What traditional mythic tropes occur in this story

The book the sweet-hereafter; in section four, which of the following is the extended metaphor for nichole's mental state. a) the room her father built her from the sun-room b) the wheel chair she sits in c)the computer from mr. stephens d) the teddy bear from her childhood

Why do you think frank tashlin titled this story  the bear that wasn’t? why didn’t the factory officials recognize the bear for what he was? why did it become harder and harder for the bear to maintain his identity as he moved through the bureaucracy of the factory?

How did rick respond to this conflict