In the novel touching spirit bear we learn all about a young boy named Cole Mathews learns how to control himself. He learns that anger is not the answer. He realizes that this is his,last chance. He learns that he was a juvenile delinquent that has no respect for others. He has three main traits that make him this way. He is always angry, he is doesn't trust anyone, and he is very dishonest. Cole Mathews has many problems he has traits that control him. He has anger, he is untrusting, and he is dishonest. Cole has an anger that is inside him. He doesn't know how it started he just knows that is is there. All he knows to do to is to let it control him instead of him controlling it. He lets himself become a …show more content…
He lives his life thinking that he is alone. He believes that no one is trying to help him, that everyone is trying to help themselves. Because of this he never opens up to anyone and he blames everyone for is mistakes. Cole Mathews has an extremely hard time letting someone help him because he believes that they don't really care about him. He he keeps thinking this way he was will always be alone. Another trait that would describe Cole is dishonest. Cole lies about everything, he never tells the truth. He lies about his regret toward hurting Peter. He lies about how he wants to change. He lies about how he will do his best on the island. He seems like the person who uses lies to escape the truth of his life. Cole feels to that since he keeps getting more chances, there is nothing to lose. He doesn't realize that sometimes telling the truth and getting in trouble is better than telling a lie and facing the guilt. In conclusion throughout the novel Cole Mathews has a very big temper, he doesn't trust anyone ever, and he never tells the truth. But later he learns that this is not the way to live. He realizes how to truly live. Hopefully one day Cole will become abetter man. That he will become a champ not a chump. Maybe he will be
(Mikaelsen 249). This is a drastic change from the beginning of the novel, where Cole hates everyone and everything and only thinks of himself. Near the very end of the story, Peter attacks Cole and Cole asks him to stop but he refuses to fight back. The old Cole would’ve fallen down and come up swinging as hard as he could. I believe he has truly changed from how he had previously acted.
He shows an unrelenting and uncompromising determination. For example, to stay afloat Cole begins to swim aggressively and passionately against the tide in hopes of getting to the neighbouring island.[5] Although, he perseveres and continues regardless, "Every minute counted now, and he needed to swim hard", these words that were stated relate to how he suffers severe physical and emotional pain as he swims across the water.[3] Surprisingly, despite his efforts, Cole eventually realizes he lacks the necessary power to reach the mainland because he is indirectly forced to return. [2]To conclude, Cole has incredible bravery in the face of emotional and physical suffering, proving his ability to endure pain and come out the other side stronger. He is also observant, and knowledgeable, and has a unique awareness of what causes others to react.
Instead of killing Cole, the bear walks off, leaving Edwin and Garvey to discover him on the brink of death. When Cole finally has the ability to choke out sentences at the hospital, he declares that he is beyond anger. Cole wanted to stop having his destructive fits of anger and was sure that he would stop being mad. Things would change. Edwin, an elder that Garvey asked assistance from while planning Cole’s banishment, countered his statement by explaining that “A person is never done being mad.
At the beginning of the novel, Cole Matthews is a vicious teenager who thinks he is superior to everyone, but is, in fact, hiding behind a shield of anger, the result of being brutally abused by his drunken father. Cole’s father, Mr. Matthews, drinks non stop until he becomes a monster, and then ruthlessly beats Cole up. When talking to Garvey, a proud, Tlingit indian, who is also his parole officer, Cole opens up about his father’s abuse saying, “‘You don’t know what it’s like being hit over and over until you’re so numb you don’t feel anything!” (Mikaelsen 28).
His father's beating has not only caused physical pain but mental pain and damage making him broken, disturbed, and insecure. Cole had enough of the Spirit Bear and advanced on the
Cole has changed how he feels about nature from the beginning of the book, exactly like how the first and final haikus differ from each other. The following statement shows how he has changed and realized he is a small part of a big circle, and is what inspired the “realizing life’s a circle” part of the haiku: “Standing beside the totems, explained to Peter that being invisible was being a part of life’s circle and accepting it. ‘This morning, when we forgave each other, we also forgave ourselves,’ he said. ‘We allowed ourselves to become a part of the big circle. . . .’” (Mikaelsen 239), whereas in the beginning Cole hated the idea of the circle and only thought of
I think that Cole started to overcome this problem when he had just gotten back to the island and he was acting up, so Garvey and Edwin threatened to take him back to Minneapolis. “If he screwed up things this time, there would be no next time.” (Ben Mikaelsen, 176) Cole finally learns that he needs to be mature and smarten up now because this really is his last chance. He needs to make the
Everything will turn out right in the end, and Cole exhibits this. The whole reason that Cole ended up o the island in the first place is because he made bad choices. These choices led to more bad choices and then Cole had a traumatic experience. This changes Cole’s life forever.
In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, the main character Cole Matthews demonstrates he is reckless on several occasions. Cole exhibits this trait on page 65 when he throws a wood spear at the spirit bear. He does not think things through and does not realize the fact that a bear could could kill him with ease. On pg 50 “Peter's lawyer said “we don't know all the reasons for clues anger,but we do know he is out of control , any solution found by this circle justice must protect society and make Cole fully responsible for his actions”. This statement by someone else reveals that Cole is reckless and does not think things though because he beat up a kid and thought he would get away with it with our any consequences.
Cole was beaten by him throughout his childhood. This pain and anger gave him the personality and characteristic to inflict pain on other people. The two final themes have a very strong connection. In order to heal, mentally and physically, you have to learn to forgive and receive forgiveness. This was a lesson the reader and the main character, Cole, experience throughout the book.
He wonders why nobody wants to talk and connect with him even though he considers himself a normal, healthy
The relationships in Cole’s life all had a different impact on him but specifically his relationship with Peter affected him a lot. Especially the part of the book when Cole found out that Peter told on him. “‘You’re a dead man,’ he warned... He laughed when he saw fear in Peter’s eyes”(7-8). This shows the relationship at the beginning of the book and clearly it wasn’t good.
Cole emphasizes in his lyrics that “life can’t be no fairytale, no once upon a time; but [he’ll] be God damned if a n***a don’t be tryin’”. Despite all the shortcomings of his city, that won’t stop Cole from trying to make something out of himself. In comparison, I always had to learn things the hard way, and I always failed at what I tried to achieve. However my mistakes never stopped from moving forward and I continue to overcome any obstacles that stand in my way. Living through the hard times motivates me to continuously work hard, and never settle for
Because of his abrupt behavior, Cole has done many unintelligent things, such as burning his shelter on the island. His anger is his choice if Cole communicates by showing anger, isn’t he responsible for all of his actions? Cole has runined so many options of a better life that have come to him. It isn’t surprising that Cole wasn’t in support of the banishment process. In chapter 2, Cole started to search for an escape on the island, he loathed the shelter, the lonleyness, and the fact that he has no one to blame.
Character traits help shape a person into what they are, there are ways to change them and become a better person. In the short story Charles, written by Shirley Jackson, a boy named Charles possessed many different negative character traits in which some include being, obnoxious, dangerous, and disrespectful. Charles displayed immature and unnecessary trouble for all the students and teachers. Being obnoxious means extremely unpleasant and Charles was just that in this short story. Charles possesses the trait obnoxious because all the children in the class were trying to listen to the story while the teacher would be unable to read due to the noise.