Touching Spirit Bear Analysis

“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’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 sent 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.

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

“Forgiving isn’t forgetting.” This quote means if you forgive someone you don’t forget what they did to you. In Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, Cole is a character who learns to forgive himself and others. Cole also learns to forgive the Spirit Bear. The thematic statement is to forgive someone you have to forgive yourself.

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

For my totem pole, I am picking animals that are like me. The animals are supposed to be like me or if they mean a lesson to me. The essay I'm writing is inspired by book Touching Spirit Bear. In the book Cole makes a totem pole referring to himself or a lesson that represents an animal. A totem pole is a lot that has carvings in it to represent things. I made a totem pole because I want something to represent something of who I am.

Have you ever read Touching Spirit Bear? Well, I have My class and I have read this book as a big group. In the next 3 paragraphs I will tell you 3 reasons what I know about if we should practice the Circle Of Justice.

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.

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.

“What you focus on becomes reality. Everybody carries anger inside. But also happiness. Those who focus on anger will always be angry. Those who focus on happiness will-,”Edwin, Touching Spirit Bear.

In Ben Mikaelsen's novel, Touching Spirit Bear, the protagonist, Cole Matthews, is a troubled 15-year old teen, who has received the title as a juvenile delinquent. His traumatizing past has turned him into an angry, stubborn and rude figure. Due to an unacceptable action, Cole is then shipped to a remote island, in Southeast Alaska, to embark in an experience that can possibly give him the chance to "change". At first, Cole struggles to change from a juvenile delinquent, but as the novel progresses, Cole slowly becomes someone he never knew he could become. He encounters a variety of challenges and obstacles that teach him many life lessons.

Touching Spirit Bear is a very interesting book about forgiveness and redemption. The book covers the story of Cole Matthews, a juvenile delinquent who got exiled to an island for a crime he committed and how he learned to overcome his anger. While covering Cole’s path to redemption the book also teaches the reader many lessons about life. Some of the most important life lessons in “Touching Spirit Bear” are: “animals can teach people more about ourselves”(Mikaelsen,17), “forgiving isn’t forgiving”(Mikaelsen,38) and “life catches people off guard”(Mikaelsen,152)

This is a summary of the book “Touching Spirit Bear” By: Ben Mikaelsen. It’s a fictional book that takes place in Minneapolis

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.

In Ghost Of Spirit Bear, the conflict is Cole vs. Society. “‘ A two thirds majority vote is needed for the passage of this proposal,’ the chairman announced. ‘Tonight’s vote is seven in favor and two opposed’” (Mikaelson 146). Cole is needing to change the mind of the society which is the school, the circle, and the school district to allow the mascot to change to the spirit bear. Second, in Touching Spirit Bear, the conflict is Cole vs. Himself. “Rage controlled his tight grip on the match. It controlled the defiant flare of his nostrils and the striking of the match against the box. . . . The gas ignited, and flames spread quickly into a steady blaze that crept over the boxes” (Mikaelson 25). In the beginning of Touching Spirit Bear, Cole lets his rage get to him, he didn’t know how to control himself. “In death there was no control, no anger, no one to blame, no choices, no nothing. To be alive was to have choice, the power to choose was real power, not the fake power of making others afraid. Cole knew he had used that fake power many times. All of his life he had squandered his choices, wallowing in revenge and self-pity, keeping himself down. Now, as he lay near death, those he had hated were safe and warm. Those he had blamed were still alive and well. He had hurt himself most. Life was empty and meaningless unless he found some meaning” (Mikaelson 83-84). Cole is realizing that when he thought he was hurting someone