The Conflicts of Touching Spirit Bear

Editor's Note: This is another blog post that is a part of the same project as the last one. I'm doing this as part of a Language Arts assignment for the novel Touching Spirit Bear.

" 'You're a jerk,' Peter sobbed. 'That's what you are' " (237). That quote is a sample of probably the biggest conflict of Touching Spirit Bear. Character versus character. Conflict is an incredibly important part of a story. Without conflict, there really is no story to tell. There are about four different types of conflict in Touching Spirit Bear and all books in general: Character versus him/herself, character versus nature, character versus society, and character versus character. Those are the four conflicts that I'm going to talk about in this blog post. How they had an effect on the story of Touching Spirit bear, and how they had an effect on Cole.

Firstly, I'm going to talk about the person versus person conflict in the Touching Spirit Bear novel. Obviously, the big person versus person is Cole Matthews versus Peter Driscal. Cole seriously injures Peter in the start of the novel, therefore starting the conflict that goes throughout the story - beginning to end. This leads to Cole being banished to a remote island in Alaska. Especially before he gets mauled by the Spirit Bear, he can't control the anger he holds towards Peter. There are many attributes of Cole that are affected by this conflict. First and foremost, Cole learns how to control his anger. Him beating up Peter was what sent him to the banishment island. While at the island, he learns what the roots of his anger are, and how to suppress it. Second, Cole learns how to carve a totem. When Peter gets sent to the island, near the end of the book he teaches Cole how to carve. A circle is the only thing he can teach him to carve though. The effects this conflict had on Peter were phenomenal. After his head gets smashed into the sidewalk, his brain gets damaged. He has to be rehabilitated in order to learn how to do basic functions (such as walk). Furthermore, Peter attempts to commit suicide... Twice. A resolution of this conflict is eventually reached. Peter attempts to beat up Cole, but Cole doesn't fight back. Peter then realizes that Cole forgives him. The two then carve the missing place on Cole's totem and come to terms with each other.

Next, I'm going to talk about the character versus himself conflict of the novel. It all begins when Cole beats Peter up in the beginning of the novel. We start seeing Cole as this teenage boy that cannot control his anger. Yes, his own anger is the what Cole is fighting against in the character versus himself conflict. He wants to dance the anger dance, but can’t because he hasn’t quite conquered the cause of anger nor has he understood what his anger really is. He doesn’t know if he’ll be able to control his anger. The effects this conflict has on Cole plays a major role in this novel. While Cole is on the island, he gets mad at the Spirit Bear for coming near his camp area. He tries to attack and kill the bear. Unfortunately, the bear is much smarter and stronger than Cole. Cole loses the fight, of course, and spends quite a long time lying on the ground injured, thinking about his actions. During the time he's injured, Cole realizes how beautiful the world. Moreover, he understands that his past actions were uncalled for, so to speak. A resolution to this conflict is reached because due to his anger outburst (beating Peter Driscal up) he must go to the banishment island. After Cole gets mauled by the bear and heals, the Sentencing Circle decides to make him finish his banishment on the island. Edwin and Garvey stay with Cole for a little while. Fortunately, Edwin teaches Cole how to soak in the water, to calm his anger. Also, Edwin teaches Cole to roll the ancestor rock down the hill. This helps Cole to symbolically release his anger.

Cole versus anger wasn't the only conflict in the novel. There was also Cole versus the Spirit Bear (person versus nature). During his first stay on the island, Cole tries to kill the Spirit Bear. As is apparent, the Spirit Bear wins the fight. Thus, breaking his hip and right arm. Multiple changes to Cole's character happen because of his conflict with the Spirit Bear. Firstly, he realizes that the world is beautiful and that he isn't the most important thing in it. Secondly, Cole comes to terms with that fact that he is vulnerable. A resolution is reached in this conflict when the bear approaches and comes within inches to Cole’s face. Cole reaches out and grabs a piece of the bears hair and is moved by how peaceful the bear is.

Lastly, I'm going to talk about the character versus society conflict of the novel (Cole versus Circle Justice). I identified Cole versus Circle Justice because Cole is trying to convince a group of people that he should avoid jail by going to a remote island in southeast Alaska. He is versing the justice system because of the fact that he’s trying to get the other possible consequence the justice system offers that is not jail time. Convincing Circle Justice/the justice system that he will be able to ‘heal’ at this remote island is his main goal for a lot of the first few chapters of the book. Cole is filled with hatred for authority. This conflict is resolved by the Sentencing Circle agreeing to let him go to the island in Alaska. Cole’s hatred for authority gets resolved after Cole is mauled by the bear and is sent to the hospital in Ketchikan. Cole realizes - while at the hospital -  that the authorities and Circle Justice actually really do care about whether Cole heals or not when on the island. The second time Cole goes to Circle Justice he admits that he knows he can’t go back to the island after what he did.

In conclusion, conflicts are what makes a story, a story. For example, Touching Spirit Bear uses four different conflicts throughout the novel to make it more exciting and better to read. The next time you're reading a novel, think about what conflicts are in the plot, and what the plot would be without them.