CLARFICATION

Cole Matthews is a 15 year old boy, with loads of trouble. He's abused by his father, and has no help because his mother is very quiet and lets things happen. Cole is a massive bully, hes been to a million police stations, at least one psychologist, a plethora of detention centers, more than enough counselors, and two residential treatment centers. As you can tell he has a troubled life. Finally his last straw was when he almost butchered Peter Driscal. This attack almost causes him to be tried as an adult. But he hears about Circle Justice which is a better alternative than jail, but harder.


1. Since Cole had his last strike, which was brutally beating up Peter Driscal, he's on the road to being tried as an adult and going to jail. But a man named Garvey really cared about Cole and gave him a better alternative than jail. That alternative was Circle Justice. Cole agreed to go, but for the wrong intentions. Cole wanted to go to Circle Justice, because he wanted to avoid going to jail. This is an example of positive success, because even though Cole wanted to go for the wrong reasons, he was bettering himself. By not going to jail, which would be much longer than Circle Justice, and also later on there are more good things to come, he just doesn't know it yet.

Quote:
Cole bit at his lip. "So this would get me out of going to jail?" "It isn't about avoiding jail," Garvey said "You go to jail angry, you stay angry. Go with love, that's how you come back. This all about how you do something, not what you do. Even jail can be positive if you go in with a good heart. I will say this, however. Usually the jail sentence, if there is one, is reduced under Circle Justice." That's all Cole needed to hear. He knew what game to play. "How do I get into this Circle Justice stuff?" he asked innocently.
Touching Spirit Bear, Page 12, By: Ben Mikaelsen


2. Cole's last arrest was breaking into a hardware store. Well the police had no idea who did it, until Peter Driscal spoke up. Peter had known that Cole did it, because Cole was boasting about his unruly deed. Obviously Cole denied it, and found out who snitched, Peter Driscal. Cole gave Peter no mercy, Cole was the tiger and Peter was the gazelle. When Cole was taken into custody he knew there was no getting out of this one, or so he thought. This is an example of negative success for 3 reasons, because Cole robbed a hardware store, he almost killed a person, and it wasn't Cole's fault, it was every one's fault why he was headed down this road( that's how he perceived the situation).

Quote:
The police might not have caught him, but after a week passed, he bragged about the break-in at school. When someone ratted on him, the police questioned Cole. He denied the break-in, of course, and then he beat up the boy who had turned him in. The kid, Peter Driscal, was a ninth grader Cole had picked on many times before just for the fun of it. Still, no one ratted on Cole Matthews without paying the price. That day, he caught up to Peter in the hallway at school. "You're a dead man," he warned the skinny red-haired boy, giving him a hard shove. He laughed when he saw fear in Peters eyes.
Touching Spirit Bear, Page 7, By:Ben Mikaelsen


3. The reason why Cole keeps getting in trouble, is beause of his parents. His dad beats him to were Cole's shirt can't hide all of the bruises, and his mother is to scared to do anything about it. His parents have a great abundance of money, and a reputation to protect. They have the money to keep getting him out of jail, and they don't want anybody to know their son is a juvenile delinquent. So instead of Cole doing the time and learing his lesson, they do everything in their power to make sure he's out one, two, three. That's one of the reasons why Cole does all of this crime over nd over again, because he always gets a second chance. This situation are examples of negative and positive success,(well at least I think so). It's negative because they keep on taking Cole out , and worrying what will happen to them, if anybody found out what kind of trouble Cole got into, on a regular basis, and how peolpe see them as parents. Another reason why it's negative is because Cole still does crime over, and over again. It's positive because Cole is not in jail, he's still being able to walk around freely.

Quote:
What angered Cole most after tis latest arrest were his parents. In the past they had always ame running with a lawyer, offering to pay damages and demanding his release. They had enought move to move mountains. Besides, they had a reputation to protect. What parent wanted the world to know their son was a juvenile delinquent? All Cole did was pretend he was sorry for a few days till things blew over. But that was how it had been in the past, before his parents got divorced.
Touching Spirit Bear, Page 8, By: Ben Mikaelsen.


4. Towards the end of the book, Cole wants to heal completely, but to do that Peter also needs to heal. This is because healing, is also about forgiving, Peter needs to forgive Cole. Peter needs to heal for two reasons, sowhere Cole is healed all the way, and also because he is commiting suicde. Cole's new mission is finding away for Peter to heal, while Cole is on the island still. Cole now has good intentions, he want's Peter to get better, and he won't harm Peter anymore, all he wants to do is help. His idea is for Peter to come on the island, Cole think's this is a really good idea, because it helped him out alot, and he wants the same for Peter. This is an examlpe of positive success , because when Cole fisrt hurt Peter, he didn't care what happend to Peter. He had thought that was a good punishment for Peter. Now Cole want's Peter to live, get better, and to forgive him.

Quote:
Cole figured he wouldn't be here if Peter Driscal had known how to fight back. Instead, Peter was hospitalized. Doctors' reports warned he might suffer permanent damage. "Serves him right," Cole mumbled when he was fisrt told of Peter's condition.
Touching Spirit Bear, Page 8, By: Ben Mikaelsen

Quote:
Edwin picked at the rough edge of the table with his thick chipped thumbnail. "Peter tried again last night to commit suicide. His parents are desperate." Edwin placed both hands flat on the table. "Yesterday, when I left here, you said that you could help Peter. And you hollered after me that I wasn't listening. Well, now I'm Listening. Tlee me what you meant." Cole took a deep breath. "I think Peter should come here to the island." "Thats not possible," Edwin said firmly. "And you know that." "No, I dont know that." "His parents would never allow him alone with you." "Then you come and stay, too,'' Cole countered. "Peter needs to soak in the pond and carry the ancestor rock. He needs to learn how to be invisible and how to dance and to carve his totem. He needs to see the Spirit Bear." Edwin shook his head. "I have fishing season starting. And besides, I'm not sure being around you is what Peter needs." "I know that he's afraid of me and what I did," Cole said. "He thinks I'm a monster that's coming back to get him. Maybe if he meets me again face-to-face, he'll see I've changed. And maybe he'll see that he can heal, too."
Touching Spirit Bear, Pages 205-207, By: Ben Mikalesen.