Title: Touching Spirit Bear
Author: Ben Mikaelsen
Publication Date: 2002
Page Count: 241
Type: Fiction
Started On: 12/1/07
Finished On: 12/16/07
My Grade: B
1. Why did I decide to read this book?
I am supposed to write a book synopsis on a book for English. Upon choosing a book I decided to tell my mother the situation I was faced. My mother works at a school and she brought home a few books to choose from. When I saw this book’s cover it looked interesting. The cover consists of a boy with a big bear that seems to be imaginary hovering above him. I read the back of the book and became even more interested.
2. Plot summary:
Cole Matthews is a fifteen year old teenager from Minneapolis. Cole lives at home with his alcoholic and abusive parents. He lives a hard life and has been in trouble many times in the past. After Cole broken into a hardware shop, robbing it, and trashing it he brags about it at school. Peter Driscal ratted to the police about Cole. Then Cole corners Peter outside in the parking lot and beats Peter up. Cole was placed in a detention center while the courts decided what to do with him. Garvey, a youth probation officer visits Cole at the detention center daily. During one visit Garvey asked Cole if he would consider applying for Circle Justice. The Circles Justice is a healing form of justice practiced by the native cultures for thousands of years. In the Circle Justice a healing contract is signed and your obligation is to help make things right. The Circle Justice tries to heal, not punish. Healing requires taking responsibility for your actions. Garvey explained to Cole that if he did not want change this would not work. Cole decided that anything would be better than go to prison and he agreed to apply for Circle Justice. The Circle Justice committee consisted of anyone in the community who wished to make a difference to protect and improving the community. For Cole’s healing process, Garvey suggested that he be placed on a remote island in Alaska. After a number of meetings the committee agreed to place Cole in solitary confinement on the remote island in Alaska for one year. The committee required someone to go through the process with Cole and Garvey agreed to be his sponsor. Within the first two days on the island Cole burned down the cabin and all of his supplies, he tried to escape the island by swimming, and he was attacked by a white spirit bear. During those two days Cole laid helplessly fighting for his life in pain from the attack.
3. What is the setting and why is it important to the novel?
The majority of the setting of this novel takes place in the wilderness on a remote island in Alaska. The book is very descriptive in detailing the weather, temperatures, wildlife, and surroundings on the island. All of the descriptive details of the setting are very important. The details of the setting makes you feel as though you are on the island with Cole. The novel takes you through every month of the year. The cold weather and the cold waters are so clearly defined that you can clearly imagine the coldness. The setting and the way the setting is described in details is very important in this novel.
4. Who are the main characters and what roles do they play in the novel?
The main characters in this novel include Cole Matthews, Peter Driscal, Garvey and Edwin. Cole Matthews is a fifteen year old teenager from Minneapolis. For years, Cole has been in trouble with the law. Cole comes from a wealthy family which consists of alcoholic and abusive parents. Peter Driscal is a ninth grader who gets seriously injured in a fight with Cole Matthews. Garvey is a youth probation office who took interest in Cole. Garvey was a Tlingit Indian. Edwin was a Tlingit elder who helped arrange Cole’s banishment. Edwin built a shelter for Cole on the island and made all the preparations
5. What is/are the main conflict(s) in the novel?
I feel that this novel contains several main conflicts. The story begins with one of the conflicts as Cole is assaulting Peter in the school parking lot. This is a conflict between Cole and Peter. The next conflict that takes place would be during Cole’s first visit to the island.
As Cole becomes aggressive towards the spirit bear it causes the bear to fight back. Another conflict could be the one with Cole his self. Cole has to find a way to forgive him self.
6. Describe the climax of the novel?
This novel is filled with one climax after another. The climax of this novel takes place during the first two days on the island. When Cole tries to escape from the island unsuccessfully he finds himself face to face with the white spirit bear. Face to face with a spirit bear makes you question what is going to happen to Cole. When Cole becomes aggressive towards the bear the bear attack Cole for it’s own protection. Cole is basically ripped apart from the bear and left alone and helpless on the island struggling for his life. The bear’s attack and Cole’s fight for survival leaves you question if Cole will live or die during the attack. Another major climax takes place when Peter and Cole are on the island together. Filled with anger Peter attacks Cole unexpectedly. Peter want Cole to fight back. At this point you are unable to put the novel down as you question how much Cole will take before he fights back. The time on the island did make positive changes on Cole. Cole pleaded for forgiveness from Peter and refused to fight back.
7. What is the significance of the books title? Is the title appropriate, or would I change it to something else?
The title of the book was good. The significance of the books title is related to when Cole is attacked by the spirit bear. As Cole was being attacked he ripped a handful of white hair from the bear. He placed the hair in his pocket. He knew if he managed to survive that no one would believe that he had seen a spirit bear. As Cole was being transported to the hospital he reached in his pocket and found the hair. Cole knew then it was not important anymore for him to prove anything to anyone. Cole tossed the hair in the waters and showed it to know one. At that point Cole decided that the only thing that matter to his was to just be honest from this point out. In the final chapter of the novel when Cole and Peter are together and Peter sees the spirit bear for the first time. Peter questioned if anyone would believe them. Cole explained to Peter that it doesn’t matter what other people think or believe. Cole says what is important is what you believe. One major factor I found this novel to be expressing to the reader is the fact that you can overcome anything, you can become anything as long as you believe in yourself. I don’t think I would change the title of this book because Cole’s experience from the bear’s attack plays an important part in all the changes that Cole makes in himself.
Author: Ben Mikaelsen
Publication Date: 2002
Page Count: 241
Type: Fiction
Started On: 12/1/07
Finished On: 12/16/07
My Grade: B
1. Why did I decide to read this book?
I am supposed to write a book synopsis on a book for English. Upon choosing a book I decided to tell my mother the situation I was faced. My mother works at a school and she brought home a few books to choose from. When I saw this book’s cover it looked interesting. The cover consists of a boy with a big bear that seems to be imaginary hovering above him. I read the back of the book and became even more interested.
2. Plot summary:
Cole Matthews is a fifteen year old teenager from Minneapolis. Cole lives at home with his alcoholic and abusive parents. He lives a hard life and has been in trouble many times in the past. After Cole broken into a hardware shop, robbing it, and trashing it he brags about it at school. Peter Driscal ratted to the police about Cole. Then Cole corners Peter outside in the parking lot and beats Peter up. Cole was placed in a detention center while the courts decided what to do with him. Garvey, a youth probation officer visits Cole at the detention center daily. During one visit Garvey asked Cole if he would consider applying for Circle Justice. The Circles Justice is a healing form of justice practiced by the native cultures for thousands of years. In the Circle Justice a healing contract is signed and your obligation is to help make things right. The Circle Justice tries to heal, not punish. Healing requires taking responsibility for your actions. Garvey explained to Cole that if he did not want change this would not work. Cole decided that anything would be better than go to prison and he agreed to apply for Circle Justice. The Circle Justice committee consisted of anyone in the community who wished to make a difference to protect and improving the community. For Cole’s healing process, Garvey suggested that he be placed on a remote island in Alaska. After a number of meetings the committee agreed to place Cole in solitary confinement on the remote island in Alaska for one year. The committee required someone to go through the process with Cole and Garvey agreed to be his sponsor. Within the first two days on the island Cole burned down the cabin and all of his supplies, he tried to escape the island by swimming, and he was attacked by a white spirit bear. During those two days Cole laid helplessly fighting for his life in pain from the attack.
3. What is the setting and why is it important to the novel?
The majority of the setting of this novel takes place in the wilderness on a remote island in Alaska. The book is very descriptive in detailing the weather, temperatures, wildlife, and surroundings on the island. All of the descriptive details of the setting are very important. The details of the setting makes you feel as though you are on the island with Cole. The novel takes you through every month of the year. The cold weather and the cold waters are so clearly defined that you can clearly imagine the coldness. The setting and the way the setting is described in details is very important in this novel.
4. Who are the main characters and what roles do they play in the novel?
The main characters in this novel include Cole Matthews, Peter Driscal, Garvey and Edwin. Cole Matthews is a fifteen year old teenager from Minneapolis. For years, Cole has been in trouble with the law. Cole comes from a wealthy family which consists of alcoholic and abusive parents. Peter Driscal is a ninth grader who gets seriously injured in a fight with Cole Matthews. Garvey is a youth probation office who took interest in Cole. Garvey was a Tlingit Indian. Edwin was a Tlingit elder who helped arrange Cole’s banishment. Edwin built a shelter for Cole on the island and made all the preparations
5. What is/are the main conflict(s) in the novel?
I feel that this novel contains several main conflicts. The story begins with one of the conflicts as Cole is assaulting Peter in the school parking lot. This is a conflict between Cole and Peter. The next conflict that takes place would be during Cole’s first visit to the island.
As Cole becomes aggressive towards the spirit bear it causes the bear to fight back. Another conflict could be the one with Cole his self. Cole has to find a way to forgive him self.
6. Describe the climax of the novel?
This novel is filled with one climax after another. The climax of this novel takes place during the first two days on the island. When Cole tries to escape from the island unsuccessfully he finds himself face to face with the white spirit bear. Face to face with a spirit bear makes you question what is going to happen to Cole. When Cole becomes aggressive towards the bear the bear attack Cole for it’s own protection. Cole is basically ripped apart from the bear and left alone and helpless on the island struggling for his life. The bear’s attack and Cole’s fight for survival leaves you question if Cole will live or die during the attack. Another major climax takes place when Peter and Cole are on the island together. Filled with anger Peter attacks Cole unexpectedly. Peter want Cole to fight back. At this point you are unable to put the novel down as you question how much Cole will take before he fights back. The time on the island did make positive changes on Cole. Cole pleaded for forgiveness from Peter and refused to fight back.
7. What is the significance of the books title? Is the title appropriate, or would I change it to something else?
The title of the book was good. The significance of the books title is related to when Cole is attacked by the spirit bear. As Cole was being attacked he ripped a handful of white hair from the bear. He placed the hair in his pocket. He knew if he managed to survive that no one would believe that he had seen a spirit bear. As Cole was being transported to the hospital he reached in his pocket and found the hair. Cole knew then it was not important anymore for him to prove anything to anyone. Cole tossed the hair in the waters and showed it to know one. At that point Cole decided that the only thing that matter to his was to just be honest from this point out. In the final chapter of the novel when Cole and Peter are together and Peter sees the spirit bear for the first time. Peter questioned if anyone would believe them. Cole explained to Peter that it doesn’t matter what other people think or believe. Cole says what is important is what you believe. One major factor I found this novel to be expressing to the reader is the fact that you can overcome anything, you can become anything as long as you believe in yourself. I don’t think I would change the title of this book because Cole’s experience from the bear’s attack plays an important part in all the changes that Cole makes in himself.
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