Touching Spirit Bear Ben Mikaelsen
Marshall Tovar
Garvey works in the juvenile justice system. He has focused efforts on trying to get Cole to change his ways. He himself used to be juvenile delinquent and used to be in trouble with the law. In fact he stayed on the same island that Cole had to stay on during circle justice. Peter is a fifteen year old who has recently been beaten up by Cole for telling people Cole robbed a store. Cole was furious and enraged about this which led him to beat up Peter and eventually wind up on the island in the first place. Edwin is a Tlingit elder who knows the ways of the island better than anyone else, which is why it is very useful for Cole to listen to his advice about getting rid of his anger which Cole needs to do. Cole is a fifteen year old who has had a lot of trouble with the law previously and had more trouble with it after he robbed a bank and beat up Peter. Cole is forced into circle Justice which is where you are stranded on an island and have to survive or die for one year. Cole learns many things from Garvey and Edwin during this year which helps Cole learn to get rid of his anger and forgive himself for what he has done.
The baby birds and the mom bird in the story is a motif that is repeated many times to show that Cole never had any parents that were truly there for him whenever he go in trouble. The Spirit bear shows purity and how Cole needs to not fight it but become more like the Spirit bear, and to show Cole needs to purify himself. The fire at the beginning when Cole burns down the cabin shows anger and hate for the island that he had to stay on. also it showed Cole did not care about his survival because he thought he could escape. The hot dog that Garvey cooks when they were all sitting around the fire resembles life and that you have the choice to make your life what you want it to be. The ancestor rock is to show Cole's anger and that he has to get rid of it to be relieved of the anger that has built up inside of him.
"life is a hot dog it can be what you make of it" This is said by Garvey who supervises Cole during his trip to the island. It shows that life does not have to be bad it can be how you want your life to be. You can choose your decisions no one else chooses them for you.
I am Cole Mathews
I am forgiving and resourceful
I wonder if my anger will ever disappear completely
I hear a voice telling me advice
I see the Spirit Bear
I want to get off this island
I am Cole Mathews
I pretend I am different animals when I dance
I feel calmed
I touch the Spirit bear
I worry how Peter will react when he sees me
I cry when I get mauled
I am Cole Mathews
I understand I will never be forgiven
I say I am sorry for what I did
I dream Peter will forgive me
I try to get Peter to like me
I hope he will start talking to me soon
I am Cole Mathews.