Nobody understood him. 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. 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. GradeSaver, 10 June 2011 Web. All white. Touching Spirit Bear Important Quotes 1. Theyll never be happy until Im dead., Being invisible had nothing to do with being seen. PDF downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Complete your free account to request a guide. Quotes By Ben Mikaelsen. A while after the attack, the Spirit Bear tamely approaches and comes within inches of Coles face. 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). "You know, the stuff you just told me makes more sense than all the weird things the counselors and psychologist have told me in school and at the detention center. Great descriptions and meaningful changes in the protagonist. Im part of some big circle that I dont understand. 1) He refuses the gloves Edwin offers him so that he won't get blisters, citing that he is not a "wimp.". The sparrows were so frail, helpless, and innocent. It turns out that Touching Spirit Bear was, in the most basic sense, those fears in paperback. Although neither boy is fully healed, both are on their way to a place of reconciliation, forgiveness, and even friendship. This quote, near the end of the novel, summarizes in a sentence the point of the book's title and, indeed, of the whole book. Cole moves into a tent rather than staying in the cabin with Garvey and Peter. As Cole imitated the breaching of the humpback whale, he thought of this insight. This quote by the third-person omniscient narrator gives us insight into Cole's own thought process in the aftermath of the Spirit Bear attack. He wanted to live, but for that he needed help; otherwise his life would end in the nest. Cole insists that the best way to heal Peter is to have him come to the island and see how Cole has changed. 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. This time he caught Peter Driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. Or did his? One of the final scenes of the novel shows the extent of Cole's transformation. COLES ASS SHOULDA WENT TO JAIL - I DONT KNOW WHY THEY SENT HIM TO A REMOTE ISLAND ! Blood might look the same, but Peter was a loser and a jerk. world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is They hadnt deserved to die. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. There, Cole is mauled by the Spirit Bear, a mystical creature. the BookQuoters community. He eventually begins to hit Cole, yelling, ''Maybe you're scared of me,'' ''Go ahead, hit me,'' and, ''Kill me. Quotes From Touching Spirit Bear 1114 Words | 5 Pages "There in the palm of his hand was a wad of hair. The responsibility for these actions, for Cole, always lies with others. (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. Cole thinks exactly that. No, said Cole, his voice trembling. Besides, this wouldnt have happened if Peter had kept his mouth shut. Content Warning: This guide contains references to substance use disorder, physical abuse and bullying, suicidal ideation, and incarceration. ways as he's just lying on the goddamn floor for like 1/2 the book. These particular events, while their content and character were interesting and important, were merely means to get to the end of personal growth, healing, and forgiveness. Do you know what it's like waking up every morning knowing you're not good enough? Edwin takes Cole to a freezing pond and has him sit in it to reflect and let his hurt soak away. This is a book that people with anger problems should read. interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the readers life. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 5. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. For example, Cole often spits at others when he feels threatened. He is sent to an island in Alaska, completely on his own. It is during this time that the Spirit Bear reappears, but only briefly. His pain gets worse, and unable to put it off any longer, he ashamedly allows himself to defecate. A whale migrates but it doesnt have a homeI feel like the whale.. He forgives himself, his father, and his mother. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Youre part of a much bigger circle. Nobody is, he said. The story tells of a boy, Cole, who has an extremely misguided life due to his family situation. Lage, Daniel. Many of the lessons Edwin and Garvey teach Cole. Studies have shown that restorative justice is extremely effective: it dramatically reduces the likelihood that an offender will reoffend or return to jail. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. "What you focus on becomes reality. They decided to give him to circle justice, a peace group. Though Cole is supposed to stay on the island for a year, he tries to escape almost immediately. When Cole arrives on the island, he is defiant, angry, untrusting, and violent. Coles gaze wandered in a big circle around him. Cole feels grateful to be alive and to be trusted by the bear, and Edwin and Garvey soon rescue him and take him to a hospital. His soaked clothes chilled his bones. The next morning, the tree has been struck down, and the baby sparrows are dead, still in the position of begging for food. After rehab, he is given a second shot at the island. Peter then has speech and coordination issues. Wang, Bella ed. All of life is a hot dog. Even so, the Circle Justice decides to give Cole a second chance on the island. Chapter 8. This forgiveness isnt for you. Did the birds insignificant little existences have any meaning at all? He had no control. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Edwin said that Bernie could not believe it himself and that his friend would never lie. Touching Spirit Bear is a great book to utilize when learning about symbols because much of the symbolism is deliberately explained in the story. I thought we went along paths--but it seems there are no paths. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Dont Poke the Bear. Cole has been stealing and fighting for years. I really am sorry., Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs (Theres more I just hate spoilers). People are just scared and do bad things. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Cole is given a chance in "Circle Justice" in which he lives in isolation on an Alaskan island for one year. He felt like a new and a different person.. The narrator gives us this insight into Cole's thoughts as he lies on the floor just after the Spirit Bear attacked him. You will have to read to find out! Healing requires taking responsibility for your actions.". The most important act of violence for the story is the incident in which Cole brutally attacks fellow student Peter Driscal. Cole calls his parents ''jerks'' because they're ''letting this happen to him. At first, he did this only to avoid jail. 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.) quote from Touching Spirit Bear, Why live if you cant help others and make the world a better place? 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. He tries to kill Spirit Bear, which is why it lashes out at him, almost killing him. 1) He refuses the gloves Edwin offers him so that he won't get blisters, citing that he is not a "wimp.". "He turned to Edwin. 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. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear 8 likes Like "Happiness, like anger, is also a habit. 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. - I would not have finished if it wasnt a class book. "How come everything is always about you? Create your account, 6 chapters | and gets a few visits from a huge white grizzly bear, which is the Spirit Bear mentioned in the title. The mauling didnt make sense. Then, Edwin arrives with news that Peter has attempted to die by suicide twice. In Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear, Edwin is a Tlingit elder. flashcard sets. "It's up to him. The storm raged on as Cole lay trembling, his eyes frantic. After spitting at Edwin, Cole thinks to himself, ''What was this old guy's problem anyway?'' Touching Spirit Bear is the recipient of nine awards, including the Nevada Young Readers Award and the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Award. Wang, Bella ed. Cole Matthews is a teenager with a troubled childhood. We assign a color and icon like this one. 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. Even if he did, he couldnt change what he did. In this system, the goal is to focus on the whole person and. quote from Touching Spirit Bear, Anger is a memory never forgotten. But healing is much harder than standard punishment. How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay in your thoughts like a sliver under your skin. 1. Touching Spirit Bear Chapter 28. He blames the world for his problems and takes no responsibility for how his life is turning out. 'I wasn't lying.' Deliberately, he raised his hand and tossed the hair into the water. This forgiveness isn't for you. But helping others is how I help myself., Garvey nodded. 63 lessons Everybody carries anger inside. Dont forget that. [] You arent the only creature here. This website helped me pass! In this way, the author makes the lesson of the book go beyond a particular boy in Alaska who encounters a bear into a broader story of the man's search for self and meaning. But habits change hard., Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher. He, catching up to Edwin until they reached the trees. 'I wasn't lying.' Deliberately, he raised his hand and tossed the hair into the water. He is instructed to take a soak in a freezing pond every morning to clear his mind of anger. Learn your place or youll have a rough time.. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 7. That was the only time the beaver ever came near. Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 6. No matter how many times I read it, I enjoy it each time. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Edwin says that Bernie, a fisherman, had scene a bear of Cole's description near the spot wear Cole was molested. I know it. despite the fact that Cole, himself, is in pain. Cole hears from Edwin that Peter has become suicidal, and Cole insists that if Peter could only come to the island, he, too, could experience the life-changing environment that Cole has experienced over the past winter. But also happiness. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. 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