Touching Spirit Bear

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the novel over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Symbolism occurs when an object, action, image, or person represents something other than its basic, concrete meaning.

• How does Touching Spirit Bear use symbolism to illustrate the values and lessons that Cole learns? (topic sentence)
• Identify at least 3 unique symbols in the book and explain what they represent, as well as how these symbols connect to Cole’s journey of healing and forgiveness.
• In your conclusion, evaluate how the use of symbolism either clarified or complicated your reading experience.

2. Cole experiences major personal growth during his time on the Alaskan island.

• What does Cole learn about anger, control, and forgiveness, and how does he teach what he learned to Peter? (topic sentence)
• Select 3 passages describing Cole’s thoughts or actions: 1 from the novel’s exposition, 1 from its rising action, and 1 from its conclusion. Compare and contrast these passages with reference to the way Cole changes over the novel’s course.
• In your conclusion, discuss how the Spirit Bear’s final appearance illustrates the novel’s (and Cole’s and Peter’s) resolution.

3. Cole nearly dies after the Spirit Bear attacks him, and during this experience, he has many personal epiphanies.

• What is Cole’s overall attitude before the attack, and what is his overall attitude afterwards? (topic sentence)
• Identify at least 3 different lessons or realizations that Cole has during this time, and explain how he comes to these realizations.
• In your conclusion, examine why Cole needed to have such a severe and dramatic experience to begin to change.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. One of the novel’s themes is the idea of Life as a Circle. Garvey and Edwin attempt to teach Cole this Tlingit principle using both direct and indirect methods. How do Edwin and Garvey teach Cole about the circular nature of life? When Cole is alone, what experiences help him understand this idea? What symbols does the author employ to illustrate this principle?

2. Tlingit culture has a major influence on the novel’s plot, characters, symbols, and themes. Why might the author have chosen an Alaskan island for Cole’s banishment, and what is the importance of the Healing Circle? How else does Tlingit culture influence the novel, and how do Cole’s experiences in nature underscore the values of Tlingit culture?

3. As Cole is dying on the forest floor, he realizes that being alive means having choices. In this moment, he is inspired to live and to change. What is the power of choice? How does Cole use this newfound realization to better himself? What was his view of choice and control beforehand, and which specific changes illustrate that he has learned to choose?