Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear

In: Novels

Submitted By GB412
Words 782
Pages 4
Touching Spirit Bear Summary and Analysis
There are many aspects of the Touching Spirit Bear novel that highly correlate with the subject we are learning about the psychological developments of adolescents. Along with the readings completed in class, there is a lot of valuable insight that has been brought forth and can be interpreted as essential for obtaining a better understanding.
The story begins somewhat in the center of the action, with Cole on the island as a result of the decision made by the circle. A troubled kid, this is his last chance before being sentenced as an adult for the past transgressions that he has committed. On the island, he is told about a “spirit bear” which from a psychological standpoint can be viewed as an animal representation of Cole, and forebodingly suggests the possibility of a future interaction with the animal. We begin to learn a little more about Cole in the subsequent chapters, as he attempts to escape the island and begins to have flashbacks to how he arrived there in the first place. His vicious attack of Peter has left him with very few options, one of which is being sent to Alaska to participate in the various “circles” which ultimately should help to decide if he is going to change, or if the path of prison is the right one for him. He facetiously feigns remorse in order to get to go to the island. Once there, he resists the whole idea and plans to escape. This is where we begin to understand Cole as a more complex character than previously before. We learn of the troubles he has at home, and from there begin to see why he has acted the way he has thus far. Dealing with a stressful home life and the abuse of his father, Cole is displaying classic traits for someone who is trying to process these emotions in the easiest way possible for him, through violence. According to the article by Linda Spear, “Adolescents may

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Summary

...In the book Touching Spirit Bear, the main character is a boy named Cole Mathews. He is very aggressive towards other people and as a result has been to multiple juvenile detention centers and police stations. There was one situation where he robbed a hardware store, trashed it, then bragged openly about doing it because the police hadn't caught him. A boy named Peter turned him in and as a result, Cole beat up Peter to the point where he had to be hospitalized and later had speech issues. Cole went to yet another juvenile detention center where an officer visited him regularly and informed him about a program called Circle Justice where instead of locking the kid up, they help them “heal”. Cole was accepted and they decided to put him on an...

Words: 414 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Analysis

...“The kids who need the most love will always ask for it in the most unloving ways” -Russell Barkley. Statistics prove that one in five people have some sort of anger management problem, and less than one-third of people seek help, but in the story “Touching Spirit Bear” by Ben Mikaelsen that isn’t the case. In just the first couples pages of the book I learned about a teenager that goes by the name of Cole Matthews, Cole is a troublemaker, he will do whatever he can to make sure he gets what he wants and to make sure that people fear him. Cole had been getting in trouble for years but this time he crossed the line, he had been bragging about how he broke into somewhere at school then he got ratted out by a small scrawny boy named Peter Driscal, this furiated cole so he decided to take matters into his own hands and he wanted revenge.. He waited for Peter in the parking lot and cornered him, Cole attacked him! First he started hitting him extremely hard in the face he hit him until he was gushing blood, but that wasn’t...

Words: 1654 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Analysis

...Essay When you just start to read the touching spirit bear by ben mikaelsen and watch the movie gridiron gang based on sean porter a counselor at a juvenile detention center. You may not see too many similarities at first glance. But as you start to really think about it there are tons of similarities if u think about it both cole and the kids in the movie are juvenile delinquents. So know let's take a look at these similarities In the touching spirit bear there were two elders that were very important named edwin and garvey. Similar to the gridiron gang. Because in the gridiron gang there were Also two very important people named sean porter and dwayne johnson. All these people were important because they helped these kids be back...

Words: 405 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Analysis

...Have you ever felt close to a certain animal, as if you share the same traits? I share the traits of a lot of animals, and was hard pressed to narrow it down to four. In Language Arts class, we did a novel study on the book Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. In this novel, the main character is on an island and was told to carve a totem of his spirit animals. We, too, were forced to create a totem. So, I decided to use the four animals that represent my life. My past is most accurately represented by a swallow. My present is represented evenly by a cat and a raven. My future will likely be represented by a wolf. After careful consideration, I believe that my life is most represented by a swallow, a cat, a raven, and a wolf. My past is a mix of play and serious work, which reminded...

Words: 707 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Conflict In Touching Spirit Bear

...“Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are.” This quote by Stephen Moyers pertains to Cole Matthews the main character of the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. Conflict is something that we as people usually must deal with to strengthen ourselves, and achieve more in life. Some people strive when they are met with problems, but others, such as Cole Matthews did not grow up learning how to deal with conflict in an assertive way. As the novel progresses, each chapter Cole learns a little bit more about how to deal with conflicts, and ultimately he comes out stronger.             Person Vs. Society As a juvenile delinquent, it is as expected, that Cole Matthews would be antagonized...

Words: 331 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Analysis

...Cole´s Physical Disciplines The physical disciplines Cole faced helped him become an obedient young man, no longer a troublesome child. In the fiction Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen the main character Cole Matthews is a rebellious teenage boy. From robbing stores to beating others Cole has been able to avoid jail. In order to avoid jail once more he must go to an island in Alaska. At the island he will be turned into a responsible young man. From heavy rocks to cold baths Cole will, and must be disciplined. His baby face and wealthy parents will no longer help him escape all the physical disciplines that are to come. One of the many physical disciplines Cole faces is carrying the ancestral rock. “He lifted the rock and started up the...

Words: 566 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Compare And Contrast Touching Spirit Bear

...“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller” The novel Touching Spirt Bear and the movie Finding Forrester are both great works of art. Both are tales of growing up, learning responsibility, and understanding that there is beauty in our world. I believe that Cole in Touching Spirit Bear and Jamal in Finding Forrester are alike, and yet, very different sorts of people. On the surface it would seem that these two works of art are nothing alike, but their themes are very similar. Jamal and Cole come from somewhat similar situations, both being part of broken households. However, I believe that their most similar trait is having comparable relationships...

Words: 639 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Character Analysis

...giving forgiveness and gaining it requires an effort from both sides to be made in order for the emotional healing process to begin. The concept of forgiveness is shown in many areas throughout the book, Touching Spirit Bear. There are a couple different instances in the story where one of the characters, recognizes how they’ve impacted another character, whether it be they were affected physically or emotionally. Some characters in the book tried fixing their problems and gaining that forgiveness, but others walked away from it as if it could be forgotten. The author built up...

Words: 1400 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Character Analysis

...In the novel "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen, one of the main characters is Cole Matthews. Cole is a 15-year-old boy from Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, unlike most 15-year-olds, Cole has been in trouble with the law for most of his life. Throughout the plot, Cole goes through several dramatic changes. As the plot unfolds, it reveals how Cole thinks, looks like, sounds like, what Cole does, and how others think of him. These are the five elements that define characterization and describe Cole as a character. First, one way of characterizing Cole is by describing how he thinks. At the beginning of the story, Cole has a negative attitude toward the people around him. He thinks that he is this tough guy and that no one can stand up to him. Cole is blinded by his emotions, rather than thinkings things out thoroughly. An example of this is when he attacked the Spirit Bear purely out of hatred and seeing that the bear wasn't afraid of him. This ends up getting him nearly killed! Up until...

Words: 1018 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Character Analysis

...There are many similarities in both Touching Spirit Bear and Devil’s Arithmetic but let's just focus on the similarities There are many similarities in both books Like the characters The character Cole ( Touching Spirit Bear) and Hannah/Chaya ( Devil’s Arithmetic) One of the similarities is that in both characters Chaya and Cole are faced with life or death situations. Cole is faced with a life or death situation when he fights the Spirit Bear and is nearly killed by it but survives. Chaya faces a life or death situation when she sneaks out with Griddle and is nearly caught by the Nazi soldiers. Both characters were sent somewhere they didn't want to be. Cole in Touching Spirit Bear is sent to an island in Alaska, where he must stay...

Words: 350 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear

...In the fiction Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, Cole Matthews is a troubled teen that has been given the chance to avoid jail (3). Cole is a fifteen year old boy from Minneapolis (5). He has a past record of crime (10). He broke into a hardware store and bragged about his success (7). His crime had not negatively affected him until a child by the name of Peter Driscoll told on him (7). His only way to reduce a jail sentence is to join Circle Justice (14). Cole will do anything in his power to reduce his jail sentence, even if it means joining something he doesn't believe in (14) Coles emotions can have a negative impact on his behavior. He feels sadness about his life and he begs his parents for attention (30 and 31). He doesn't...

Words: 257 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Character Analysis: Touching Spirit Bear

...“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one” by Benjamin Franklin. In the fictional novel Touching Spirit Bear, written by Ben Mikaelsen, one of the characters choices and consequences of those decisions impact how Cole had developed. Edwin decision to help him by showing him everything isn't always about him helped him heal and he also learned to learn from his mistakes .Edwin made decision to show him that everything isn't always about him.Another decision Edwin made was to help Cole learn from past mistakes not only by him. Edwin’s decision to show Cole that everything isn't always about him helped him heal. In the article it states that “ ‘I danced...

Words: 361 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Touching Spirit Bear Character Analysis

...I’ve been called to decide the cast for the movie of Touching Spirit Bear. To do this I’ve watched multiple auditions and had to pick the best ones. Everyone who auditioned gave a great effort but I’ve finally decided who got the lead roles. For the character playing Cole Matthews I’ve chosen a teenager named Bran from the book House On The Gulf . I think Bran and Cole are very much alike. The two guys are sneaky and regretful of their mistakes. Both characters have made mistakes that had a huge impact on their life. But both characters eventually made things right again. For example Cole told Peter, “‘I’ll do anything to help you and make things right’” (Mikaelsen, 235). And since Bran illegally lived in another family’s house, he had to work out a deal and make things right so he wouldn’t end up in jail....

Words: 527 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Character Analysis: Touching Spirit Bear

...Recently I have finished a novel written by an award winning author named Ben Mikaelsen. In his novel “Touching Spirit Bear” it describes a journey of a juvenile boy who committed a felony. For his punishment he was banished to an Alaskan Island so he was unable to hurt but himself. On the island our main protagonist heals and changes by carving a totem pole. Therefore, I was assigned to create a totem pole to unravel my life with you today. First of all, I've chosen a camel to represent my early years. According to Kathy Weiser Alexander, camels are to known have endured from the harsh environments and actions they have a face. Like a camel I too had endured as an infant. Aside of minor injuries, I dealt with major injuries as well, such as getting impaled by glass shards and breaking my skull. But even after all those incidents I am alive and well. Camels also have the symbol of positivity. As I stayed positive through all of my procedures or better known as surgeries from my mistakes. This was why I chose a camel I represent my infant years....

Words: 529 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Similarities Between Touching Spirit Bear And The Devil's Arithmetic

...It is estimated that over six million people died in the holocaust. People who choose to beat up other people is either because something is going on at home and is themselves. In Touching Spirit Bear Cole Matthews is in Alaska for beating up a person so he has to face consequences. As for Chaya in the Devil's Arithmetic, she must face the concentration camps for being Jewish. In other words, the novels Touching Spirit Bear and The Devil’s Arithmetic has many similarities and differences in the themes that come across in the two. Although Touching Spirit Bear and Devil’s Arithmetic are based on two completely different settings and time periods they have many analogies. One particular similarity between the two is Chaya and Cole are both...

Words: 456 - Pages: 2