Those who focus on happiness will-" Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. quote from Touching Spirit Bear, Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher. Nobody had ever cared for him, so why should he care about anyone else?, Nobody cared about him. The storyline was well developed but was not too action packed. THIS REVIEW (MAY) CONTAINS SPOILERS. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous - Instead, he sees it as punishment and abandonment, and it makes him even angrier. 'I wasn't lying.' Deliberately, he raised his hand and tossed the hair into the water. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. This includes his father (who beats him), his mother (who ignores the beatings), and the world in general. Cole wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. All because that is what I made it. Cole reaches out to touch the bear and grabs a tuft of white hair from its back. Somehow I have to figure out a way to help Peter. 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. Having had no education until his first day of school, Mikaelsen was punished, often physically, by his teachers for poor performance. Those who focus on anger will always be angry. Cole is always angry, at his parents, at other people, and about how much he hates his life. I see a lot of myself in you. This is to try and help him learn to control his anger. He nearly freezes to death in the Alaskan waters and retreatsthe first of several mistakes that result in him nearly dying. Left to die after the attack, Cole comes to realize his own vulnerability and need to change. the BookQuoters community. But also happiness. After reaching a sort of internal emotional equilibrium, Cole realizes that to really, truly heal, he must find a way to help Peter do the same. 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. A while after the attack, the Spirit Bear tamely approaches and comes within inches of Coles face. Remember that." Edwin, p. 19 Edwin says this to Cole in order for him to appreciate the importance of nature in general but also to understand its importance for his own healing. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. He eventually begins to hit Cole, yelling, ''Maybe you're scared of me,'' ''Go ahead, hit me,'' and, ''Kill me. This time he caught Peter Driscal in the parking lot and smashed his head against the sidewalk. After he goes to the hospital he goes back to the island and everyone lived happily ever after the end. Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 Vols, Reminiscences Of A Seeker: Dark Face Of The White World (True Story), Paramahansa Yogananda, quote from Autobiography of a Yogi, Sophie Kinsella, quote from I've Got Your Number, Christopher Pike, quote from Thirst No. This time, though, Cole is prepared for change. The hair was white. Read the Study Guide for Touching Spirit Bear, View the lesson plan for Touching Spirit Bear, View Wikipedia Entries for Touching Spirit Bear. They'll never be happy until I'm dead He even tries to escape the island, but fails. Sam. To this storm, he was as insignificant as a leaf. All white. This was his only alternative to going to jail. He tries to kill Spirit Bear, which is why it lashes out at him, almost killing him. 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. Throughout this time, Cole tries to be supportive of the boy whom he once savagely beat and spat upon. I love this book! This is a phenomenal book. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Back in Minneapolis, Cole was arrested and charged for violently assaulting a boy named Peter Driscal after Peter reported Cole for stealing. 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. Upon returning for a second time to the island, Garvey makes this comment to Cole in order to help him understand the importance of changing one's mindset. Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 Summary and Analysis. As Cole lies there dying himself, he realizes that as long as he is alive, he has choices. This forgiveness isnt for you. - 'I wasn't lying.' Deliberately, he raised his hand and tossed the hair into the water. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all your life unless youre able to make up for it., He said that last week Peter tried to commit suicide., Suicide! Cole caught his breath. This time he truly changes. ''As the blows pummeled him, Cole's own anger smoldered. It had good description but it could have been better. Nobody knew what it was like living with parents who wished he wasnt alive., Do you know what its like waking up every morning knowing youre not good enough? Ben Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear, 7. But habits change hard., Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher. He, catching up to Edwin until they reached the trees. He does not yet understand that he is just a small piece in a much larger puzzle or that he has very little control over life or nature. Sodapop in "The Outsiders" by S.E. 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. Cole's unchecked anger is a red flag that he too will be abusive like his father if the circle isn't broken. He had no control. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book Throughout the course of the novel, Cole undergoes a radical transformation. Whatever you do to the animals, you do to yourself. They send him to an island. Edwin and Garvey come to check on Cole, and find him close to death, with mosquitoes and decay all around him. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. How much beauty had he destroyed? p 114. Do you know what it's like waking up every morning knowing you're not good enough? The situation, then, is almost reversed, where Cole has been, finally, put in the same shoes that Peter was once in. Theres a lot you can learn from it. Touching Spirit Bear Ben Mikaelsen 3.86 30,950 ratings4,113 reviews Within Cole Matthews lies anger, rage and hate. Everybody carries anger inside. The sparrows were so frail, helpless, and innocent. The narrator gives us this insight into Cole's thoughts as he lies on the floor just after the Spirit Bear attacked him. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. Unless Peter forgives you, he won't heal." Related Themes: Page Number and Citation 33 Cite this Quote When Cole arrives on the island, he is consumed by anger, bitterness, and an unwillingness to change. Peter hadnt sounded like this before. He soaks in the pond, carries the stone, and spends his days working hard. Touching Spirit Bear is the recipient of nine awards, including the Nevada Young Readers Award and the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Award. They hate me. The explosion had shocked his mind awake. "Edwin tapped Cole's shoulder with the broken stick. 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. 2) Edwin and Garvey tell him that he'll need something more substantial to eat before working, but he says "no" based on what's normal for What did Edwin's friend bernie see on an island near the one on which Cole had been placed? When Cole is alone on the island once again, he employs all of the advice that Garvey and Edwin gave him and begins his healing journey. How would you feel if a bear made its den beside the stream?, The potbellied elder nodded with a knowing smile. This was all somebody elses fault. "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. Edwin meets Garvey and Cole in Drake, Alaska. Smashing his head on a sidewalk is a funny way of telling Peter hes valuable.. Cole thinks this phrase as he carries out the "ancestor rock" ritual where he carries a big stone representing his life and those who have come before him up a hill, only to roll it back down as a representation of him letting go of his anger. Hinton | Significance & Quotes, NC EOC Assessment - English II: Test Prep & Practice, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Study Guide, Middle School Earth Science: Help and Review, 6th Grade Earth Science: Enrichment Program, 7th Grade Earth Science: Enrichment Program, 8th Grade Earth Science: Enrichment Program, ScienceSaurus Student Handbook Grades 6-8: Online Textbook Help, Create an account to start this course today. He would get revenge, especially against those who had wanted him in jail. In the end, Cole helps not only himself, but also the young man that he once so brutally attacked. character, "What you focus on becomes reality. After rehab, he is given a second shot at the island. I think its a matter of pride. Cole shows Peter the natural wonders of the island and his own healing process, which allow Peter to understand how to forgive Cole and accept that his life has worth as well. I dont know where the anger all started. When Cole arrives on the island, he is defiant, angry, untrusting, and violent. Based on the Justice Circles performed by the natives in Alaska, this story involves a young man named Cole. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Create your account, 6 chapters | Theyll never be happy until Im dead., Being invisible had nothing to do with being seen. 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