Touching Spirit Bear Essay Example

Touching Spirit Bear's theme is appreciation for nature and all living organisms. In the book it covers transformation through nature and animals.Cole Matthews, a 15-year-old bully, broke into the store, which Peter witnessed and reported to the authorities; Cole then beat Peter and was sent to the Circle of Justice on an Alaskan island to heal. In Ben Mickelson’s Touching Spirit Bear, Cole Matthews meets numerous animals which made Cole's change on the island through nature and animals. The seagull signifies survival, and the sparrow symbolizes life. Cole realized he needed to change after realizing what he did to others was wrong.

Cole possessed power at the start of the book, which he maintained by making people fear him but that changed when he realized the bear didn't fear him. Because Cole saw the bear as he was dying, the Spirit Bear represents change. Cole was also brave enough to pet the bear. "If I saw a Spirit Bear, I'd kill it" (Ben Mikaelsen 19). For the first time in his life, Cole lacked power, but the bear did, and he was furious. He tries to gain control of the power by attacking the bear, but he fails miserably. Peter also trusted Cole after seeing the bear for the first time.

Cole wishes for death to come quickly after being mauled by the spirit bear. He realized how powerless he had been after his helpless attempt to make the spirit bear fear him.The seagull represents survival because it appears when Cole is dying and fighting for his life. He wishes to die because he was left with open wounds after the bear walked away. The seagulls had tried to rip a piece of his flesh off at that point. '"Why couldn't the seagulls leave him alone" (Ben Mikaelsen 116) Later in the novel, he appears to have learned from his traumatic experience. This is because he begins to see that all of his actions have a reaction.

Cole had no empathy for anyone other than himself until he was mauled by the Spirit Bear. He became attached to the sparrows after moving to the island. The sparrows represent life and love because they demonstrated that the mother bird cared for her baby sparrows, which Cole despised because he didn't have a caring mom. The Sparrows were shown during the storm and when he was injured. This changed when the storm hit and knocked them out of their nest. "What had happened to the baby birds?" (Ben Mikaelsen 93)  The baby sparrows, like Cole, attempted to return to a broken home. Cole began to care about things other than himself after this incident.

Nature and its symbolism act as a way for transformation. As a result of this Cole transformational process in Ben Mickelson's Touching Spirit Bear that allows him to heal, the spirit represents change, the seagull represents survival, and the sparrow represents life. Cole's perspective on the island shifted dramatically. Cole has learned valuable lessons on the island, ranging from not to mess with a bear to the secret of healing through the sparrows. All of the challenges he faced during his time on the island shaped him into a better Cole.