Literature Circle Extension Literature Circle Extension ProjectProjectSubmitted by Rita FavataSubmitted by Rita Favata

Professor Susan SilvermanProfessor Susan SilvermanLanguage Arts and Technology Language Arts and Technology

EDLA-615 F01, FTU1/FTU2EDLA-615 F01, FTU1/FTU2

My understanding and appreciation of Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen, was greatly enhanced through this extension project. It provided me with countless opportunities to revisit the story and dig deeper as I thoughtfully sought and selected passages to achieve my goal. My quest was to create a visually-engaging PowerPoint version of the story, its characters, events and themes through authentic imagery and carefully chosen narrative. Choosing to organize the project in ABC format was ambitious, and at times, challenging (oh, that letter x!). It is my ardent hope that this culminating presentation not only captures and effectively conveys to you the essence of the literary work, but further stimulates and affirms deep connections for you as well.

I selected this slide design because it evoked feelings of turbulence and disorder, symbolizing Coles pain, feelings of rejection, confusion and loneliness. The sharp strokes and grey-blue hues are full of emotion and are complex, like the literary piece itself. It is much like an ocean storm, paradoxically offering a sense of hope . . . for there is always a calm after a storm.

With upheaval comes opportunity for growth and change. So, let the journey begin . . .

AngerAngerAnger keeps you lost. (Edwin, p 18)

Cole has will and courage, but he also has ugly anger. So what do we do with him? Do any of us know what caused that anger? And what if those same events had happened to each of us? How would we have reacted? (Garvey, p 49)

Anger is a predominant driving force in this story. Cole is a victim of his fathers violent anger and his mothers emotional abandonment. He

struggles with his own feelings of hurt, neglect and anger.

You drink until you cant stand up, and youre gone all the time. A devoted parent doesnt whip his kid until a shirt cant hide all the bruises! (Cole, p 46)

Bullying and Bullying and BlameBlameCole figured he wouldnt even be here if Peter Driscal had known how to fight back. (p 8)

Cole felt no regret for having burned the supplies and the shelter. Nor did he regret hurting Peter. This was somebody elses fault. (p 45)

Coles vicious, heinous attack on Peter Driscal causes irreparable brain damage. Untold emotional trauma haunts Peter to the point of two suicide attempts.

CircleCircless

Life is a circle. (Garvey, p 34)Themes of circles resonate throughout the book . . .

Some are malevolent, cycling through untold generations . . .

Others are benevolent, like circles of friends, who stand by you and support you in your hour of need.

Still, other circles are life-affirming . . .

Coles gaze wandered in a big circle around him. All of the landscape, the air, the trees, the animals, the water, the rain, all seemed to be part of something bigger. They moved in harmony, bending and flowing, twisting and breathing, as if connected. (p 70)

Your father isnt a bad person, but when he was younger, he had parents who beat him for everything he did. Thats all he ever knew. (Mother, p 121)

Why do you help me? (Cole, p 107) Because were friends. (Garvey, p 107)

Defiance Defiance and Deathand Death

It didnt matter who was at fault for his dismal life. All that mattered was living. Cole wanted to live and once again make choices. (p 84)

In death there was no control, no choices, no nothing. To be alive was to have choice. The power to choose was real power, not the fake power of making others afraid. (p 83)

After Cole defiantly challenges the Spirit Bear and is savagely mauled, he lays for some time facing death. In his desperate thoughts and aloneness, he finds clarity and experiences a revelation . . .

A lifetime of hurt, a lifetime of proving himself, a lifetime of anger controlled his muscles now . . . He flung the spear with all his strength, fully intending to kill. (p 64, 65)

Emptiness and Emptiness and EmpathyEmpathyStars glistened overhead like frozen fireworks. Curtains of northern lights out over the bay danced wildly under the Big Dipper. Cole turned

his head and stared into the black nothingness of the shrouded woods. That was how he felt inside empty. There was no beauty. (p 60)

As Cole stared at the tiny bodies, sadness flooded through him.

The sparrows were so frail, helpless, and innocent. They hadnt deserved to die. (p 82)

The near-death experience and the storm were life-changing events for Cole:

ForgiveForgivenessness Forgiveness is essential for healing . . .

Cole fought back his own tears. Im part of some big circle that I dont understand. And so are you. Life, death, good and bad, everything is part of that circle. When I hurt you, I hurt myself, too. I dont think Ill ever heal from what I did to you, but Im sorry, Peter. I really am sorry. (Cole, p 237)

Being angry is giving someone else control of my feelings so they own me. Forgiving gives me control again. . . It isnt enough to be sorry and forgive. Somehow I have to figure out a way to help Peter. (Cole, p 196)

GrowthGrowthPeople change two ways with slow persistent pressure, or with a single and sudden traumatic experience. Thats why people change so much when they have a near-death experience. I believe something significant happened to Cole on the island. (Edwin, p 128)

Edwin was wise. Coles near-death experience awakened profound insights in him that helped him to begin to heal and to grow.

The storm raged on as Cole lay trembling . . . Never in his life had he felt so exposed, so vulnerable, so helpless. He had no control . . . Cole blinked in stunned realization. He had always been this weak. How could he have ever thought he truly controlled anything? (p 78)

Helping and Helping and HealingHealing

Why live if you cant help others and make the world a better place? (Rosey, p 107)

Cole, . . . In a few months your body will heal, but time wont heal your mind as easily. Helping others can help heal your wounds of the spirit. (Rosey, p 107)

Give me something to take away the monsters. (Cole, p 108)

Only you can do that. (Rosey, p 108)

There is nothing nobler or more rewarding than giving of yourself to help others . . .

It will be up to Cole to fight his inner demons and make right with the world, and with Peter.

Isolated on the Isolated on the IslandIslandNobodys going to babysit you here. If you eat youll live. If not,

youll die. This land can provide for you or kill you . . . up here you live and die by your actions (Edwin, p 17, 18)

Life is up to you now . . . This is a good place to find yourself. (Edwin, p 18)

Time alone to reflect, live amongst Gods creatures and find meaning in life . . .

JusticJusticee

Cole is a rebellious juvenile delinquent. For his crime against Peter he is given the opportunity to choose between prison and the Native American Circle Justice. Cole chooses Circle Justice and is banished to a remote island for one year.

Justice should heal, not punish. If you kill my cat, you need to become more sensitive to animals. You and I need to be friends, and I need to forgive you to get over my anger. Thats Circle Justice . . . But healing is much harder than standard punishment. Healing requires taking responsibility for your actions. (Garvey, p 12)

Justice often fails because it seeks to punish, not to heal. Jails and fines harden people. (Circle Keeper, p 38)

KarmaKarma

You arent the only creature here. Youre part of a much bigger circle . . . Whatever you do to the animals, you do to yourself. Remember that. (Edwin, p 16, 17)

Karma is not fate. All of us, on our journey through life, act with free will, creating our own destinies. We are responsible for our actions. Our choices can bring forth goodness or they can bring forth suffering.

LonelinLonelinessessNobody cared about him.

Nobody understood him. Nobody knew what it was like living with parents who wished he wasnt alive. (p 26)

Then he became aware of another feeling. Stronger than any burning in his arms and belly, more haunting than the darkness that surrounded him, was the realization that he was alone with himself. And it scared him. (p 43)

A bitter loneliness swept over Cole as tears clouded his vision. He felt so small here, puked up on a remote forgotten shore and left to die. Was this how the world was going to get rid of him? (p 73)

MeaniMeaningngAll of his life he had squandered his choices, wallowing in revenge and self-pity, keeping himself down. Now, as he lay near death, those he hated were safe

and warm. Those he blamed were still alive and well. He had hurt himself the most. Life was empty and meaningless unless he found some meaning. (p 84)

This is a story of an evolution of self: Coles self, yet not unlike many of our own. We are all seeking to find our place in the world and understand our significance. Without meaning, we are lost.

We can find meaning by helping one another on our journeys though life and by appreciating all of natures beauty and gifts.

NatureNatureYes the world was beautiful . . . Staring at the delicate patterns, he wondered why he had never noticed this all before. How much beauty had he missed in his lifetime? How much beauty had he destroyed? (p 97)

Through nature we can find serenity and wisdom. Nature holds so many secrets, if only we would listen.

OpeningUpOpeningUpEdwin understands what it is like for Cole and teaches him a lot about life . . . A person is never done being mad. Anger is a

memory never forgotten. You only tame it. (Edwin, p 110)

My mind gets to thinking and wont quit. Like its chewing on tough meat. It wont swallow a thought, and it wont spit it out. It just keeps chewing it over and over. (Cole, p 110)

Edwin explains to Cole that anger will always exist, it is not something you can rid yourself of. But, we do have a choice of what to do with it. We can focus on it and remain angry. Or we can choose to focus on more positive emotions. Its what you make of it. What you focus on becomes reality. . . I [can] focus on the sunrise or the dark clouds. It [is] my choice. (Edwin, p 145,146)

Cole learns to trust Edwin and opens up to him . . .

PainPainYou dont know what its like being hit over and over until youre so numb you dont feel anything! (Cole, p 28)

When I saw him start doing it to you, I kept telling myself things would get better. Drinking helped me ignore reality . . . Can you ever forgive me? (Mother, p 121)

Pain pervades our story and haunts our characters . . .

How scared must someone be to actually go searching for death? (Cole about Peter, p 203)

QuietudeQuietude

If animals existed in a world of instincts and senses beyond the conscious thoughts of the mind, what happened to people in their frantic worlds of noise and hectic rushing? How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it? (Cole, p 189)

Ritual and Ritual and ReflectionReflectionWere going swimming, said Edwin.

Are you nuts?exclaimed Cole. Its freezing! Trust me, said Edwin. Half of being trusted is to trust. (p

143)How long do we sit here? Cole asked impatiently.

Unitil your mind is clear and you have a choice between anger and happiness. (,p 154)

Almost every morning thereafter, Cole came to this icy pond. In fact, this soaking ritual helps save Cole. Here he learns to clear his mind and reflect on the choices in his life. This meditative practice helps him to focus his thoughts and emotions and, ultimately, helps him to heal and grow spiritually.

Spirit Spirit BearBear

Off the coast of British Columbia, there is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. Its pure white and has pride, dignity, and honor. More than most people. (Edwin, p 18)

He felt content. Before the end of life he had seen beauty. He had trusted and been trusted. (p 97)

Coles fingers sank into the bushy white hair until he touched solid body. With his fingertips, he felt warmth. He felt the bears breath and heartbeat. And he felt one more thing. He felt trust. (p 95)

The Spirit Bear saves Coles soul . . .

Totem PoleTotem PoleWhat are totems for? They tell ancestry, Edwin explained. And they tell stories. . . Your totem is your story, your search, and your past. Everybody has their own. Thats why you carve. Thats why you dance the dances. Thats why you live life to discover and create your own story. (Edwin, p 183)

Uphill with the Uphill with the Ancestral RockAncestral RockPretend that rock is your ancestors,

said Edwin. Climbing this hill is your life. With each step, you carry your ancestors with you, in your mind, in your heart, and in your soul. If you listen, your ancestors reach out from the rock and teach you the lessons of their struggles. Hear your ancestors. Someday, youll pass those lessons on to others. (p 155)

Every day after Coles icy soak, he carries the ancestral rock up the hill thinking on all of the things Edwin told him and reflecting on his life. Once Cole reaches the top and sets the rock down, its meaning changes. It becomes his anger. He then symbollically rolls the rock and his anger down the hill. He learns valuable lessons:

When I was carrying the rock this morning, I realized that I wont ever get over my anger unless I quit blaming others for everything. (p 167)

ViolenceViolenceMom said his parents beat him up, too. I dont know where the anger all started. All I know is I dont ever want to have a kid and beat him up. (Cole, p 132)

I know that my dads not going to ever come back to say hes sorry. Even if he did, he couldnt change what he did. He couldnt take away the memories. (Cole, p 132)

WisdomWisdomAll around us there are powers. There are animals like the whale, the bear, the wolf, and the eagle . . . We can feel all of these and dance to them. They all have much to teach to us. (Edwin, p 150)

Cole gains much wisdom from the animal dances and learns about himself in the process . . . A whale migrates but

it doesnt have a home. . . I feel like the whales. (Cole, p 152)

. . . you need the help of others, like a wolf pack. (Cole, p 162)

He wished that somehow he could always stay part eagle in his mind. How could he remember to stay strong and proud, seeing everything from a distance? (Cole, p 181)

Patience, gentleness, strength, honesty. Animals can teach us more about ourselves than any other teacher. (Edwin, p 17)

eXperiencing eXperiencing InvisibilityInvisibilityTo be invisible he had to clear his

mind. That was the secret. . . Being invisible had nothing to do with being seen. Being invisible meant not being sensed or felt. (p 189)

. . . Even the present, ceased to exist. He no longer thought of himself as Cole Matthews, a juvenile delinquent from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Instead he was part of the landscape, without a beginning or end. Rain dripped off the rocks that lined the shore the same way it dripped from his forehead and flowed down across his cheeks and lips. (p 191)

. . . Being invisible was being part of lifes circle and accepting it. (Cole, p 239)

DiscoverYourselfDiscoverYourself

Discover yourself, Edwin said. Celebrate being alive! (p 139)

ZeZenn

. . . he breathed more deeply, feeling the rhythm of the world around him, an endless rhythm where time disappeared. As the past, present, and future become one, the droplets on Coles cheeks dripped to the ground, melting into the landscape to which they belonged. (p 190)

Coles experiences on the island, his relationships, and his reflective and meditational practices help him heal and grow and eventually lead to his spiritual growth and transformation.

Let go of self to find self.

ResourcesResourcesTouching Spirit Bear, Ben Mikaelsen, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2001.Book images: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/038080560X/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-3133015-3048115#reader-link Unless hyperlinked to its source, all images are royalty free from:http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/frontdoor/DefaultRfLanding.aspx

The End

Slide 1Slide 2Slide 3AngerBullying and BlameCirclesDefiance and DeathEmptiness and EmpathyForgivenessGrowthHelping and HealingIsolated on the IslandJusticeKarmaLonelinessMeaningNatureOpeningUpPainQuietudeRitual and ReflectionSpirit BearTotem PoleUphill with the Ancestral RockViolenceWisdomeXperiencing InvisibilitySlide 28ZenResourcesSlide 31Slide 32