Back To The Spirit Bear Case Study

In the book Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, the theme is healing. The main character Cole was sent away to an Island for a year to change his behavior and life ways. But a few weeks into the task assigned by the Circle of Justice he fails. As Cole returns home he is sad that he would end up going to jail but he believed it was okay if he ended up going. But while on the island he learned how to control his anger, learned life lessons, and most of all he had a new perspective on life. Fortunately for Cole, he had learned how to control his anger but also he learned many important life lessons.“People change two ways- with slow persistent pressure, or with one single traumatic experience. That’s why some people change so much when they

Ghost of Spirit Bear, written by Ben Mikaelsen, is a touching story of overcoming violence and making a change in the world you live in. “‘You have a better idea?’ Cole had to admit that he didn’t,” (Mikaelsen, 40). Every story has a theme, a concept, a point!- and that point is making a change instead of standing by in this story. Peter and Cole come back from the time on the island, calm and collected, but city life hits them like a brick. The only thing they can think of is the island, and how they wish it was more like it. Instead of standing by and evading the mess they came back into, they want to fix it. Just how much of a mess could it possibly be?

In Ben Mikealsen’s novel – Touching Spirit Bear, Cole is a 14 year old juvenile delinquent from Minneapolis. He is a very angry, furious, fierce and violent boy who does not seem to have any control over his anger. Although he might be a very angry and impatient, he is also honest, strong, reflective and hardworking person by the end of the book. What is the cause of Cole’s anger? What helped Cole changed into a better person? What role does the Spirit Bear play?

Cole Matthews is not an uncommon young man that one would find in today’s society. Cole has not had a life I would call “easy” or “fair.” He had parents that as Cole stated, “all my parents do is drink.” (p27) His father beat him profusely. This is evidenced in the Circle Justice meetings when Cole said, “Or you’ll what?” “Beat me?” …..” “You’re still lying!” he shouted. “You’re usually too drunk to know your own name!” Cole knew these words guaranteed him a terrible beating next time he was alone…(p47-48) Cole didn’t feel he had any other emotions other than anger and fear. Many of us have had the same feelings as Cole, “He didn’t trust anyone who wasn’t afraid of him.” (p4) This is an

In Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, Cole Matthews, the protagonist, is a troublemaker. He always has been. But, when he smashes Peter Driscal’s head into the concrete sidewalk, he ends up having to make a decision; prison time, or a year on a remote Alaskan island. But, that’s not the only crime he has done. This leads to me seeing him as a sociopath. Sociopaths tend to lie, break laws, act impulsively, and lack regard to the safety of themselves and others, all of which, he does.

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.

The three most important life lessons in the book “Touching Spirit Bear” are that “Anger keeps people lost” (Mikaelsen, 20), “A man is only as good as his word” (Mikaelsen, 21), and last “Whatever you do to the animals you do to yourself” (Mikaelsen, 1). With these three lessons, it led to a lot of character development in characters like Cole, who was the protagonist in the book and even people who had less of a role in the journey like Peter who came to support Cole even though Cole maltreated him.     One of the most important quotes is that “Anger keeps people lost” (Mikaelsen, 75). This point can be proven when Cole is delirious on page 75. On this page, he burns down his own home on the Alaskan island where he was put to make up for

He doesn’t want to be mean..” ”(168). This displays the transition of Cole’s negligent to virtuous nature. Also, this transition connects with Edwin’s continuous support for Cole. In accordance with the Teslin Tlingit Council, Edwin establishes a correspondence with the environment. Cole reflects on Edwin’s guidance about the Circle of Life, while being attacked by the Spirit Bear. Prior to the incident, Cole mentioned, “ “If I saw a Spirit Bear, I’d kill it” ” (18). Upon hearing Cole’s comment, Edwin responds, “ “Whatever you do to the animals, you do to yourself…” ”(18). Edwin 's counselling is in relation to the Spirit Bear incident, as Cole is disheartened by the dead baby sparrows.

Dan Shay and George Patton formed a partnership and began developing their dream golf range. Their dream range and financial expectations fell short after the initial construction and first year of business. Martha Rawles presented Dan and George with a marketing plan that exposed the weaknesses of their golf operation. The marketing plan revealed a strong need for an advertising plan and expansion to cater to a greater segment of the golf market.

Cole did many bad things throughout the story, they all led to consequences. He always found some way to blame it on someone or something other than himself. After being mauled by a bear, who was provoked. Cole blames it for attacking him even though he attacked first. In the text it says, “What luck, Cole thought. To end up on an island with a stupid bear that didn’t have the brains enough to run away.” I think this ridiculous; I am very glad that later in the book while talking about the bear situation he admitted that it was his fault. “He shook his head. ‘My fault!’ he whispered.” This shows he changed because he realized that the assault was his own

In the cell, Mathews is isolated, just like he had been his whole life. No one visits him or cares for him and this makes him sad, and we all know that when he feels any emotion he doesn’t like, fists will fly. As well as these two incidents, Cole picks a fight with a bear for the sole reason that the bear “defied” him. He wants to kill the bear for not being scared of him, but ultimately, the bear almost kills him. Cole likes being in control and having power, because his father has always had control over him. When he makes people scared of him, he is making them feel what his father always made him feel. Feeling vulnerable, bitter, and abandoned causes Cole to act out in violence when we first meet

In the book, Touching Spirit Bear, written by Ben Mikaelsen, the protagonist Cole has decided to carve a totem pole after being sentenced on the island for a second time. While Cole was on the island he had been confronted by several animals, including the one that would forever change his life. This totem pole represents healing for Cole as he was learning to heal others. For this assignment the four animals that I choose to represent were an otter, spider, swan, and Bear.

Cole goes out of his way to show that he values his and others lives. Cole sees the bear drinking over at the stream then the bears swims away unphased from just attacking cole. Cole then looks and realizes the little beauties in life while he is lying broken and worthless on the ground. Once cole realizes his own life and how it matters in the world he also realizes that everybody around him is just important. Once garvey shares the information that Peter is trying to kill himself cole is eager to

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

In life, people have made mistakes, but it doesn’t matter how far down the wrong road you go, you can always turn back. In the book, “Touching Spirit Bear”, by Ben Mikaelsen, Cole has always made bad choices, but goes to Circle Justice for it. He learns his way there because he realized that he can control his emotions. Also, when he soaks in the pond and throws the ancestor rock, he feels his mistakes and anger forgiving him because his feelings are no longer taking control of Cole. Finally, Cole can forgive and help his victim (Peter) heal after he learned his way at Circle Justice.