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M16
Sammy’s teddy bear represents childhood innocence and hope for the future. Sammy, who resembles a teddy bear himself, hands over his bear to Cassie before he gets taken away on a school bus to Camp Haven. Although the bear takes up valuable space in her pack, Cassie continues to carry it around, even talking to it sometimes and addressing it as Bear. The contrast between the teddy bear and the M16 show how Cassie is at a transition point in her life, where a part of her is still in childhood, despite the fact that she has to take on the adult responsibilities that come with bearing the deadly M16. Sammy’s willingness to give up the bear, meanwhile, shows his own willingness to try to grow up and accept his new situation, while also showing how the cruel actions of the aliens have stolen his childhood from him.
When Cassie returns the bear to Sammy, it represents the fulfillment of her promise to protect him and allow him to be a child. By returning the teddy bear to Sammy, Cassie shows how as his big sister, she will help him get back some of the childlike innocence and joy that he had before the apocalypse. Cassie’s ability to hold on to the teddy bear, even throughout all the challenges she faces, also shows how she wants to preserve a part of her family’s old life from before the apocalypse, no matter how dire things get. Cassie’s decision to carry the teddy bear with her reflects how she held on to hope, both that Sammy would be alive and that a better future is possible. The teddy bear in The 5th Wave thus represents the end of childhood innocence, but also the strength of Cassie and Sammy’s family bond and how this becomes the foundation of their hope for a better future.
Teddy Bear Quotes in The 5th Wave
The The 5th Wave quotes below all refer to the symbol of Teddy Bear. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 12
Quotes
The last time I saw him was through the back window of a school bus. His forehead pressing against the glass. Waving at me. And smiling. Like he was going on a field trip: excited, nervous, not scared at all. Being with all those other kids helped. And the school bus, which was so normal. What’s more everyday than a big, yellow school bus?
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Chapter 40
Quotes
Number forty-nine has been mapped.
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Chapter 80
Quotes
“I, um, I thought you might want this back.”
I pull out the battered old teddy bear and hold it toward him. He frowns and shakes his head and doesn’t reach for it, and I feel like he’s punched me in the gut.
Then my baby brother slaps that damned bear out of my hand and crushes his face against my chest, and beneath the odors of sweat and strong soap I can smell it, his smell, Sammy’s, my brother’s.
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Get the entire The 5th Wave LitChart as a printable PDF.
Teddy Bear Symbol Timeline in The 5th Wave
The timeline below shows where the symbol Teddy Bear appears in The 5th Wave. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 17
...soldiers alone. Cassie reassured Sammy that everything would be okay, and Sammy gave her his teddy bear .
(full context)
Chapter 22
...to leave, and Cassie cautiously snuck out of hiding to retrieve her backpack (including Sammy’s teddy bear ) and her M16. Cassie considered taking off Branch’s mask to see if he was...
(full context)
Chapter 32
...it snows, and by day two, there’s three feet around her. She talks to Sammy’s teddy bear , calling it Bear. Cassie thinks of her promise to protect Sammy and how everything...
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Chapter 33
...from a fog in an unfamiliar bed, wondering if she’s still alive. She sees the teddy bear beside her on a pillow. She hears footsteps coming up stairs and wonders where her...
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Chapter 37
...refugee camp, Sammy looks out the back window, thinking goodbye to Cassie and to his teddy bear . A soldier named Parker who doesn’t look much older than Cassie takes off his...
(full context)
Chapter 40
...see if the implant worked. Sammy sees memories of his past, including his crib, his teddy bear , and his mom standing over him. In just 90 seconds the doctor, who turns...
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Chapter 41
...Sammy out of the chair he’s been strapped into. He says that he wants his teddy bear , his dad, and Cassie. Dr. Pam assures him everything will be okay. She shows...
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Chapter 43
...about five, joins the squad. Reznick calls him Nugget, and he has eyes like a teddy bear . When Reznick starts insulting Nugget, making him cry, Zombie intervenes. Reznick responds by chopping...
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Chapter 66
...pack light as they begin heading toward Wright-Patterson, although she finds room to bring Sammy’s teddy bear . As they prepare to leave, Evan makes a comment about first seeing Cassie in...
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Chapter 74
...panics, because he’s seen her before, and she’s supposed to be dead. But holding Sammy’s teddy bear , she looks younger.
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Chapter 80
...an officer over 18, so Cassie figures he must be an alien. He notices the teddy bear in Cassie’s satchel and asks about it. As his hand goes for his weapon, Cassie...
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Chapter 82
...shot in the head at close range. Finally, Ben arrives and sees Nugget holding a teddy bear . But a recruit with an M16 is escorting him somewhere. Ben feels that the...
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