...“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...
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...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...
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...that he abuses Cole, which ignites an antagonism between the two. “That’s bull! ... All you care about is you!” (46-47) The fury that wields up inside of Cole results in an argumentative contention to reveal the abuse Mr. Matthews performs on him. Also, Cole makes some encounters with a Spirit Bear, which...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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....
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...“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...
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...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....
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...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...
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...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...
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...Name Isaiah Wiggin Teacher Mrs. Feller Class ELA Date Literary Analysis of Touching Spirit Bear and The Devil’s Arithmetic “ Often those that criticise others reveal what he himself lacks” said Shannon Alder. Often strong inter conflicts lead into deeper inner conflicts. “Touching Spirit Bear” and “Devil's Arithmetic” have similar conflicts they separate when the conflicts lead into the deep inner conflicts. They both face disapproval from people they love. In “Touching Spirit Bear” Cole faces disapproval from his father and his father abuses him and isnt close with him cole says “ … I bet my dad can’t tell you when my birthday is.”.This proves his father isnt close with him. In “Devil’s Arithmetic” Chaya faces disapproval from her Grandpa...
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...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...
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...Turning the Screw: Analysing Douglas’s Tale In this essay I will be exploring the narrative style present in “Turn of the Screw” by Henry James and discussing the character called Douglas as a frame narrator for the governess’s tale. I will explore the reliability of Douglas and his relationship with the governess and look at any bias caused by this relationship. I will be analysing the narrative style of the novella, and discussing how this style contributes to the development of the story. Along with this, I will be comparing “Turn of the Screw” to traditional ghost stories, and discussing whether there are differences between the two. Douglas is presented from the outset of the story as a frame narrator in that he begins his tale by offering to recite a manuscript written by his sister’s former governess, who is a person who Douglas holds in high esteem. This act of recounting another person’s story, or presenting a story within a story, is a clear indication that the type of narrative present in the book is frame narrative (Frame Story - Wikipedia, n.d.). If we look at this fact in terms of the quote presented within the study material, we notice that Douglas places particular emphasis on his story, proclaiming to be “quite too horrible” (pg 1). Due to the fact that Douglas is a frame narrator rather than an omnipresent narrator, he comes complete with a range of human faults, including exaggeration and bias. The introduction of the story adds to this idea, as Douglas betrays...
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...Historical Activity * Prophets and Judges * The person of Jesus Christ * The Holy Spirit * God’s activity today * God’s activity is understandable * God’s activity is situational * Wonderful Counselor * God’s activity is relational * Life within our communities * Conclusion Introduction It would be difficult to attempt to confine the activity of God through the entirety of scripture to a brief explanation of His work. The effort He exerts is broad in scope and incorporates several modes of transmission. A casual passing over of scripture in any period reveals that God is sensitive to cultural trends. This quality further reinforces the entire redemptive process as He is continually on mission, striving to bring us into a loving relationship with Him. It should be noted that the forms of communication that Jehovah utilizes include elements of understandability, situational mindfulness, and relational development. His activity in the Old Testament provides many examples of this as well as the work and miracles performed through the persons of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the current post-modern movement, it would be easy to label God’s activity within creation as a myth. However, YHWH’s actions have been well substantiated by the historical and tangible proofs of His presence. The framework of Scripture bears witness to God’s interaction with people through the persons of the Trinity. As such our personal knowledge...
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