Quotes From Touching Spirit Bear

This is a character profile of Cole Matthews, the main character in “Touching Spirit Bear.”

In Ben Mikaelsen novel,”Touching Spirit Bear”,Cole Matthews is a violent 15 year old juvenile offender.In the majority of the beginning part of the book,Cole is lost in pit by not controlling his actions and not learning from his mistakes.”Anger keeps you lost”,Cole hasn’t really realized that,but he is starting to realize that he is making terrible choices that are hurting him.Cole was angry when he thought about how he had no one to care for him.Another example of his frustration is when he didn’t get anywhere by trying to escape by swimming.He said that someone was going to pay for what happened,that is the problem he always is trying to get angry at someone for something he did.The last example that I am going to explain is when he said

Cole is the 15-year-old juvenile from the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson. Cole has been in trouble with the law since he was 7 and isn’t thinking about stopping. The wrongdoing delinquent’s latest crime was robbing the local hardware store. A 9th grader by the name of Peter Driscoll went to the authorities to inform the police about the robber. Unfortunately, Cole beats him so hard he is hospitalized for 6 months. At the detention center, Cole’s gravelly-voiced, wisecracking, Native-American parole officer, Garvey tells him about Circle Justice. Circle Justice is a Native-American tradition for healing. Although Circle Justice is meant for good, Cole’s idea is to just to get out of jail. On the island Circle Justice sends

In the novel, Touching Spirit Bear by Ben MiIkaelsen, Cole Matthews develops humility and trust worthiness through his experiences during his circle justice banishment. Cole Matthews picks on a ninth grader, Peter Driscal and one day, very harshly in the parking lot on the sidewalk (7). Although, Cole Matthews has got beaten up by his father his whole life (257).Cole beat up anyone or anything that got in his way. He had so much anger that he couldn’t control himself. His father got beaten up by his father so that is all he knows. Cole doesn’t care about anyone else but himself. He also thinks that he knows everything and he always has the right answer. Later on in the book he starts to change his personality.

In the meeting, each person in the circle gets a chance to openly express their feelings about Cole and his violent crime. When it’s Cole’s turn to speak, he falsely announces that he is sorry for everything that he had done. He says, “‘Uh, I’m Cole Matthews, and I’m here because I really screwed up”’ then, “‘I know what I did was wrong, and I want Peter to know I’m sorry for everything.”’ Later, the text says “it wasn’t like he had meant to hurt anyone. Besides, this wouldn't have happened if Peter had kept his mouth shut.” This reveals that Cole does not take accountability for his actions, and instead blames Peter for getting in trouble after Cole robbed a hardware store. This is harming Cole because it is slowing down his healing process. By blaming his fate on others, he grows deeper and deeper into the dark, when he really needs to get back into the light. It will take Cole a lot of grit to realize he is to blame for all that happens to

The Book we read was “Touching Spirit Bear.” Honestly, it was not the best to me. Although I would recommend it to mature readers. This is because it maybe either violent or disturbing to younger readers.

When Cole had first reached island, Edwin had given advice to Cole about how to live on the island, “Nobody’s going to babysit you here. If you eat you’ll live. If not, you’ll die. This land can provide for you or kill you. Winters are long. Cut plenty of wood or you’ll freeze. Keep things dry, because wet kills. This island is covered with Devil’s Club. Don’t grab it or hundreds of tiny thistles will infect your hands and make them swell up like sausages. The stream over there is where you get fresh water,” (17). By giving this advice, it is clear that Edwin wants Cole to be safe on the island. Edwin had even built a shelter for Cole on the island. Edwin had left Drake, his homeland, and came to Minneapolis just to attend Cole’s Circle Justice meetings, which shows his determination to help Cole. At a Circle Justice meeting, after Cole had attempted to kill the Spirit bear, Edwin had proved how Cole had changed through an effective demonstration that changed everyone’s perspective on Cole and his identity, “People change two ways- with slow persistence pressure, or with a single and sudden traumatic experience. That’s why people often change so much when they have a near death experience. I believe something significant happened to Cole on the island,” (128). By manifesting this demonstration, it was clear that Edwin believed in Cole and he believed Cole had really changed. Later, when Cole had been sent back to the island as a second chance, Edwin had provided Cole with many techniques in which he would relieve his anger, such, dipping into the pond in the morning and carrying the ancestor rock, “Happiness, like anger, is also a habit. You learn to be happy one day at a time. But habits change hard. This pond will help you,” (146). Edwin had also explained to Cole how he couldn’t get rid of anger, which made Cole stop doubting himself, “People send lifetimes breaking their stick to get rid of

Guided by his mentors, Garvey and Edwin, as well as the healing circle process, Cole unravels his pent-up anger and pain. This is exemplified when he tells Peter that "the dances, carving the totem, carrying the ancestor rock, touching the Spirit Bear - it was all the same thing - it was finding out who I was" (Mikaelsen, Chapter 28), emphasizing Cole's realization of his true identity and purpose in life. Another instance of this growth is seen when Edwin teaches him that "anger is a memory never forgotten". You can only tame it" (Mikaelsen, Chapter 13), showing Cole's acceptance of his past and his commitment to managing his emotions constructively. Eventually, he also takes ownership of his past actions and acknowledges the harm he has caused others and the environment.

Cole Matthews asks readers, “’Do you know what it's like waking up every morning knowing you're not good enough?’” and many young adults do. Young adults will relate to the characters in Touching Spirit Bear. “Touching Spirit Bear” is a young adult novel written by Ben Mikaelsen. It is about a teenager named Cole who, instead of going to prison for beating someone up, does a program called ‘Circle Justice’ where he is sent to a remote Alaskan island to heal. When he gets to the island he tries to escape, and attacks a bear, which almost kills him. After recovering in the hospital, he goes back to the island and tries again, this time with a willingness to change. While he’s there, he learns about himself, nature, and gains a new appreciation for life and for himself. He learns to be a better person, and forgive himself, and he realizes to fully heal he needs to help Peter, the person he beat up, heal too. Peter and Cole heal together, and eventually become friends. Touching Spirit Bear is a compelling piece of young adult fiction that will do well on the shelves, and should be published. It will do well because it is relatable, it is well written, and it fulfils a need in the genre for realistic fiction in young adult literature.

Touching Spirit Bear and The Last Dog on Earth are both stories of young men in worlds of violence and turmoil, one caused by inner conflict, and one in a broken world. Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, and The Last Dog on Earth, by Daniel Ehrenhaft, are similarly compelling tales of young men who overcome their struggles and forge or repair connections with others. These stories focus on the shared themes of anger, and family, and contrasting themes of responsibility, and connections with nature, the self, and society. Touching Spirit Bear, and The Last Dog on Earth, despite having many similarities, aim to convey fundamentally different messages.

Why? Because I enjoyed how I felt when Cole was changing right on the page in front of me. Cole grew into this incredible person and I loved watching that and see how he started as a big failure and turned out to be a huge success, this story proves that if you really want to change, you can. At first, Cole wanted to make a fool of everyone and he thought that life was just a big game. “Cole forced himself not to pull away from Garvey’s hand. ‘I really do want to change,’ he said, using the innocent childish voice that had served him well countless times before. . . . After Garvey left the detention center that day, Cole jabbed his fist into the air. ‘Yes!’ he exclaimed. The world was made up of suckers and fools, and today Garvey was at the top of the heap” (Mikaelson 12-13). Cole is saying that life has no purpose, and everyone is a sucker and a fool. “‘You’re right; you can’t change what you did to Peter,’ said Edwin, his voice softer. ‘But you have changed.’ He studied Cole, whose cheeks glistened with tears. He laid a gentle hand on Cole’s shoulder. ‘Whatever happens, you have changed here on the island. Both Garvey and I know that, and we’re very proud of you.’ Before leaving that day, Edwin asked one more question. ‘Would you be willing to stay longer if it meant helping Peter?’ ‘I’d stay my whole life if that’s what it took’” (Mikaelson 207-208). Cole has changed, he thinks life has a purpose now and

Perseverance is a hard task to master, but it will help you in the long run. When it comes to this you must continue to believe in yourself no matter what happens; you can’t give up. In Ben Michaelsen’s novel Touching Spirit Bear, as Cole lies near death, he creates goals that he will have to work toward.

I’ve never committed a crime, but author Ben Mikaelsen made me feel as if I was right there in the library waiting for my final judgement for beating a poor little kid. The book “Touching Spirit Bear” and its sequel “The Ghost of Spirit Bear” are both books written by novelist Ben Mikaelsen about two boys and their intertwined life. The first book takes place when teen delinquent Cole Matthews beats up a boy at school named Peter for telling on him. Peter’s injury leads to a permanent speech impediment and because of this Cole goes to jail. When Cole’s probation officer, Garvey, tells about a tribal version of punishment called Circle Justice, which is where the two people involved in the crime must heal together, and move forward from their quarrel, Cole jumps at the idea to get out of jail. When this doesn’t work they decide to send Cole to an Alaskan island, which Peter is eventually condemned to. Eventually they become friends and they get past their problems. It is the next book where they face challenges of going back to school and fitting in.

“Are you okay?” After the tree was struck by lighting Cole looked into the darkness to see if the baby birds were still alive. This is the first sign showing that Cole Matthews can change. Cole is starting to have compassion, something he didn’t have before. For this reason, Cole should go back to the island and not go to jail.

I am assuming that these two men, Garvey and Edwin, had been much like Cole and they too learned how to control their anger and make their choices in life better.