish's grandpa's death to The Dancing Bear having to leave with Ringmaster makes a for a nice parable as it enables Tish to cope with the death of her grandfather and provide a lens for the younger members in an audience to understand what has occurred. These two parallels share a great deal in explaining the effects of death, one dealing