When Touching Spirit Bear begins, it's clear that Cole is in a lot of trouble with the law. He has a whole laundry list of past offenses and has been arrested after beating up one of his classmates, Peter Driscal. But Cole gets lucky because he has a parole officer who doesn't just want to lock him away and deem him a lost cause. Instead, Garvey signs Cole up for Circle Justice, a Native American form of sentencing that focuses on healing rather than punishment. Through his time on a deserted island, Cole comes to take responsibility for all the bad things he's done and makes amends to his victim.
Questions About Criminality
- Why does Cole agree to do the Circle Justice program initially? How about the second time around?
- Why does Garvey think Cole is a good candidate for Circle Justice? Do you agree or disagree?
- Do you think Cole should've gotten a second chance on the island? Why or why not?
Chew on This
The Circle Justice program sounds like total nonsense to Cole at first, but in the end he does heal and move forward from it, examining his life and fixing his mistakes to the best of his ability.
Even though Peter's parents push for Cole to go to jail throughout the book, when they meet Cole on the island at the end, they realize the experience has changed him for the better. It's been more beneficial than jail time could ever be.