Life, Death and Change

Cole Matthews is the main character in Touching Spirit Bear. Before his life alters completly, he is a savage person. He wants everyone to be afraid of him. "I wanted to kill it because it wasn't scared of me." If there not afraid, he wants to make them afraid. He feels like nobody loves him, especially his parents and that they are always trying to get rid of him. "Cole's father turned and glared at him, "this is all going to end now."" Cole wants to have control of everybody, and feels afraid when he isn't in control. Cole blames everyone besides himself for his problems and why he always fights.

After Cole gets mauled by the Spirit Bear, he feels like he has changed. He appreciates life more than he ever has. "Cole made a decision, he wanted to live!" He starts to appreciate the world around him, and know that everything is there for a reason. "He called into the darkness. Are you okay? To the baby sparrows" While he was healing from his major injuries, him and his mom connected on a new level, she had also changed. "I realized that i couldn't change your father, but I could change me." She sent her husband to prison for physically abusing Cole, and is not so scared of everything now. Cole will never be completely healed, or loose all of his anger but he has changed and he wants to be a better person. He is not a liar anymore.

I view the attack on Cole a positive thing that happened. Even though he may never heal, he will always be reminded of his past. If he never would have gotten mauled he would never feel like he wanted to live, he would have left the island the same person, maybe angrier. Since then, he tries to not lie, respects others and learnt how to control his anger. Over all, his anger problems go him in trouble, and now he has to deal with his choices.