Protagonist Motivations
Peter: Peter is Cole's witness for the hardware store robbery,also the one that Cole had to 'take care of" by breaking his head on a sidewalk.
Garvey: Garvey acts like Cole's dad but is actually his parole officer. He is also the one that suggests circle justice. |
Antagonist Motivations
Cole Bad: At the beginning Cole is definitely not the best person in the world, and his problems come from his dads relationship with him.
Peter: Peter is depressed because he feels like he's not important. So he tries to commit suicide twice. This is a result of being mauled by Cole. William Matthews: Is the worst dad you would probably every have. Here's why. One he is very abusive . Two is the reason Cole is so aggressive. |
Main Summary
Cole is a fifteen year-old Juvenile delinquent from Minneapolis. Cole's parents are not the best parent to have and certainly not his dad. His father, an angry alcoholic, constantly beats Cole while his mother witnesses the beatings and does nothing to stop them. All his life, Cole has been transferred from therapist to therapist. also he has been to numerous detention centers. After Cole seeks revenge on a boy named Peter who watched him breaking into a hardware store by beating him, Cole realizes that he may not have any more chances in life. Faced with a possible lengthy jail sentence and a trial in court as an adult for his crimes, Cole seeks out any alternative that he can find. His parole officer, Garvey, suggests that he try a Native America method called Circle justice. Garvey's knows that Circle Justice could make a deference in Cole's attitude towards life and others greatly, but he questions Cole's sincerity when Cole tells him that he really does want change. Cole is sentenced to one year on an island off the coast of southeast Alaska.
Cole soon arrives on the island on an skiff with Garvey and Edwin, a Tlingit tribe elder. As the three arrive on the island, Garvey and Edwin unload boxes which carry food, survival supplies, and schoolwork for Cole to complete. Once they are done setting up inside the small log cabin that Edwin built before Cole came to the island, Garvey and Edwin give Cole warnings about what he might expect on the island. They also mention the existence of a Spirit bear an all-white black bear that lives off the coast of British Columbia. They tell Cole that the bear has more pride and honesty than most humans. Cole replies by saying that if he saw a Spirit Bear, he would kill it.
Climax
Cole is on the island and Edwin drove away in silence. This drives Cole insane, so he burns down his shelter and trys to kill a spirit bear. He was no match for the bear, and was soon helpless to the brutal beating. He had several broken ribs and a broken leg and arm. As he is dying he realizes that all life is beautiful.
After six months of being in the hospital, the "Circle Justice" comes together and sentences Cole to more time on the island. Cole is at first reluctant due to his injuries from the mauling. Garvey and Edwin accompany him for a short time and introduce him to many new spiritual concepts. When they soon leave him alone, Cole is afraid of seeing the Spirit Bear again. Cole later thinks he can help Peter when Peter wants to commit suicide, and he wants Peter to come to the island so they can be healed together. They agree and the book ends with both of them seeing Spirit Bear.
Cole soon arrives on the island on an skiff with Garvey and Edwin, a Tlingit tribe elder. As the three arrive on the island, Garvey and Edwin unload boxes which carry food, survival supplies, and schoolwork for Cole to complete. Once they are done setting up inside the small log cabin that Edwin built before Cole came to the island, Garvey and Edwin give Cole warnings about what he might expect on the island. They also mention the existence of a Spirit bear an all-white black bear that lives off the coast of British Columbia. They tell Cole that the bear has more pride and honesty than most humans. Cole replies by saying that if he saw a Spirit Bear, he would kill it.
Climax
Cole is on the island and Edwin drove away in silence. This drives Cole insane, so he burns down his shelter and trys to kill a spirit bear. He was no match for the bear, and was soon helpless to the brutal beating. He had several broken ribs and a broken leg and arm. As he is dying he realizes that all life is beautiful.
After six months of being in the hospital, the "Circle Justice" comes together and sentences Cole to more time on the island. Cole is at first reluctant due to his injuries from the mauling. Garvey and Edwin accompany him for a short time and introduce him to many new spiritual concepts. When they soon leave him alone, Cole is afraid of seeing the Spirit Bear again. Cole later thinks he can help Peter when Peter wants to commit suicide, and he wants Peter to come to the island so they can be healed together. They agree and the book ends with both of them seeing Spirit Bear.