TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR UNIT TEST REVIEW CHARACTERS​
­Briefly describe each of the following characters. Cole Matthews­​
15 yrs old;abused, angry, confused experiences major change while living on island Garvey­​
parole officer; Tlingit Indian; has a troubled past; kind, caring wise; helping Cole heal is helping him heal from his past Edwin­​
Tlingit elder; wise, patient; lived on island during past to help heal himself; understands Cole’s anger Cole’s father ­ ​
alcoholic; abusive; liar; angry due to abuse as a child (William Matthews) ​
never changes in novel Cole’s mother­​
alcoholic; withdrawn; afraid of Cole’s father; seems uncaring (Cindy Matthews) ​
quits drinking; begins healing by filing charges Peter Driscal­​
turned Cole in for breaking in to hardware store; badly beaten by Cole; has serious physical and mental injuries; experiences 2 changes in novel SETTING What is the​
main ​
setting of the novel? ​
an island off the coast of Drake, Alaska How does the setting affect the events of the novel? ​
banishment allows for Cole’s reflection and healing provides enviornment for Cole’s experience with the Spirit Bear CONFLICT​
­Describe each type of conflict present in the novel. man vs. man
Cole vs. Dad, Cole vs. Peter man vs. nature ​
Cole vs. island, Cole vs. Spirit Bear man vs. himself ​
MOST IMPORTANT; Cole vs. his anger COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 1​
. ​
Why was Cole facing an entire year alone on an Alaskan island? arrested for breaking in to hardware store; has been in trouble with the law before; banishment would replace jail time if successful 2. Why was he willing to accept this punishment? doesn’t want to go to jail; thinks he can outsmart the system by being left alone on the island 3. How is Circle Justice different from the standard system of justice? Do you think it is effective? ​
The goal of Circle Justice is to help people heal by confronting their problems and understanding why they do things. Regular justice simple seeks punishment. 4. What did Edwin mean when he warned Cole that he was part of a “much bigger circle”? ​
Cole was simply one person in a world full of people and other living things. He was more important than any of the other living things in the world. 5. What is the at.oow? What does it symbolize? The at.oow was a woven blanket that Garvey gave to Cole as a symbol of trust. Cole would later pass it on to someone he trusted 6. Why did Cole attack the Spirit Bear? Cole was angry that the bear was not afraid. The bear reminded Cole that there were some things beyond his control. 7. What event on the island revealed Cole’s compassion for other living things? the deat of the innocent baby birds in the tree that was struck by lightning 8. Describe the difference between Cole’s first visit to the island and his return visit after his hospital stay. first trip­angry, burns shelter, tries to escape, tries to kill bear second trip­committed to healing, thinks about escape but doesn’t follows Edwin’s advice, realizes the island can help Peter 9. Why didn’t Edwin and Garvey help Cole build his new shelter? Cole needs to make up for burning the first shelter. Also, building the shelter himself will help Cole understand the value of hard work and the help of others. 10. Discuss the importance of the totem. ​
As Cole tells Peter, carving gives you time to think. It allows Cole to discover and express his feelings. According to Edwin, Cole is creating his own story. 11. Why did Cole need to become invisible? He needed to be invisible because animals can sense the presence of other living things. Cole needed to clear his mind to blend in with the surroundings so that the Spirit Bear would come out. 12. What lesson did Cole need to learn before he could completely heal? Cole realized that he could not completely heal until he had helped Peter to heal as well. 13. Why did Cole suggest that Peter come to the island? Cole realized that time on the island would allow Peter to heal just as it had helped him to heal. 14. Why was Peter’s family willing to risk having Peter on the island with Cole? ​
Peter’s family was desperate to help Pete after he tries to commit suicide twice. They had no other ideas as to how to help him. 15. How does Peter feel about being on the island? Peter does not want to be on the island. He refuses to interact with the others, does only what is asked of him, and stays inside the shelter most of the time. 16. Why doesn’t Cole defend himself against Peter’s attack? He wants Peter to realize that he has changed, that the anger and violent part of his is gone. Cole also needs to prove to himself that his anger does not control him any longer. 17. Why does Cole give Peter the at.oow? Cole gives Peter the at.oow to show Peter that he trusts him. LITERARY ELEMENTS Theme: Ultimately, who is responsible for your life and the choices you make? Explain. In the beginning, Cole is driven to control his life and the people around him. Is this a realistic expectation? Why? Flashback: Much of Cole’s story is revealed through flashback. How does this contribute to the novel and its message? ​
It allows the reader to understand why Cole is going to the island and why Cole behaved the way he did. Define:
mood­​
the feelings/emotions the author wants the reader to feel tone­​
the author’s attitude toward the story­positive, negative, neutral sensory details­​
descriptions in the story that appeal to the reader’s senses­sight, sound, touch, smell, or taste context clues­​
determining the meaning of an unknown word by using the words and phrases around it