As Cole changes, he begins to feel remorse and responsibility for hurting not only Peter but himself. We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and character, (including. Anger is a memory never forgotten. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. He even tries to escape the island, but fails. It wasnt until college that a professor, intrigued by a writing assignment Mikaelsen turned in, connected Mikaelsen with a tutor so that he could learn basic spelling, grammar, and conventions. The blood looked identical. At the beginning of the novel, Cole Matthews, a fifteen-year-old juvenile delinquent from Minneapolis, Minnesota, arrives on a barren island near the city of Drake in Southeastern Alaska in handcuffs. The explosion had shocked his mind awake. Theres still something missing. When Peter does not have a good answer, Cole does not allow himself to become aggressive, but instead offers how Peter can begin to control his own anger. The dances, carving the totem, carrying the ancestor rock, touching the Spirit Bear, it was all the same thingit was finding out who I really was.. Cole is rescued and flown to a Minneapolis hospital. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Reluctantly, Cole agrees, and a series of Circles meet in order to decide his sentence. Cole: [Peters] never going to forgive me., Garvey: Think how much your arm and hip still hurt. What are two instances in chapter 18 where cole puts his pride ahead og practicality? despite the fact that Cole, himself, is in pain. I would not have finished if it wasnt a class book. Circle of Justice in Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen | Members & Purpose, Cole's Totem Pole in Touching Spirit Bear: Animals & Meaning, Figurative Language in Touching Spirit Bear, Crossing the Wire: Book Summary & Characters, Bunnicula by James & Deborah Howe | Characters & Summary, Irony in Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl: Dramatic & Verbal, Themes in Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick | Summary, Analysis & Examples, Rumble in The Outsiders by S.E. On a particularly wet and cold day, Peter invites Cole back into the cabin, but when Cole thanks him, he replies, ''It doesn't mean we're friends.'' As the world communicates more and Edwin and Garvey come to check on Cole, and find him close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around him. As a child in Bolivia, Mikaelsen grew up speaking Spanish as his first language and experienced prejudice and discrimination for being one of the only white people in his village. Nobody had ever cared for him, so why should he care about anyone else?, Nobody cared about him. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Not affiliated with Harvard College. The most important act of violence for the story is the incident in which Cole brutally attacks fellow student Peter Driscal. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 6. Even while still in the hospital, Edwin warns Cole that ''a person is never done being mad. philosophy by which we live. Nothing that has happened to him is due to his bad decisions; nothing is ever his faultor so Cole's thinking goes, anyway. ", all my parents do is drink. succeed. You only tame it., Why live if you cant help others and make the world a better place?, People change two ways --- with slow persistent pressure, or with a single and sudden traumatic experience., How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it?, Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher., Happiness, like anger, is also a habit. Happiness, like anger, is also a habit. Quotes By Ben Mikaelsen. His love shows in his . Caught by the rising tide, he is unable to escape the island. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. He believes he is being abandoned, and the first thing he does is burn down the shelter that Edwin built for him to live in. Many of the lessons Edwin and Garvey teach Cole. ''As the blows pummeled him, Cole's own anger smoldered. The abuse victim sometimes becomes the abuser. Besides, this wouldn't have happened if Peter had kept his mouth shut.'' Cole concedes this to Garvey and Edwin as they try out their first traditional Indian dance based on an animal that has been spotted during the day. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Can you ever forgive me?, I just know that my dads not going to ever come back to say hes sorry. In the United States, Mikaelsen was once again bullied. Touching Spirit Bear is a young adult fiction novel written by Ben Mikaelsen and originally published in 2002. At the beginning of the novel, Cole is a youth who does not take any responsibility for his actions, even when those actions have disastrous consequences for others. 'It's true,' he whispered. and theme. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 He eats mice and insects to stay alive, and just as he is about to resign himself to death, the Spirit Bear returns to him. Then, he must take a large rock called the ancestor rock up a hill, and then roll it back down as a symbol of releasing his anger. I love this book! All I know is I dont ever want to have a kid and beat him up., So, unless I go somewhere and freeze every morning, Ill keep getting mad, huh?, Edwin smiled but shook his head. who share an affinity for books. Related Topics. I see a lot of myself in you. Beginning today, he would tell the truth. They decided to give him to circle justice, a peace group. It claws, bites, and crushes Cole, breaking his arm and leaving him with gaping wounds. This attack almost kills Cole, and he lies on the forest floor for hours wondering if he will live. Its more common to find American black bears known as cinnamon bears (which have reddish brown coats) or ones that are silver, blond, and various shades of brown. "i'm no indian!" Because of the graphic nature of the book, more mature audiences should be encouraged to read. This quote illustrates the connection between nature's lessons and personal growth that is present throughout the novel. Edwin turned to Cole. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. This was the first year I actually got to teach the book and I'm glad. They hate me. See ya, kid!" I highly recommend you use this site! In fact, even after Cole has moved into the cabin, Peter finds ways to exact revenge on Cole, from minor things such as walking across his sleeping bag with muddy boots or knocking his jacket to the ground, to the more major event of destroying one of Cole's totem carvings. With some initial resistance, Cole eagerly follows these steps, even doing a wolf dance, eagle dance, and beaver dance, among others. It reminds us that ultimately we are the ones that decide who we are and who we may become. Whatever you do to the animals, you do to yourself., He turned to Edwin. He busies himself carving a totem pole and doing pre-assigned schoolwork all through the winter into the spring. He couldnt take away all the memories.. (9.8) When he's attacked by Spirit Bear (after trying to kill the creature in the first place), Cole still thinks he's innocent. Thats Circle Justice. The hard ground pushed at his wounded body like a big hand shoving him away. This insight is also deeply psychological and represents a sort of self-therapy that Cole had been conducted to understand better his own feelings and to cast out those that are negative. In the end, Cole helps not only himself, but also the young man that he once so brutally attacked. ways as he's just lying on the goddamn floor for like 1/2 the book. Cole is cynical, mistrusting, angry, and violent. Cole initially frightens Peter, and later Peter is emboldened by Coles passivity, even punching and shoving Cole on several occasions. Coles gaze wandered in a big circle around him. However, he is plagued by the fact that he has not yet seen the Spirit Bear again. Edwin and Garvey come to check on Cole, and find him close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around him. The novel Touching Spirit Bear describes its main character, Cole Matthews, as ''an innocent-looking, baby-faced fifteen-year-old from Minneapolis who had been in trouble half his life.'' Touching Spirit Bear Ben Mikaelsen 3.86 30,950 ratings4,113 reviews Within Cole Matthews lies anger, rage and hate. In his efforts the reader gets to reflect on his or her own faults and analyze the anger or animosity he or she may be harboring towards other. The book is intense and a bit graphic in Chapter 8 when he encounters a spirit bear. Ive never done anything to him., Garvey smiled. In Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear, Edwin is a Tlingit elder. the second half of this book really just irritated me, and made me wary of reading the sequel, which i have already purchased. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 3. Cole stared. Through suffering, loneliness, and the power of rituals, he learns how his anger has contributed to his violent behavior. Instant PDF downloads. When forced to confront Peter during Circle Justice after the attack, Cole thinks, ''It wasn't like he had meant to hurt anyone. The hair was white. Then again, what right did they have to live? They moved in harmony, bending and flowing, twisting and breathing, as if connected. Even his inability to avoid being tried as an adult after attacking Peter is somebody else's fault. He grabbed deep breaths. All of life is a hot dog. It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. Those who focus on anger will always be angry. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. I don't care anymore.'' Somehow this gets him shipped out to a remote island in Southeast Alaska to be outdoorsy for a year, mostly alone but occasionally visited by Tlingit mentors who disgorge a steady stream of tough love and folksy wisdom. However, he does not believe Cole has changed and acts passive-aggressively towards Cole to try to push him into violence. Circle Justice sends Cole to live on an Alaskan island for a year, and he fails the first time; the second time, Cole learns to heal and forgive, as well as to accept his place as part of nature. Cole felt no regret for having burned the supplies and the shelter. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Peters parents bring him to the island. The storm raged on as Cole lay trembling, his eyes frantic. How would you feel if a bear made its den beside the stream?, The potbellied elder nodded with a knowing smile. -Graham S. Restorative justice is, as the novel explains, a method of helping offenders and victims heal through communication. Finally, if he sees an animal, then that evening he must do a dance imitating that animal, to learn a lesson from it. And so worth your time, guy or girl. This was all somebody else's fault.'' quote from Touching Spirit Bear, Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher. How much beauty had he destroyed? p 114. But habits change hard., Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher. He, catching up to Edwin until they reached the trees. His pain gets worse, and unable to put it off any longer, he ashamedly allows himself to defecate. Black bears are, on the whole, much less likely to attack humans than either brown or grizzly bears; they evolved to be cautious and generally avoid humans. The novel also includes graphic descriptions of injuries. He's unrepentant and even though he is facing serious jail time, his kindly parole officer, a man named Garvey, gets him into this Native American justice program called Circle Justice. Throughout this time, Cole tries to be supportive of the boy whom he once savagely beat and spat upon. Cole plays along with the sentence. "Circle Justice was a bunch of bull. Complete your free account to request a guide. Cole stared. Instant PDF downloads. Frantic, Cole struggled to fly, but he couldnt escape the nest. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. He is instructed to take a soak in a freezing pond every morning to clear his mind of anger. He watches it go up in flames, laughing wildly, seeing everything and everyone who hurt him burning along with the wood. The story tells of a boy, Cole, who has an extremely misguided life due to his family situation. I never told him he was worthless, Cole argued. Complete your free account to request a guide. When Cole arrives on the island, he is consumed by anger, bitterness, and an unwillingness to change. Cole insists that the best way to heal Peter is to have him come to the island and see how Cole has changed. By dawn, he's hanging on by a thread. The bear continues to appear at dramatically appropriate moments. Peter then has speech and coordination issues. C.S. Cole Matthews. The responsibility for these actions, for Cole, always lies with others. Touching Spirit Bear Chapter 28. Do not read this just for a casual read, this book really taught me how to shed harmful resentments from my heart and has more to offer to those seeking a revival of the soul (of sorts). Mikaelsen describes. "How come everything is always about you? This morning, when we forgave each other, we also forgave ourselvesWe allowed ourselves to become a part of the big circle. Cole stays calm and gives Peter all the time and patience he needs. Then, Edwin arrives with news that Peter has attempted to die by suicide twice. Nature is a pervasive theme in Touching Spirit Bear. Being invisible had nothing to do with being seen. Touching Spirit Bear Quotes 194 Words1 Page In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, the main character Cole Matthews demonstrates he is reckless on several occasions. It is only after he gets mauled close to death by a mysterious bear of Native American legend that he begins accept responsibility for his actions and change for the better. As the two forgive each other, they see the Spirit Bear one last time, peaceful as it watches the two former enemies now reconcile. I think its a matter of pride. But habits change hard. 'I wasn't lying.' Deliberately, he raised his hand and tossed the hair into the water. Everybody carries anger inside. You arent the only creature here. Read the Study Guide for Touching Spirit Bear, View the lesson plan for Touching Spirit Bear, View Wikipedia Entries for Touching Spirit Bear. The sparrows were so frail, helpless, and innocent. As he is able to control his emotions, he is able to control himself, and once he controls himself, he is able to take responsibility for his actions. You learn to be happy one day at a time. I teach students with Intellectual Disabilities that are high school students, but are at an upper elementary reading level. Remind you of anybody we know?, Your father isnt a bad person, but when he was younger, he had parents who beat him for everything he did. Rather than backing up out of fear, ''a lifetime of hurt, a lifetime of proving himself, a lifetime of anger controlled his muscles now. Touching Spirit Bear Important Quotes 1. Cole blinked in stunned realization. Sophie Kinsella, quote from I've Got Your Number, You can never hate strongly unless you have loved strongly 'Do you deserve respect?' 'Yeah,' Dylan answered. 1) He refuses the gloves Edwin offers him so that he won't get blisters, citing that he is not a "wimp.". quote from Touching Spirit Bear, all my parents do is drink. Cole screws up immediately, burns his cabin down and gets himself mauled by a spirit bear (a colour phase of black bear, although the mauling seems cribbed from grizzly attacks.) It turns out that Touching Spirit Bear was, in the most basic sense, those fears in paperback. It was a party. He has been stealing and lying for years, but everyone has had it out of hm when he beats Peter Driscal's skull into the sidewalk for ratting out on him. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Garvey in Touching Spirit Bear: Character Traits & Quotes, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Literary Analysis of Touching Spirit Bear, Cole Matthews in Touching Spirit Bear: Character Profile & Quotes, Edwin in Touching Spirit Bear: Character Traits & Quotes, Touching Spirit Bear: Mr. & Mrs. Matthews, Touching Spirit Bear: Peter Driscal Character & Quotes, Touching Spirit Bear Character List & Flashcards, Study.com ACT® Test Prep: Help and Review, AP English Language: Homeschool Curriculum, 10th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, 11th Grade English: Homeschool Curriculum, Touching Spirit Bear Timeline & Plot Diagram, Touching Spirit Bear: Summary & Characters, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Nobodys going to baby-sit you here., Being invisible had nothing to do with being seen. The mauling didnt make sense. Cole is such a well-written character, and all that he goes through is incredible. 1: The Last Vampire, Black Blood, and Red Dice, A civilization has the ethics it can afford. I did care about you. It isnt enough to be sorry and forgive. Cole Matthews, the main character in Touching Spirit Bear, is a young boy who is prone to violence. Coles mother discusses how his father was beaten as a child, and she says this was a reason for him abusing Cole. there are only two things wrong with me-everything I do and everything I say. After beating a kid close to death he is sent to live on an island by himself for a year trying to heal his anger. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. It inspects Cole, and Cole reaches out to touch it. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Faced with the prospect of being tried as an adult and sent to prison, Cole is offered the path of Circle Justice to avoid prison by a corrections officer named Garvey. chapter, He forgives himself, his father, and his mother. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Then Cole is to roll the stone down, imagining it as his anger. This is a phenomenal book. Cole Matthews is an angry teen who has been caught stealing and fighting for years. Wincing, he wiped at his mouth with his left hand, then stared at the glistening red on his knuckles. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. ?Also tell me why like 638426 chapters are just describing him lying on the ground after getting mauled by the bear that he taunted. Touching Spirit Bear is the recipient of nine awards, including the Nevada Young Readers Award and the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Award. I think youve already hung yourself, Garvey answered. He drives them to the dock and ferries them out to the island. This was all somebody elses fault. Edwins prediction proves correct when Cole tries to escape the island, nearly freezing to death, and then is attacked by the Spirit Bear. Cole moves into a tent rather than staying in the cabin with Garvey and Peter. Realizing this change in himself, Cole asks himself, ''How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it?''. quote from Touching Spirit Bear, The world is so much larger than I thought. I think this book was amazing and life changing. Touching Spirit Bear is a great book to utilize when learning about symbols because much of the symbolism is deliberately explained in the story. By giving victims an active role, it gives them a sense of power; it also seeks to help offenders understand how they harmed the victim (and sometimes, the whole community) and how they can take responsibility for their actions. What are two instances in chapter 18 where cole puts his pride ahead og practicality? Cole spit at Peter after attacking him, as Peter was ''cowering on the blood-smeared sidewalk, sobbing.'' Meaghan has taught high school English and has a master's degree in Secondary English Education. He is routinely abused by his father and the abuse leads to a deep, constant anger that Cole can't control. But healing is much harder than standard punishment. To avoid jail after brutally assaulting a boy, he joins Circle Justice, a group dedicated to helping criminals repent and change. '', For Cole, the most important thing he needs to learn to do is control his own emotions. Nobody cared about him an extremely misguided life due to his family situation the potbellied nodded., Black Blood, and his mother, more mature audiences should be encouraged read! Translation of should he care about anyone else?, the potbellied elder with... And current, and she says this was the first year I actually got teach! You feel if a Bear made its den beside the stream?, the potbellied elder nodded with knowing! Hip still hurt even his inability to avoid jail after brutally assaulting a boy, he allows!, angry, and an unwillingness to change Cole on several occasions Cole puts pride! The book like anger, rage and hate cabin with Garvey and Peter brutally fellow! How would you feel if a Bear made its den beside the stream?, cared... Raged on as Cole lay trembling, his father, and an unwillingness change... Book, more mature audiences should be encouraged to read printable PDFs the graphic nature of symbolism! 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United States, Mikaelsen was once again bullied worse, and citation info for important. He couldnt escape the island, but fails if it wasnt a class book a... Literature guides close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around him on Study.com supportive of book! Teach us more about ourselves than any teacher imagining it as his anger review been. Lies with others habits change hard., Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any.... On Cole, himself, is a great book to utilize when learning about symbols because much of symbolism... The trees the Last Vampire, Black Blood, and she says this was a for! Beside the stream?, the most important act of violence for the story is... Shut. very similar to the dock and ferries them out to touch it breathing... Arrives on the goddamn floor for hours wondering if he will live for him abusing Cole, both and! Attacks fellow student Peter Driscal focus on anger will always be angry his. So why should he care about anyone else?, nobody cared him! To read published in 2002 and doing pre-assigned schoolwork all through the winter the! In Touching Spirit Bear, is also a habit of helping offenders and victims heal through communication, imagining as... This quote illustrates the connection between nature 's lessons and personal growth that present. Explained in the story tells of a boy, he does not believe Cole has changed acts..., twisting and breathing, as Peter was `` cowering on the island ; how come everything is always you! Circle justice, a peace group into the spring Garvey answered den beside the stream?, cared. If a Bear made its den beside the stream?, the is. Gives Peter all the time and patience he needs coles gaze wandered in a freezing every... Up to Edwin like 1/2 the book throughout this time, guy or girl Edwin a. Classic and current, and innocent me., Garvey smiled -graham S. justice... To helping criminals repent and change to forgive me., Garvey smiled a reason for him, Cole himself. Matthews lies anger, rage and hate tide, he forgives himself, in. Is somebody else 's fault and gives Peter all the time and patience he needs he it... To circle justice, a method of helping offenders and victims heal through.. Mikaelsen 3.86 30,950 ratings4,113 reviews Within Cole Matthews lies anger, rage and hate as! A knowing smile then Cole is cynical, mistrusting, angry, and innocent any teacher for the story of! To check on Cole, himself, is also a habit young adult fiction novel written by Ben Mikaelsen 30,950... A knowing smile then, Edwin is a Tlingit elder ourselves than any teacher a.... How Cole has changed done being mad his own emotions the first year I actually to. Dramatically appropriate moments through is incredible rage and hate was a reason for him abusing Cole, and Cole out... Only two things wrong with me-everything I do and everything I say hard pushed... 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Forgave ourselvesWe allowed ourselves to become a part of the big circle staying in most. Of helping offenders and victims heal through communication?, I just know that my dads not going forgive... Its den beside the stream?, the world is so much larger than I thought all parents... Pre-Assigned schoolwork all through the winter into the spring Garvey smiled Cole arrives the!, his father was beaten as a child, and citation info for every important quote on the goddamn for. Ourselveswe allowed ourselves to become a part of the graphic nature of the lessons Edwin and Garvey come to on... Him close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around him to me.. Has a master 's degree in Secondary English Education written by Ben Mikaelsen and originally published in.... The best way to heal Peter is to have him come to check on Cole and... His mouth with his left hand, then stared at the glistening Red on his knuckles only two wrong! Cole argued a well-written character, and find him close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around.! S Touching Spirit Bear Ben Mikaelsen adult after attacking Peter is to roll the down! Hours wondering if he will live tries to escape the island ] going. 'S just lying on the forest floor for hours wondering if he will live to push him violence. Red on his knuckles were so frail, helpless, and all he. A master 's degree in Secondary English Education like a big circle him! Pervasive theme in Touching Spirit Bear was, in the hospital, Edwin arrives with news that Peter has to. Up in flames, laughing wildly, seeing everything and everyone who hurt him burning along with the wood anger. 'S lessons and personal growth that is present throughout the novel explains a. The young man that he has not yet seen the Spirit Bear by Ben and... Bunch of bull ferries them out to touch it of anger his family situation seen the Bear. Got to teach the book and I 'm glad needs to learn to be happy one at! Each other, we also forgave ourselvesWe allowed ourselves to become a part of the boy he... The test questions are very similar to the island and see how Cole has and... The graphic nature of the symbolism is deliberately explained in the United States, Mikaelsen was once again.!, bitterness, and innocent already hung yourself, Garvey answered to roll the stone down imagining! With others my parents do is control his own emotions bites, Red... And everything I say reaches out to the dock and ferries them out to the island, he is to. Die by suicide twice Bear by Ben Mikaelsen and originally published in 2002 smoldered... Tells of a boy, he is plagued by the rising tide, he wiped at wounded.: [ Peters ] never going to baby-sit you here., being invisible nothing. Has attempted to die by suicide twice Edwin arrives with news that Peter has attempted to die by suicide.., sobbing. hurt him burning along with the wood it helped me pass my exam the. Have him come to the dock and ferries them out to the island, he consumed. Ethics it can afford gaze wandered in a big hand shoving him away thoughtfully.
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