Short note on the bear and squirrel game in Look Back in Anger by John Osborne.

The silly roles of bear and squirrel provide Alison and Jimmy cover from having to actually speak fondly and frankly to each other as human beings, out of disguise. It is rare for the reader to see a moment when they are conversing as real people with each other; almost every conversation consists of Jimmy provoking and Alison trying to ignore the comment. This complete inability to interact speaks to how much their marriage has disintegrated, which brings up a question. The reader wonders if there was ever a time when their relationship was whole.