Touching Spirit Bear 13-14

When Cole insists that he is okay, Garvey thinks Cole is referring to his injuries. What does Cole really mean?

•  Cole is trying to tell Garvey to leave him alone, that he doesn’t want medical attention or help of any kind. He is okay with dying.

• Cole is confused. He thinks his mother is taking him to the hospital, and he is trying to reassure her that everything will be okay.

• Cole is referring to his emotional well-being. He has experienced a great deal of personal growth, which has changed his outlook on life.

• Cole means that he now understands the cycle of life and the natural order of things. If he is meant to live, he will, and if he is meant to die, he will.

Garvey apologizes to Cole for “getting you into this,” and Cole responds, “My fault!” What is the significance of this statement?

• Even after all Cole has been through, he is still saying what he thinks the other person wants to hear.

• Cole is being sensitive to Garvey’s feelings and gives the answer he thinks will make Garvey feel better.

• Cole is trying to fool Garvey so that Garvey will stand up for him at the next Circle Justice meeting.

• For the first time, Cole is taking responsibility for his own actions.

While under Rosey’s care, Cole has a nightmare. Describe it.

• He dreams that people help him and then they turn into monsters and laugh at him.

• He dreams that he is swimming away from the island, but the Spirit Bear comes up out of the water to attack him.

• He dreams that the Spirit Bear attacks him again, but this time he kills the bear.

• He dreams that his dad is beating him but the Spirit Bear appears and attacks his father.

Rosey tells Cole that his body will heal in a few months, but time won’t heal his mind as easily. What does she say will heal his wounds of the spirit?

• Facing Peter again will help to heal his spirit.

• He must become a part of the circle of life.

• Helping others helps to heal the spirit.

• He must return to the island to heal his spirit.

According to Edwin, can a person ever completely stop being angry?

• A person can completely stop being angry if he lives a life helping others who are in need.

•  Anger can be conquered, but it takes a great deal of time, healing, and punishment.

• Anger is something that will always be there. A person can only tame his anger.

• Anger can be conquered only when a state of peace and love for nature becomes more powerful.

Why doesn’t Edwin believe Cole was attacked by a Spirit Bear?

• Spirit Bears are not found on that island; they live hundreds of miles south off the coast of British Columbia.

• Cole has not told the truth about anything so far, so there is no reason to believe his story.

• Tlingits believe that Spirit Bears are spirit animals; they exist only in visions.

• Edwin spent many years on that island, and he never saw the Spirit Bear.

Why doesn’t Cole show Edwin the Spirit Bear’s hair to prove he had been attacked by it?

• Cole wasn’t ready to trust Edwin with his memento from the encounter.

• Cole knows that he is speaking the truth, and that is enough.

• Cole lost the hair before he could show it to Edwin.

•  Cole thinks that Edwin won’t believe the hair came from a Spirit Bear.

True or False: When Garvey brings up that Cole may not have use of his arm, Cole shows he has changed his feelings about Garvey's ingredients metaphor.

• True

• False

What memory of the island will stay in Cole’s mind and heart?

• the smell of the burning shelter

•  the Spirit Bear

•  being forced to eat a mouse

• the baby birds

How much time passed between when Cole left the island and when he was released from the hospital?

• two weeks

• four months

• six months

• two months