Ben Mikaelsen's heartwarming novel, Touching Spirit Bear, revolves around the story of Cole Matthews and the experience that changed his life. Cole's year-long banishment to a remote island completely transforms the wayward Minneapolis teenager, who finds satisfaction in beating others, into a human being who understands the power of choice, life and healing. Cole's choices influence readers in more ways than one, showing them that change is possible, as long as they make the right choices and everyone involved heals. By following Cole's chosen path, the reader is able to see him as an evolving person. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the novel, Cole Matthews is seen as a completely different human being than he is at the end. Readers see Cole as a physically abused teenager, filled with rage, lashing out at others and expecting them to fear him the way he fears his father. He is raised in a way that makes him feel like he is supposed to be obeyed. There are many scenarios in which he proves that he is, in his opinion, superior. He shows that his only outlet for his anger is to hurt others, both physically and mentally. From his point of view, he is the one everyone is supposed to fear, not the other way around. His attitude towards bullying others makes it clear that his anger is expressed by making an almost "casual" hobby of hurting people. So far in the novel, he never feels guilt for hurting others. “The kid, Peter Drsical, was a ninth grader that Cole had picked on many times before, just for fun. Yet no one denounced Cole Mattews without paying a price. That day, he caught up with Peter in the school hallway. "You're a dead man," he warned the skinny red-haired boy, pushing him harshly. He laughed when he saw the fear in Peter's eyes. The quote makes it seem like Cole is a character who has repeatedly tormented others and gotten away with it; the book states that this is not the first time he has bullied Peter. He feels unmistakable satisfaction in the fact that others are experiencing the same pain he is in his own home. Although Cole Matthews torments others for fun, he later finds himself in the position of a victim, where there is absolutely no one for miles around to help him, and this is what that moment he appreciates life for what it is and, gradually, she begins transforming into a better person. Shortly after Cole arrives on the island, he is attacked by the Spirit Bear, and it is then that he truly understands the value of life, the power to choose, and the beauty he has. destroyed. There is a moment in Cole's journey where he realizes that life is worth appreciating, and that's when he desperately hopes to live without pain, or to be dead so he doesn't have to endure the pain. 'agony. The moment Cole begins to wonder if he would live long enough to return to Minneapolis is when he realizes how much he has truly missed out on life. “A strange thought came to Cole: the world was beautiful. Yes, the world was beautiful! Even the wet moss and crushed grass near his hand were beautiful. Looking at the delicate patterns, he wondered why he had never noticed all this before. What beauty did he miss during his life? What beauty had he destroyed? (Chapter 12). He understands that some things aren't worth living, and that just because one person suffers doesn't mean others have to too. At this.