The Clan of the Cave Bear

by Jean M. Auel

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Part II Summary

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Following the disastrous Cave ceremony, life begins to stabilize for the Clan. Ayla struggles but eventually learns to communicate using the Clan's hand gestures, reducing her reliance on vocal sounds. Beyond communication, Ayla faces additional challenges. She often gazes into other families' hearth areas and at the men—actions that are strictly forbidden. She runs and fails to exhibit the appropriate fear of men, especially Broud. Creb and Iza are deeply worried about Ayla's future with the Clan. Although Ayla gradually starts to grasp the customs of her new community, she remains an outsider and is considered strange.

Iza gives birth to a daughter named Uba. Since Uba is not a boy, Iza is allowed to stay at her brother's hearth and raise her two daughters. Ayla adores her little sister; having always been treated as an outsider, she now has a companion and friend. As Uba grows, Ayla develops an interest in healing, learned from her mother. Initially, this causes some concern, but eventually, the Clan accepts Ayla’s unique healing abilities.

While gathering wild cherry bark one day, Ayla observes the men practicing hunting. An experienced hunter is attempting to teach a young boy how to use a sling, a challenging task for Clan men since they cannot fully rotate their arms. Broud struggles with the sling, which secretly pleases Ayla. After the men leave the practice area, Ayla picks up the abandoned sling. Gradually, she teaches herself to use the weapon and becomes an exceptional shot.

On one occasion, when she is not as cautious as she should have been, Broud brutally beats her. He is punished, and for a while, Ayla becomes more defiant and disrespectful. When she realizes that the Clan would allow Broud to beat her whenever they deemed it necessary, Ayla's fear transforms into anger, leading her to kill a porcupine. In that moment, she feels both powerful and remorseful. Ayla resolves to behave in accordance with Clan traditions. Throughout the winter, she strives to embody the ideal Clan woman. After winter passes, Ayla decides to hunt predators, feeling it is the only way she can contribute to her Clan. She even invents a double-loading system for her sling, making her a much more formidable hunter.

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Part I Summary

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Part III Summary