Hello! This week, you are:
(1) finishing Touching Spirit Bear
(2) sharing your last research project for this book
(3) responding to the following prompt:
A--page 12, “Justice should heal, not punish.”
B--page 31, “This banishment was the ultimate hurt—worst than his father’s fists, worse than his mother’s never caring. This was the hurt of being alone and unwanted.”
C--page 196, “How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all of your life unless you’re able to make up for it.”
Do you think that any of these quotes represent the main theme of the book? If so, explain, please. If not, please find the passage that best represents the theme of the book and explain why that one fits the best.
A note about next week’s work: my family and I are going camping on Thursday or Friday of this week, and we won’t be back until next Wednesday. I’ll leave an early prompt for your first week of Huck Finn, but your feedback will be seriously delayed. ;) In fact, you don’t have to post until next Tuesday night if that’s better for you. Have a great week!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
24 comments:
After reading Touching Spirit Bear I feel that the theme in the book is reflected in the quote found on page 196. This quote states "How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all of your life unless you're able to make up for it." Through out the entire book, Cole is haunted of memories from days of abuse and neglect. He is constantly angry and takes his anger out on others and needs to feel as if he has more power than any other being on the Earth. All of this changes once Cole is hanging on for his life after the attack of the Spirit Bear. Cole then begins to feel remorse and wants to help Peter. Cole begins to feel even worse when Cole is notified of Peter's attempt of suicide not only once, but twice. This is when Cole realizes that he needs to help Peter. Only one problem, Peter is deathly afraid of Cole and Cole has no idea how to help him. Once Cole reveals the idea of Peter coming to the island with Cole, and of course an adult to supervise, meetings begin to take place and it is decided that Peter will go to the island due to the fact that Peter's parents don't know what to do to help Peter and anything is worth a shot. When Cole lays eyes on Peter and notices how he stumbles and stutters and won't even pass a glance towards Cole's direction, Cole is overwhelmed with sorrow. He realizes what he has done is wrong, and he must live with his anger and regrets. This is when Cole is told that in order to help Peter he must make up for what he did. Cole gives Peter his space, gives up the cabin that he built so that Peter can have shelter and Cole is stuck in a tent, and allows Peter to journey with Cole daily to the soaking hole and on his journey with his ancestors. Weeks go by, and Peter begins to open up. The two go to the soaking hole alone and this is when Peter reveals all and opens Cole's eyes. The two share their feelings and cry together, and a bond is formed. Cole begins to forgive himself for what he has done, and realizes he cannot possibly live his life the way that he was. In the end, the two are not friends, but they are pleasant towards each other and Peter attempts to teach Cole how to carve, and even though Cole miserably fails, the two laugh about it and a stronger bond is formed between the two.
For my last research project about Touching Spirit Bear I decided to research totem poles, because in the end this is the item that brings the two boys together in a way that can be unexplained.
The totem pole originated in North America sometime before the 1800's, although none are found because the rain forest environment quickly decayed the totem pole. "Eddie Malin (1986) has proposed a theory of totem pole development which describes totem poles as progressing from house posts, funerary containers, and memorial markers into symbols of clan and family wealth and prestige." ("Totem Pole").
"Poles of all types share a common graphic style sandra carved and painted containers, housefronts, canoes, masks, intricately-woven blankets, ceremonial dress, weapons, armor, and many other tools and implements" ("Totem Pole"). The totem poles can represent familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events.
The erection of a totem pole is done by having a great wooden scaffold built and hundreds of strong men haul the pole upright into its footing while others steady the pole from side ropes and brace it with cross beams. Once the pole is erected a potlatch is typically held where the carver is formally paid and other traditional activities are conducted. The carver will usually, once the pole is freestanding, perform a celebratory and propitiary dance next to the pole while wielding the tools used to carve it. ("Totem Pole").
A typical totem pole last a little less then 100 years, but if a totem pole is destroyed one is replaced that looks almost identical to the previous one.
Works Cited
"Totem Pole." Wikipedia. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc..
10 Jul 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem_pole.
"Totem Poles of the Great Northwest." Manataka American Indian Council. Manataka American Indian Council. 10 Jul 2007 http://www.manataka.org/page30.html.
Lindsey-
You did a good job talking about Cole’s anger then moving to the relationship between Cole and Peter. Perhaps it could have been a little stronger if you put more of your own insight into your paper. For example, why hurting someone would cause you to think of it all the time? Or why would you over time because remorseful?
In conclusion, I liked how you put the quote and the page number into your blog at the beginning, then supported it with a lot of facts.
In Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, Cole, a young boy, must travel to an island alone and away from civilization. His way of getting there is by using a skiff. A skiff is “a flat bottom open boat of shallow draft, having a pointed bow and a square stern and propelled by oars, sail, or motor” (Skiff).The skiff was originally developed for inshore fishermen as an inexpensive and easy way of transportation. It was originally powered by rowing although today as well as in the book it was powered by a motor. In Touching Spirit Bear Cole mentions “lying in the bottom of a shallow aluminum skiff. Kneeling on one knee, steering, was Edwin” (Mikaelsen). For Cole this small boat took him from the world to an uninhabited island. Today, Sid Klein, a fisherman, talks about his experience with a skiff. “A 50-horsepower motor will keep the Caribiana Skiff gliding at 30 mph without using much gas. With a 10-inch draft, the boat can run the flats. The high bow handles rough water well, making it suitable for offshore use. "That is plenty fast for me," Klein said. "Another plus is that I can run all day on one tank of gas.”My wife and I were looking for something to take out to the islands and have a picnic lunch," he said. "I wasn't worried about carrying a lot of people, because I knew it would probably be just she and I" (TOMALIN).
Furthermore, the boat only had a few people and supplies that were transported to the island. The skiff is easy to maneuver, and is relatively small, allowing Edwin and Cole to go fairly close to the island. Later, when Cole returns to the island Edwin brings the skiff ashore and stays for a little while. During this time he leaves the skiff there with Cole. Seemingly giving him the opportunity to leave Edwin and escape. Cole does not take the opportunity. He stays on the island. When Edwin returns to the skiff they begin talking and Edwin tells Cole that he would not have been able to leave because he had pulled the spark plug. Cole then learned that Edwin did not trust him. “Garvey and I believe in you but you have not earned trust. Not trying to escape in the skiff is a good first step.” (Mikaelsen, 136). They talked about earning trust, dealing with friendship and other valuable lessons. Furthermore, by not taking the skiff in the first place it proved to the reader that he had changed a little. At the beginning of the book Cole would have done anything to leave the island. In conclusion, the skiff not only was used for transportation is also used for teaching purposes.
Works Cited:
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: Harper Trophy, 2001.
"Skiff." Answers.com. 2007. Answers Corporation: Online Encyclopedia, Thesaurus, Dictionary definitions and more.. 12 Jul 2007 http://www.answers.com/topic/skiff.
"Skiff." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. April 4, 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 12 Jul 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiff.
TOMALIN, TERRY . "One man's boat odyssey." tampabay.com Know it now.. June 1, 2007. St. Petersburg Times. 12 Jul 2007 http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/01/news_pf/Sports/One_man_s_boat_odysse.shtml.
"How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all your life unless you're able to make up for it.(pg.196 Touching Spirit Bear." After finishing Touching Spirit Bear I think the quote above is the theme of the story. When Cole returned to the island for the seccond time he was finally ready for change. Cole has improved his attitude and is willing to change by taking Edwins advice. When Edwin was sentenced to the island he went on morning swims to clear his mind and he would carry his ancestors and Edwin passed his wisdome on to Cole. Cole was finally a ble to do his anger dance but was unable to carve it on his totem pole. Cole realized that "It isin't enough to be sorry and forgive. Somehow I have to figure out a way to help Peter. Untill then, Ill never be able to carve anything in the blank space" (Mikaelsen pg. 196). Cole realized that was what he had to discover on the islad before he could heal. Since Cole's discovery he had been thinking of a way to help Peter, it was all he could think about. After Peters seccond suicide attemps Cole finally told Edwin of his idea to help Peter. Cole wanted to bring Peter to the island to stay with him. Peter came to the island and stayed with Cole and Garvey. As time went by, Peter was finally able to learn from the island like Cole and the two of them were able to forgive. Cole and Peter had bonded and were both able to see the spirit bear.
For the first two nights on the island Cole, Edwin and Garvey had tribal dances. They would dance and talk about what they had learned from an animal they had encountered that day. When Edwin and Garvey left the island, Cole continued with the tribal dancing.
Tribal dances are common in Native American Indians. The dances are simple and express joy and happiness. Different types of tribal dances are classical Indian dancing, ceremonial dancing, folk dancing, fancy dancing and sacred dancing. The dances are very simple with small steps. Tribal dancing is very unique. By dancing you are able to express yourself.
touching spirit bear
MY FINAL POST
"How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all your life unless you're able to make up for it.” (Pg.196 Touching Spirit Bear.) After finishing Touching Spirit Bear, I think the quote above is the theme of the story. When Cole returned to the island for the second time, he was finally ready for change. Cole has improved his attitude and is willing to change by taking Edwin’s advice. When Edwin was sentenced to the island, he went on morning swims to clear his mind, and he would carry his ancestors. Edwin passed his wisdom on to Cole. Every night Cole would also perform tribal dances to heal. Cole was finally able to do his anger dance but was unable to carve it on his totem pole. Cole realized that "It isn’t enough to be sorry and forgive. Somehow I have to figure out a way to help Peter. Until then, Ill never be able to carve anything in the blank space" (Mikaelsen pg. 196). Cole realized that was what he had to discover on the island before he could heal. Since Cole's discovery, he had been thinking of a way to help Peter; it was all he could think about. After Peter’s second suicide attempt, Cole finally told Edwin of his idea to help Peter. Cole wanted to bring Peter to the island to stay with him. Peter came to the island and stayed with Cole and Garvey. As time went by, Peter was finally able to learn from the island like Cole and the two of them were able to forgive. Cole and Peter had bonded and were both able to see the spirit bear together.
For the first two nights on the island Cole, Edwin and Garvey had tribal dances. They would dance and talk about what they had learned from an animal they had encountered that day. When Edwin and Garvey left the island, Cole continued with the tribal dancing.
Tribal dances are common in Native American Indians. The dances are simple and express joy and happiness. Different types of tribal dances are classical Indian dancing, ceremonial dancing, folk dancing, fancy dancing and sacred dancing. Belly Dancing was originally a form of tribal dance. The dances are very simple with small steps and are very unique. By dancing you are able to express yourself. Tribal dancing is not a cultural marking for just Native Americans. Many different groups all over the world have tribal dances. Dances are used mainly for entertainment but are very common in ceremonies and rituals. The dances are seen as sacred and a way of staying connected to their roots.
"Indian Folk and Tribal Dances." 12 July 2007 http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/4287/folk.htm.
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: Harper Collins, 2001. 3-240.
"Tribal Dance." 12 July 2007 http://www.indians.org/articles/tribal-dance.html.
Paige, Joseph. "Tribal Dance." 13 July 2007 http://www.native-languages.org/composition/tribal-dance.html.
Autumn,
I actually almost chose the skiff as my project! Your information that you found was very interesting and I really liked how you found how fast the skiff was capable of travelling and you related the skiff in a great way to the story. Awesome job!
Anna,
I entirely agree with everything that you stated. I understand why you think the way that you do and you supported your thoughts in a great way. You transitioned very well from your theme statement to your research project and that made your response more interesting. Great job!
Lindsey: I think you did a great job with your summary. You took your theme and related it to the entire book. You had excellent support for the theme that you chose and I agree that this theme is the one for this book. You had a lot of research on totem poles. And your reason for searching the totem poles apply to the book. Good Job!
Autumn: I loved your research topic. You always pick a topic that I didn't even think to research. I really liked how you took a quote from a real experience on a skiff. Good Job!
Lindsey-
The reason I chose the skiff to do in the first place was because you chose the Totem Pole and C page 196, which was I had intended to do in the first place. But I did not want to copy you so I did the skiff.. I guess we just think alike..(blond thing? jk)
As far as your totem pole research.. I like how you mixed your information that you found with the information that was in the book. I also liked how you mentioned what the poles represent (familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events.). Another fact that I found interesting from your paper was "A typical totem pole last a little less then 100 years, but if a totem pole is destroyed one is replaced that looks almost identical to the previous one."
Anna-
The quote you used was great!! I think it really inhanced your paper. I was a little confused about where one blog post ended and the other began. But once I read it a few times I understood it. I like how you began your tribal dance section with.."Tribal dances are common in Native American Indians. The dances are simple and express joy and happiness. " It was a good informational start that allowed the reader to conprehend what the rest of the paper was about and it provides some background information. Nice job.
HEAL THEN HELP
After conpleting Touching Spirit Bear I feel that the best quote that represents this book is "how to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all of your life unless you're able to make up for it." This was said by Edwin after Cole learned that he needed to help Peter to heal himself. At the beginning of the book Cole was sent to the Justice Circle to determine what would happen to him after he severely injured Peter, his old classmate. Justice Circle's purpose is to heal and not punish. After the program sentenced Cole to an uninhabited island, Cole slowly began to heal. He soaked in the cold pond every morning to clear his mind. Then he would carry a rock, representing his anger, up the hill. Next, he would roll the rock down the hill and release his anger. Once Cole was nearly killed by the Spirit Bear and was taken back to the main land. He was able to return to the island, only he sold his toys to get enough money to pay for the supplies needed to stay at the island. He had to build the cabin himself. He also carved his own totem pole. He had carved a wolf, a whale, and other animals that taught him lessons although he did not know what to carve for his anger dance. Once there had been a noticable inprovement in Cole, he was notified that Peter had tried to commit suicide. Cole spoke to Edwin and Edwin convinced Peter's parents that it may help Peter. Peter slowly healed and forgave Cole. Cole told Peter that he wanted forgiveness and said that "everything will be better when my headaches go away, when I can sleep at night, and my bad dreams quit" (Mikaelsen, 234). Later, they saw the Spirit Bear which signified their final healing. Then, they returned to the cabin and carved a circle for their anger dance.
Throughout the entire book the author focused on Cole's healing then on the interaction between Peter and Cole so they could both finally be healed and forgive each other. The author mentioned many different tactics that Cole and Peter used as methods of healing. For example, Cole soaked in the pond, and carried the rock. Peter became angry and tried to hurt Cole before finally releasing his resentment.
Furthermore, this theme of healing can be used both personally and universally, which enables readers to relate more to the book. For example, when I hurt someone I want to be forgiven. If I'm not, then it begins to clog up my mind, and I begin to dwell on it and think about it all the time. It limits the fun and happiness in my life because I'm thinking about a sad depressing situation. In addition, after the United States bombed Iraq, some soldiers started rebuilding schools. This perhaps allowed the United States to feel helpful and productive. By helping others they can help themselves heal from the pain and destruction they caused to the Iraqi people. In conclusion, when someone is hurt by you, you will be in pain until you help those in need. Learn from Cole and Edwin. Edwin hurt someone when he was younger, then he successfully helped Cole and Peter heal. Cole can't stop thinking about Peter and how much he regretted what he did. He hurt and inpacted so many people just by one wrong decision.
Works Cited:
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: Harper Trophy, 2001.
"It doesn't matter what other people think or believe," Cole said. It's what you believe. That's what's important."
This is the passage in Touching Spirit Bear that really reveals the theme of the book. Throughout the novel, Cole is in trouble with the law and is caught for his crimes many times. "I won't do it again," he promises, and he walks away scott free. Sure, he said he'd be better, but it didn't matter if other people believed it; that wouldn't make it true. He didn't care about what he was saying, and he certainly mean it. The fact that others believed it just made life easier for him.
The same is true for all of the judges, lawyers, and parole officers who told him about all of his "last chances". The members of the rushed justice system he was put through were quick to pawn him off to others. If they gave him a "be a good boy, this is your last chance" speech, that made him someone else's problem. Whether all of the victims' of Coles crimes (store owners, parents) believed that this was his "last chance" or not, it didn't change the fact that he got away with all of it until he nearly killed a schoolmate.
This also works the other way. After the change in Cole's attitude took place, no one believed what he was saying, despite the fact that it was the first true things he had ever said. He pleaded with Garvey, Edwin, and even Peter at the end of the story to believe he'd changed for the better. What he realized, though, was that it didn't matter if they believed him, because he had changed. In the end, the fact that he believed he changed helped everyone else believe it, too.
Since this is the final week of posts on this book, I wanted to make it about something that really meant something. This week for my research, I chose to look at the effects on those abused as children.
As children, they feel like they have done something wrong. Their minds aren't mature enough to understand the situation, and they try to change their behavior. When abuse continues even after they've changed their behavior, they come up with ridiculous reasons as to why the abuse happens and blame themselves, deeming themselves as worthless. In the story, both Cole's anger and Peter's depression were spawned by the same idea. "By coming up with ideas about what they did to cause the abuse and what they can do differently to avoid the abuse, children also develop a range of maladaptive behaviors which can become pathological problems." (Child Abuse: An Overview)
There are also effects that follow the victim to adulthood. The idea of a relationship becomes distorted- women abused as children tend to have very low self esteem and will often seek either emotionally or physically abusive partners as adults. Men often become the abusers. In these situations, they're "reenacting abusive patterns in current relationships" (Hopper). It also affects other aspects of adult life including work and even non-romantic or platonic relationships.
Sources Cited
"Child Abuse: An Overview." Findcounseling. 13 Jul 2007 http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/child-abuse/child-abuse-effects.html.
Hopper, Jim. "Child Abuse." 13 Jul 2007 http://www.jimhopper.com/abstats/#effects.
Lindsey: I didn't choose to write about the quote on page 196 because I didn't think it was the theme, but after reading yours, I see where it comes from. You use a lot of support to get your point across. I totally get it!
Autumn: Okay, I read the entire book with only half a guess as to what a skiff was, and was actually going to do my research on it this week. Your research was so complete, there was nothing else to add. I couldn't possibly have done it better.
Anna: I liked how you researched the tribal dances of more than just Native Americans. It opened my mind to something I hadn't really thought about. Nice job!
Totum poles are a tradition of Pacific Northwest Coast Indian tribes (Washington state, British Columbia and southern Alaska). They wood they were carved from came mostly from cedar trees. Totem poles stood in a room, or sometimes sat outside tents to represent the status of the people living in the tent. Totum poles were originally part of the Potlatch ceremony, a meaningful feast of the coastal First Nations. They were carved to represent a family, like a family crest. They recognized the family’s accomplishments, adventures, stories and prerogatives.
Totum poles were raised in honors of an elder that had passed away who meant a lot to the clan, to show the number of names and rights someone had acquired throughout their life or to record an encounter with a supernatural being. When a tribal chief died, totem poles were used to bring them honor. A hand-carved totem pole would be raised that showed the accomplishments the chief had achieved over his life. High ranking people might be honored when they died by being cremated, then having their ashes put into a totem pole (near the top in a hollow section).
There was a totem pole called a shame pole. It was used to show the disgrace of a person. It was an effective tool used by a tribal chief against another. The shame pole would stay in a place until the other chief would pay a demanded price or make peace in a different way.
Animals weren’t always carved clearly, but there was always a theme that helped identify them. An example of one of these theme would be a beavers two sharp teeth and its broad shaped tail displayed in front of its body. If a totem pole had an eagle on it, it was either because the owner believed his ancestry stemmed from the eagle, the owner had recently had an encounter with the animal or he had received a supernatural gift from the animal.
This is a chart of some common totum figures and what they stand for:
Wolf Powerful (most powerful are pure white)
Bear Caring, must not be insulted or cursed
Whale Ruler of water, noble
Raven Powerful, curious, defiant, compulsive, corrupt, deceptive
Eagle Lord of the sky, brave
Hawk Regal, stands off but will assist humans if they need help
Thunderbird Grand lord of the sky, needs homage
Kolus Thunderbird’s brother, show off, competitive, strong
Two-headed Sea Serpent Deceitful, evil, can turn enemies into stone with one glance
Beaver Vengeful
Frog Misunderstood, underestimated, associated with great wealth
The meaning of some totem poles that told of stories or adventures have been lost over time. The meanings were usually kept within the family, the pole’s owner and the carver. Some owners did share the story of their totum pole, but unless they did, the meaning was not understood by others and totally lost.
Totum poles today are carved for both Natives and non-Natives. They represent Native tradition and pride. The most expensive form of Native art is probably totum poles made during the 1800’s, which were made of one piece of cedar each, which could be up to forty feet. It isn’t really suprising that they are so expensive, because of the cost of a full-grown cedar tree and the amount of carving and painting an artist uses to turn it into a totem pole. On average, a totum pole is $500 per foot. If you find one less than that, it probably isn’t hand-carved, made by a native artist and/or carved from one tree.
Works Cited:
“American Indian Totum Poles.” Native Languages of the Americas: Preserving and promoting American Indian languages. 1998-2007. 13 Jul 2007
http://www.native-languages.org/totem.htm.
“Native American Totum Poles.” Indians. 2007. American Indian Heritage Foundation. 13 Jul 2007
http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-totem-poles.html.
“Totem Poles and Sculptures.” Native Online. 2000. 13 Jul 2007
http://www.nativeonline.com/totem_poles.htm#Common%20Totem%20Figures.
I believe that the main theme of the book was that justice should heal, not punish. Ben Mikaelsen had wrote about Cole’s life at the detention center. One thing that really sticks out in my mind is when Garvey brought the cake ingredients and left them there, and Cole threw them everywhere. This showed that Cole was an angry person and the detention center wasn’t helping him with his anger in any way. After his attack from the Spirit Bear, Cole began to change. Towards the end of the book he helped Peter change, also. The other form of justice (Circle Justice) healed Cole and helped him with his anger. As you can see, Ben Mikaelsen was trying to prove that justice should heal and not punish.
Lindsey,
Your post was really good. I liked how you said that Cole first wanted to change after he was attacked by the Spirit Bear, and also that Cole knew he had to help Peter after he tried to commit suicide twice. You said that Cole was overwhelmed with sorrow when he saw that Peter stumbled, stuttered and wouldn’t even look at Cole. You explain everything Cole does to help Peter heal, which provided a lot of support of your opinion.
Autumn,
Your post was also really well written. You researched something that wasn’t talked about much in the book and showed that it meant so much more to the author’s purpose. You used a quote, when Edwin said that not trying to escape in the skiff was a first good step. That showed that the skiff actually was meant to be more than a boat. I really like how you stated your conclusion about how the skiff wasn’t only used for transportation, but also for teaching purposes.
The quote I chose to best represent the theme of the book was found on page one-hundred twenty eight. It says, "And yes, maybe people don't change completely overnight, but I do believe they can change direction overnight. Facing in a new direction is the first step of any new journey." Edwin spoke this quote to the Keeper, trying to convince him that Cole deserved a second chance on the island, and that now he was ready to be serious about changing. For Cole, going to the island was his start to a new direction. There he could build a new life, and build a new way of thinking. Alone on the island was where he could get rid of his anger. From reading, you can see that Cole did not change completely overnight, but at the same time you can see how he was facing a new direction, a new direction pointing him towards change. That was exactly what Edwin stated. This was the same case for Cole's mother as well, who played a small role in the book. Throughout Cole's life, his mother never took the opportunity to make a change for she and Cole either. Even though it took Cole's accident for her to be re-awakened, I think it was for the best. Now, Cole's mom could begin a new life. This life would be fulfilled with more hope and less anger. Her way of change was similar to her son's. Although Cole's realization of theunnecessary anger he was carrying came slow, he eventually came to his senses. With this, came a completely new life for Cole. A life filled with more happiness, and even forgiveness from Peter. Overall, in order for someone to change who they are for the better, they need time in most cases. The first step of change, is realizing that you need too. This, is what I believe Edwin means by, "facing a new direction." Now that Cole realized he needed to change his ways, he could begin the healing process. For him, time was his key medicine to healing his anger, and healing his broken life. At the end, Cole was a happier, more compassionate young man who didn't let his anger ruin his future. The Circle Justice program and the island, gave Cole a chance to change. Although it took some time, being there for the first time definitely put his life in a new direction.
For the final post on Touching Spirit Bear, I felt that there was one thing I really wanted to know about before we moved on to Huckleberry Fin. What that was, was the Tlingit people and their traditional customs. In the book, Cole's world and way of living his life had completely changed for the better from being on the island. A major part of this, was the Tlingit customs taught to him by his elder Edwin. A few examples from the book were carrying the ancestor rock, soaking in the pond, the totem pole, and dancing. To me, these aspects played a huge role in Cole's recovery, and I wanted to research them and other aspects of the Tlingit culture.
Tlingit, is actually pronounced as "Klingit." The word originated from "Lingit," which means "people." The word Tlingit, was specifically chosen to distinguish the human beings from animals, because they believed there was very little difference between the two. They are said to be the "Northernmost group of Northwest Coast Indian peoples who inhabit the islands and coast of southern Alaska, U.S," says Britannica Encyclopedia. It is said that human occupation of Southeast Alaska occurred eleven thousand years ago by these people. By oral traditions, the Tlingit arrived from the head of the rivers. As one story goes, "'Nass-aa-geyeil' (Raven from the head of the Nass River) brought light and stars and moon to the world," says Thomson Gale. Also, a major aspect of their existence is the Tlingit language. It is most commonly known because of the complex sound and grammar systems. Also, they use certain phonemes, which as we know, are not heard in any other language. Overall, these groups of people are more well known then I believed them to be. Because of their great respect and wisdom, the Tlingit's have really made a name for themselves.
One of the most important things to Tlingit culture, or maybe even the most important, is this quote. "All life is of equal value; plants, trees, birds, fish, animals, and human beings are all equally respected," says Gale. Clans, which are what the Tlingit's are grouped and divided into, have identifying crests for each household. Whether that crest is as great as an eagle, or as simple as a mouse, each is equally proud. This may even be my favorite aspect of the culture. The fact that this group of human beings can live happily, with everyone being equal is incredible. If only the world we lived in today was a little more like that. Also, misuse of valuables, or any type of property is frowned upon. To the Tlingit, everything has meaning, and everything is important. Therefore, nothing should be mistreated.
Next, while researching I noticed that "crest ownership," is one of the most sacred things to this group. Each crest has stories and songs associated with it that belong to the clan. Actually, I learned that over a century ago, there was a major dispute over who owned a particular crest. Although the dispute didn't go into detail, I learned that the issue turned into a social, political, and legal battle that lasted for decades. Sadly, in some ways this issue still remains unresolved. What I learned, was that when a particular clan wants to use something such as a bald eagle song, or a killer whale dance or crest design, they must make an agreement to do so with the clan who owns it. If they do not, it is considered stealing, and that is how the dispute started years ago.
To continue, potlatches are another integral part of Tlingit life. As you may know, a potlatch is a giant feast, which is celebrated when showing respect, paying debts, and displaying wealth. Also, just eating a meal is an important time for Tlingit people. When gathering for breakfast, dinner, or anything for that matter, the meal is well prepared and the family makes a point to share it peacefully together. Anyway, for the Tlingit's, a potlatch is a great way to show or see wealth. One's wealth can elaborate how grand or simple one's potlatch may be. Although potlatches are given for many reasons, the most common today are funeral, memorial, adoption, totem-pole raising, house or lodge building, or 40-day party potlatches. Lastly, these feasts are often accompanied with entertainment. One major form, would be dance. This will be explained next.
Lastly, learning about Tlingit dance was the main thing I wanted to do with this response. This was so, because in the book, dancing was something Cole did often. Especially affective, was the dance of anger, performed to let the anger within his mind free. Also, with each new animal he saw on the island, he often performed a dance in their honor. For the Tlingit's, dance is a means of communication, enjoyment, and expression. Dancing is extremely popular at potlatches, which are the giant feasts I explained previously. Also, drums and rattles are often used as accompaniment. Most times, dances are performed to tell a story, contact the spirit world, dance in honor of someone or something, or even extend an apology or to show up an opponent. These dances, are always performed with importance, and everyone is respected and appreciated for the dance they decide to share.
To conclude, I have to say that the Tlingit culture is definitely amazing. I love how much respect they show to each other, as well as animals. Their world seems very relaxed and carefree. Sometimes, I wish my life was a little more like Tlingit life. Lastly, I thought researching this topic was especially necessary because of the great impact it had on the book. Without Edwin's wisdom and ways of healing, I don't think Cole would have healed as fast. After reading and researching, I now have a better understanding of their life, and how their lifestyle had an impact on Cole's recovery.
Bibliography--
"Tlingit." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 July 2007 http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9380848.
Multiple Authors. "Tlingit." Every Culture. 2006. Thomson Corporation. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Tlingit.html.
Orr, Lee. "More About Tlingit Native American Culture." Denali Incorporated. 1999. Denali, Inc.. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.denaliincorporated.com/Pages/homepage.html.
Waterbury, Barbara. "Tlingit Dance." The Dalton Trail- Sheldon Museum. 1987. Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center Inc.. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.sheldonmuseum.org/tlingitdance.htm.
Research
To conclude my responses to the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, I have chosen to research the Snickers bar. The Snickers bar, first introduced in 1930, is what initiated the healing process between Cole and his suffering victim, Peter. Snickers candy is a product of Mars, Incorporated. The name for the candy bar came after the Mars family’s favorite pet horse, Snickers (Ehler). The original candy bar consists of a nougat center covered with caramel, topped with roasted peanuts and dipped in milk chocolate. “Packed with roasted peanuts, caramel and milk chocolate, Snickers Brand handles your hunger so you can handle, well… anything” (“Snickers.”). Currently, there are four variations of the candy, original, cruncher, almond and marathon energy.
After Peter made his second attempt at taking his life, the last resort was him confronting Cole within the Circle Justice program. After only a short time on the island it was understood that Peter didn’t want to be there and learn to forgive his assailant. Cole was willing to work with Peter, however Peter was at first timid and somewhat afraid of being around him. Cole, eager to help Peter heal, left him a Snickers bar in attempt to begin the rehabilitation process. When Peter accepted the Snickers bar that gave hope that the two boys would truly resolve their injustice and take responsibility for their actions.
For a picture of the Snickers Brand candy visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Snickers_wrapped.jpg
Works Cited:
- Ehler, James T. "Snickers Candy Bar." Food Facts and Refrence. 1990. 17 July 2007 http://www.foodreference.com/html/fsnickerscandy.html.
- "Snickers." Snickers Brand. 2006. Mars, Incorporated. 17 July 2007 http://www.snickers.com/index.asp.
Justice Should Heal, Not Punish
I believe the quote that best represents the main theme of the book is “justice should heal, not punish.” Throughout the entire novel we followed Cole through his rehabilitation in the Circle Justice program. Not only did the program liberate Cole of his angry and offensive past, but it also allowed healing for him and his victim, Peter. Cole dealt with issues from his history, such as abuse from his father, and learned to redirect his resentment in healthier ways other than making others feel inferior to him. As Garvey also said, “Healing is much harder than the standard punishment. Healing requires taking responsibility for your actions (pg. 13).”
Lindsey--
You did a really good job on your response to the theme of the novel. I liked how you analyzed the relationship between Cole and Peter and the dynamics of it. Personally, I was dissapointed with the ending of the book and wish that they further explained what happened with Peter and Cole beyond Circle Justice.
Autumn-- You chose an interesting topic, I've never heard of a skiff before. You did a good job at researching the topic and fully sharing deatils about it. You incorperated a variety of information from a number of sources. Well researched, good job =)
Angela--
I really like the quote you chose to represent the theme. I actually almost chose that one, because when Cole believed that what people thought didn't matter, I thought that was really cool. It must of been hard to ignore the fact that people didn't believe in him. The fact that he stayed true, and kept working hard to become a better person, despite the fact that people didn't agree with him, was one of my favorite aspects of the book. Good job =)
Alex--
I liked how you researched the Snickers Bar. I thought that topic was really creative, and I never would of thought of it. I actually totally forgot about the candy bar incident. Reading your response reminded me of the great impact it actually had on Peter and Cole's friendship. Awesome job!
Have thought how large Alaska really is? What about the weather? What about the amount of people who live there? These factors all combined makes Alaska a very harsh living environment. Outside of the cities, Alaska is almost uninhabited by humans. So why doesn't anyone try to live in the uninhabited parts of Alaska?
Firstly, Alaska is the biggest state in the United States; this is something that not everyone knows. When you look at Alaska on a globe, it does not look big but I assure you it is very large. Don't believe me? Alaska is 1,230,039 square kilometers, which is one-ninth the size of the United States total area. That is twice the size of Texas! Thus, there is enough room to hold many people, but that is more miles people have to travel to get what they need.
Secondly, there are not many people living there to get more to come to the state. Let me put it this way, Alaska has a population density of 0.96 people per square mile. Maine's population density is 41.3! New York has almost 400 people per square mile. That means that you would have to walk at least one full square mile to find only one person in Alaska (NPG). That makes most people a little edgy because this is the average, which includes the cast number of people in the cities.
Lastly, Alaska has a few regions that vary in the type of weather that they have. Some range from being warm all year, yet some are below freezing until summer where it is freezing. This temperature, combined with a large amount of precipitation, makes these regions very wet and cold. Thus, many people do not want o be in Alaska because it is not "Paradise." Although, paradise is in the eyes of the beholder, so this could be someone's paradise.
In conclusion, this vast open area with no people and harsh climates make this state very hard to live in. When Cole saw the tree and thought of making a canoe, why didn't he? Where would he have gone? He if he wasn't near a big city could he have found his way home or would he have perished in the harsh climate? Instead, Cole made a Totem Pole to show his life story, rather ending his life story by leaving in a canoe.
“Would you be willing to stay here longer if it meant helping Peter? [Asked Edwin] [Cole answered] I’d stay here my whole life if that’s what it took.”(208, Mikaelsen) Change, that small conversation shows how one person can change. At first, Cole just wanted to leave and forget his past and let his anger grow, but he could not let that happen. The bear attack sends a shock to his mind that life is worth it no matter what happens, no matter what is in the future. Now all Cole wants was to change his past to fix his future. If Cole were to help Peter forgive him, then Cole would be complete. Cole could then forgive himself and live his life. Having Peter come to the island gave Cole the chance to relieve the stress that had bottled up over time and allow Peter to let out his anger on Cole. Both would then be able to live as one in the circle of life, for that there is no end to the circle and the evils that you do will revolve around with you until they are resolved.
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: Harper Trophy, 2001.
"United States." CIA the World Factbook. 19 June 2007. Central Intelligence Agency. 17 July 2007
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
"Western Alaska is Often Stormy." Alaska.Com. 2007. The Anchorage Daily News. 17 July 2007
http://www.alaskaonline.com/about/weather/v-page2/story/4481284p-4775752c.html
"What are the Five Largest States?" About.Com. 2007. About, Inc. 17 July 2007 http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzlargestates.htm
Lindsey- Very well written but like what autumn said you need something more opinionated.
Autumn- I agree with you in part. Cole didn't take the boat, yes, but maybe it was because he thought that there was no sparkplug? Did you think of that? lol
Angela- Was the quote in italics? Nice... I can't get that to work... Your paper was in great depth... i liked it...
Jess- I was goig to do the Totem Poles but couldn't find a reliable source... nice job finding something that worked.
Alley- That was one of my fav. qutoes because it just seems so like life... if you want to change your life... just go a different way...
Alex- It makes me hungry... I would have had to have one with me if I wrote that... nice job I didn't even pick up on that witht he candfy bar.. o yeah and thank! I didn't know what a snickers bar looked like! lol jk
During the final chapters of Touching Spirit Bear I realized that I really didn't know much about the tribal dances that were performed by Cole, Edwin, Garvey and even Peter. I decided to take this further.
It's stated that these "tribal dances" are simple dances used to express joy and celebration. ("Indian Folk and Tribal Dances.")
Some examples provided are the Bhangra dance of Punjab. During this dance men only move to the beat of the drum. The moves include leaps and jumps, also men stand on others shoulders during the dance.
Another example is in South India they dance the Poikalkuthirai, or the dummy horse dance. In preperation for the dance dancers attach dummy legs to theirs to create the illusion of 4 legs. Both men and women dance, and balance a karagam on their head.
Of course the dances in Touching Spirit Bear were not quite that of celebration. But that of understanding. Cole used his observation of each animal to act out his dances, moving in ways that he figured a wolf, mouse, or even whale would. Being in touch with the "spirit" of the animal and its movements allowed him to understand why they animal acts as it does, and does what it does. It helped him realize what he needed to do to heal.
Works Cited
"Indian Folk and Tribal Dances." Indian Arts. NIIT Ltd. 17 July 2007 http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shrine/4287/folk.htm.
"Indian Folk Dances." Wikipedia. 15 July 2007. Wikimedia Foundations INC. 17 July 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_folk_dances.
Prompt
I chose the quote on page 196 to respond to.
“How to help Peter heal is something that will haunt you and stay under your skin. The harm you did to him will fester and pain you all of your life unless you’re able to make up for it.”
I honestly think this was the authors main purpose in writing this book. He talked often about forgiveness, both of ones self, of others, and for others to forgive you. Often life is about forgiveness, and its hard to do but it must be done to heal. Ben Mikaelsen was trying to show us that in order for Cole to ever accept himself and get over his anger he had to help Peter to forgive him and move on. He had to change his angry ways, and experience the pain along the way. Everything that happened to him, including the dances, pushing of the ancestor rock, and especially the soaking, had to be done in order for the process to be complete. It truly showed the forgiveness in Cole when he asked for Peter to come to the island to be healed. He even stayed longer than the time alloted. That proved to Edwin and Garvey that Cole had truly changed.
The only way for Cole to truly heal was for him to do his anger dance, forgive his father, and help Peter to realize his life was worth something, and that he was truly sorry.
Responses
Alex- I really liked your research project. It was definitely different and well researched. I would of never thought of something small like the candy bar and you really made me think about its importance to Cole and Peter much more.
Alley- I'm gonna focus more on your prompt response because I thought it was really good. You took the time to find a different quote, and I really think its a great choice. It definitely is a theme of the book, and you proved it well.
Angela- I liked how you went into talking about Child Abuse. Its a huge factor in this book, and across America. If only we could figure out a way to stop it. Then forgiveness wouldn't be needed in this case :) I really liked your post.
Mrs. Vigue. I'm sorry this is so late but I just got back from Mass. I was at Nationals for softball and wasn't able to access the internet. :( But I hope you get this in time to grade it. Thanks.
I did my bibliography wrong. I forgot to put it in alphabetical order, and I also forgot to add the book as a source. I decided to correct it =)
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York City: HarperCollins , 2001.
Multiple Authors. "Tlingit." Every Culture. 2006. Thomson Corporation. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Tlingit.html.
Orr, Lee. "More About Tlingit Native American Culture." Denali Incorporated. 1999. Denali, Inc.. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.denaliincorporated.com/Pages/homepage.html.
"Tlingit." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 July 2007 http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9380848.
Waterbury, Barbara. "Tlingit Dance." The Dalton Trail- Sheldon Museum. 1987. Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center Inc.. 16 Jul 2007 http://www.sheldonmuseum.org/tlingitdance.htm.
Post a Comment