Cave Bear Jean M. Auel's

Cave Bear Jean M. Auel's the Clan of the Cave Bear provides a unique representation of human and Neanderthal pre-history. The novel is a glimpse into the period of time during which these two species of man coexisted, and seeks to illustrate a number of the differences that made the modern human a more adaptable and enduring race. Auel conveys her tale through the experiences of a human girl who, by way of extraordinary circumstances, is adopted into a Neanderthal cave-dwelling clan.

As the events surrounding the girl's life unfold, the particular ideologies and values that Auel wishes to associate with human behavior become apparent. Namely, her notion that females do not necessarily occupy a subordinate position to males, and that this ordering of society is often detrimental to the common good. Also implicit is the suggestion that human nature demands more equal treatment between the genders relative to ancient Neanderthal practices.

Overall, Auel utilizes novelistic techniques to uncover what she believes could have been the fundamental shortcomings in Neanderthal society that ultimately made them inferior to the modern homosapien. Auel goes to great lengths to create a legitimate feeling prehistoric culture. She begins the novel with the stranding of a young girl as a result of a cataclysmic earthquake. The girl is separated from her parents, her people, and wonders aimlessly -- eventually, nearing death.

When the Clan of the Cave Bear finds her she has been mauled by a lion, needs help, but is quite obviously not one of their people. With this discovery, one of the most fundamental values of this early culture is reveled. Iza states, "It's a child, Brun. Hurt but not dead." Then, "Brun looked at the thin young girl with the high forehead, small nose, and strangely flat face. 'Not Clan,' the leader gestured abruptly and turned to walk away." (Auel 11).

With this simple statement Brun brings to light one of the most fundamental principles within the society Auel has created: the good of the clan, and only this goal, should be explored. Consequently, the plight of the child is insignificant with respect to the clan, simply because she is not a member of it. In addition to this general premise by which all of the members of the clan must abide, the Cave Bear community is extensively spiritual.

Conflicts within the spirit world routinely have consequences for the human world: "Illness and accidents were mysterious manifestations of the war of the spirits, fought on the battleground of the body." (Auel 19). So, disasters, deformities, and everything that is the result of providence is deemed to have some meaning derived from the spirit world. Accordingly, in the interest of not upsetting the spirits, Brun concedes to allow Iza to care for the child; inwardly judging that she will grow tired of such a burden.

This is the primary conflict that the child, Ayla, presents to the Clan: she is decidedly not one of them, but numerous signs indicate that she is of spiritual importance -- specifically what this importance might be is considerably hidden to them. The sympathy Iza initially holds for Ayla is not altogether explained; she herself fails to understand it. Auel writes, "Iza didn't know why she felt such concern for a child so different from the clan, but she wanted her to live." (Auel 19).

Some common motherly bond drew Iza to Ayla's side, and the Neanderthals essentially attributed this to her connection with the spirits -- which are often irrational. Auel explains the peculiarities in Neanderthal society, partially, by the biologic configuration of their brains: All those, primitive people, with almost no frontal lobes, and speech limited by undeveloped vocal organs, but with huge brains -- larger than any race of man then living or future generations yet unborn -- were unique.

They were the culmination of a branch of mankind whose brain was developed in the back of their heads, in the occipital and the parietal regions that control vision and bodily sensation and store memory." (Auel 26). Thus Auel illustrates the similarities these people possessed with modern humans, but also their intrinsic differences. Certainly, by most definitions Neanderthals are human, but the manner in which they experienced life and adapted to their surroundings was necessarily distinct.

So, the Neanderthals were a failed branch of mankind, and Ayla's tale is meant to suggest some of the faults that may have resulted in their ultimate downfall. Ayla, in addition to being a symbol from the spirit world is also a symbol of change. To Auel, this change is almost fundamentally opposed to the Neanderthal way of thinking: "They were slow to adapt. Inventions were accidental and often not utilized.

If something new happened to them, it could be added to their backlog of information; but change was accomplished only with great effort, and once it was forced on them, they were adamant in following the new course." (Auel 28). By this definition, Ayla is an enormous change for the Clan, and introduces entirely new sets of problems to which many -- specifically Broud -- are unable to adequately adapt. First, Ayla's induction into the Clan is a drastic change of pace.

She is continually subject to strange looks and even scorn because of her different looks, and unfamiliarity with their customs. It takes significant pressure from Iza and her brother, Creb, to convince Brun to allow her to be named as a member of the clan. From the perspective of the men, this naming ceremony is intended to return a level of normalcy to the clan, in the wake of this unexpected intrusion.

However, the totem that is bestowed upon the young Ayla brews only new controversy and wonderment: she is given the totem of the cave lion, by virtue of the wound left behind from her mauling. This is a man's symbol, far too powerful for a woman, let alone a woman who is not visibly a member of the Clan.

Despite these outrages, it is undeniable that Ayla possesses some connection with the spirits -- because she is the first one to discover the new cave -- so, most of the Clan members are completely uncertain what should be done. Ayla has broken tradition, but doubtlessly possesses some value; this presents the Neanderthals with changes they are ill-prepared to address. Second, Ayla's desire to become a hunter, and her subsequent mastery of the craft, disrupt the foundation of Clan society even further.

Auel writes, "Through trial and error she learned to track and began to understand and apply the bits of hunting lore gleaned from the men. Her eye was already trained to pick up small details that differentiated and it took only and extension to learn to define the meaning in the telltale droppings of an animal..." (Auel 187). When Ayla kills a wolverine, it becomes apparent to clan that she is something in between their conceptions of men and women.

"She was female, she should never have touched the sling -- Clan tradition was absolutely clear on that -- but she was good." (Auel 241). Essentially, Ayla challenges the traditional gender roles established by the Clan by not clearly being one of them. Auel seems to argue that by virtue of her being another form of human, Ayla is more flexible to the needs of the Clan, and accordingly, is able to address new problems in ways that they cannot.

She is a symbol of the changes that the Neanderthals are resistant to and she contrasts their ineffectualness with her superiority. The third change that Ayla ushers in is associated with the birth of her deformed son. His position in their society is extremely delicate, for it is obvious that he will be unable to become a functional male hunter, and he comes from a woman whose position in the clan remains one of suspicion. It is important.