THE BEAR WENT OVER THE MOUNTAIN

The Bear Went Over the Mountain is a novel by William Kotzwinkle. The movie rights for the book have been sold to Jim Henson. The book can be read as a fantasy based story but also has elements of satire, particularly in its depiction of the publishing industry. The plot concerns an academic, Arthur Bramhall. Bramhall's colleagues know him to be a poorly performing teacher of English with little talent as a writer. Bramhall manages to write a great novel and goes off to celebrate with a beer. Whilst he is drinking a bear digs up his manuscript. The plot follows the dual adventures of the main characters, the bear is accepted as a talented author and Bramhall's increasing desperation leads to him being shunned by his former friends and colleagues. In its use of humour and a character of very limited abilities - the bear - to comment on aspects of modern life the book resembles stories like Forrest Gump and Being There. It also continues a trend well established in Kotzwinkle's work.
External Links
http://www.beatrice.com/interviews/kotzwinkle/ Interview with Kotzwinkle about the book.