My spirit is strangled by the stupidity.

[kippurbird]

So, we've all danced the dance of anger. Mine involved throwing the book around and then dying horribly in our Star Wars Saga Edition test run. I must say, that was much more fun. There's something very satisfying about role-playing, even when there's a two year old stealing your miniatures and almost breaking your roommate's chair.

Cole has danced his dance of anger, and now he goes to carve out his anger dance on the totem. Unfortunately he doesn't know how to carve: I'm sorry and I've learned how to forgive. But then again it's an abstract concept. Abstract concepts are, by their very nature, hard to put into concrete form. That is why they're abstract. I imagine that there is some sort of symbolic way of doing it, but then it would have to be extremely personal for each person and not necessarily universal.

When Edwin shows up next, Cole tells him that he danced the dance of anger. He tells Edwin that "Being angry is giving someone else control of my feelings so they own me. Forgiving gives me control again." And that is the biggest cock and bull I've ever heard or read. Being angry has nothing to do with giving someone control of your feelings. At least, not in the way that Cole is talking about it. You can get angry by someone setting you off. But that's not giving them control of your feelings. It's a reaction. Although, now I have this image of Peter with Cole on a leash. Hee. He then goes on to say that he has to help Peter and that before that he can't heal or carve in the missing bit in the totem pole. Because we all know that finishing the totem is the most important thing he has to do. Edwin tells him that he needs to help Peter or else it will eat at him. Cole wants to know what if he can't help Peter. Edwin says that he needs to find someone he can help then. And this is why Garvey and Edwin have helped Cole. OOoOOooo... MYSTERIOUS PAST!!

Summer passes. Cole carves more. He dances the dance of the storm. September comes, he see the Salmon, he dances the dance of the Salmon. He sees the Spirit Bear every few days. It turns to winter. He spends a lot of time in his little hut. He's alone. Very alone. So very alone. He has no one to speak to. He's cold and lonely. He wonders about things. Or so we're told. We don't see him do anything.

I rather like this line here, "With his activities strictly limited by winter's harsh winds and bitter cold, Cole noticed his body falling into new natural rhythms. He found himself moving at a deliberate place, without rushing. He slept when he was tired and ate only when he was hungry." Mostly, my question is: What does winter have to do with that? I mean, it seems pretty normal to me. You sleep when you're tired and eat when you're hungry. Do normal people eat when they're tired and sleep when they're hungry? I'm not sure what the point of these sentences are.

Christmas comes. He makes himself a little tree, being considerate enough to cut one that would probably die anyway. Isn't it nice? He's become a naturalist!

We learn, after Christmas, that Peter isn't doing any good. He's depressed and not getting out of bed and is under heavy medication. Speaking from personal experience, a lot of times when I'm under heavy meds, I have a hard time getting out of bed too. Cole worries about Peter.

Edwin comes back and tells Cole that Peter tried to commit suicide. Why?

"If someone is treated as if his lief is worthless, he begins to believe it."

"But his life isn't worthless," Cole protested.

Edwin stood, and with one motion opened the door and flung the last of his hot chocolate outside.

"I never told him he was worthless," Cole argued.

"Smashing his head on a sidewalk is a funny way of telling Peter he's valuable. "

"That was a mistake," Cole pleaded.

I'm sure you have your own commentary to put here. Edwin leaves, Cole crying out that he wants to help, and what can he do to help. Edwin gets in the boat and Cole cries out that he knows how to help Peter. His idea? Bring Peter to the island.

No. Seriously.

As Cole watched the boat disappear into the rain, picked up a strand of kelp off the shore and gave it a hard fling. Maybe Edwin was right and nothing could help Peter. But maybe if Peter came to the island, he would see how much things could change. Peter was probably terrified; that was why he needed this place. He could visit the pond. He could carry the ancestor rock and carve his own totem. He could dance, and maybe even see the Spirit Bear himself. More important, Cole could prove to Peter that this island held no monsters.

Let us look at this. Cole thinks that bringing Peter to the place where his attacker is, in the middle of the buttfuck of nowhere is going to be helpful, is going to make him less afraid of living. I would think that people were going to try and kill me, personally. Plus, what makes Cole even think that what worked for him, would work for Peter. After all, Cole was sent there to deal with his anger issues not his, I'm worthless because some bastard pounded my face into paste issues. But then again, I forget, this is the magical cure all. Soak in a pond. Roll a rock around. Carve a totem. See the "Spirit Bear". It's the new therapy. I bet Edwin and Garvey make a mint off of it. The Spirit Bear is really just some poor bear they dyed white and release occasionally on the island for Cole to see. Every thing's just a big sham and Edwin and Garvey are laughing it up somewhere.

Edwin comes back. He wants to know what Cole was blathering about. We leave on another cliff hanger! *GASP!*

Comments

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

When Edwin shows up next, Cole tells him that he danced the dance of anger. He tells Edwin that "Being angry is giving someone else control of my feelings so they own me. Forgiving gives me control again." And that is the biggest cock and bull I've ever heard or read. Being angry has nothing to do with giving someone control of your feelings. At least, not in the way that Cole is talking about it. You can get angry by someone setting you off. But that's not giving them control of your feelings.

I see, so basically Peter controlled Cole, making making him ram Peters head repeteadly in the pavement? I see... Yes that makes perfect sense!

The poor thing! No wonder Peter needs to forgive him, imagine tricking poor Cole into doing such a horrible thing!

It's a reaction. Although, now I have this image of Peter with Cole on a leash. Hee.

That image, and the idea of Peter being taken out into the wilderness with a Magic Injun and a psycho... It makes me think I can hear a banjo can you hear a banjo?

A banjo or the piñata method is my favoured ending to this.

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

Yes ... give in to your anger, young Skywalker ...

I think what that bit about eating when he's hungry and sleeping when he's tired means that he wasn't on a set schedule. He didn't go to bed at a specific time and get up at a specific time, he didn't have set meal times, etc.

Though, I still don't see what winter has to do with it so much as, you know, NOT BEING IN CIVILIZATION

[(Anonymous)]

Twaddle, you think there's no set schedule in the wilderness?

You sleep when its dark because, well, it's dark! You got no light to see by! What else are you going to do?

You eat when you're hungry, true enough, but... When you wake up you gotta have something to eat, at least if you're going to work. Then you'll be hungry again in four or five hours and you eat again. Finally a last meal before dark.

I'd go so far as to say that in the wilderness there's more of a strict schedule, that's enforced far more rigorously. Sure it may not care if you do something an hour sooner or later, but you got a schedule, and nature is forcing you to stick to it.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

I think it's the difference between having to get up and nine, get to work by ten, lunch for half hour at twelve thirty etc and Eat, Sleep, eat, sleep.

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

Normally I'd be willing to accept that, but I'm just not willing to cut that book any slack.

BTW that anonymous post was mine.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Yes ... give in to your anger, young Skywalker ...

Come to the Dark Side young Skywalker and touch your Spirit Bear.

>.>

[delphinapterus.livejournal.com]

Oh god now Peter has to come to the island too? Is Cole pulled for school too or is he doing correspondence on this island as the seasons change and he eats when he's hungry?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Correspondence. And he, of course, does his homework diligently because he's seen the light.... or done the dance of Homework.

[yattara.livejournal.com]

Honestly? He thinks that the best thing for Peter would be to go to an isolated island, with only some crazy men periodically dropping by to check that you're not dying trapped under a tree somewhere?

If I was Peter I'd club the first person to suggest that wit a crutch, or the bedside-lamp. Good grief. Like he hasn't got enough problems, he doesn't need to be on the same plot of ground with the guy who tried to kill him, but who's changed now, honest, come see the lovely totem I carved, forgiving you for controlling my emotions and making me try to dye the street with your blood.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Yes. Because it'll heal Peter, just like it healed him. And if you believe that, I've got a moon to sell you.

If I was Peter I'd club the first person to suggest that wit a crutch, or the bedside-lamp. Good grief. Like he hasn't got enough problems, he doesn't need to be on the same plot of ground with the guy who tried to kill him, but who's changed now, honest, come see the lovely totem I carved, forgiving you for controlling my emotions and making me try to dye the street with your blood.

Yup, and I'm BATMAN!!

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

His idea? Bring Peter to the island.

...

......

So... was Cole eating mushrooms at any point in that chapter? Or lichen? There are a few hallucinogenic lichens in the far North. Only explanation.

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

The Spirit Bear is really just some poor bear they dyed white and release occasionally on the island for Cole to see.

"Hey, disturbed boy, wanna see my spirit bear? It'll make you better. Really."

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Is it a meaty bear? Cause I like my bears meaty.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

No mushrooms. No lichen either. Perhaps the isolation is getting to him?

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

Isn't this book FUN, Kippur?!

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Oh YES! And Tomorrow? My spleen comes out with a rusty fork!

[berseker.livejournal.com]

Bet he´ll tell us his secret past. This plot is all over the place, isn´t it?


Anyway, on a very randon note, check this out, you might like it. It´s about our favorite person in the whole bookverse: http://community.livejournal.com/otherwhispers/763.html#cutid1

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

You're assuming there is a plot between all the preaching of love and harmony and touching your Spirit Bear.

[spoofmaster]

I'm still kind of wondering how being completely isolated except for occasional visits from one or two people is supposed to teach Cole how to function in society. Shouldn't he be involved in monitored socialization activities so he can learn how to control his anger around other people? Seems kind of pointless to only teach him how to control his anger around himself and nature, unless they're hoping he'll just be a hermit for the rest of his life.

And seriously...if Peter is heavily medicated and all that, how is he supposed to take care of himself on the island?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

ARE YOU QUESTIONING THE LOGIC OF THE SPIRIT BEAR?! HOW DARE YOU! NO ONE QUESTIONS THE LOGIC OF THE SPIRIT BEAR! IT HEALS ALL!!

[guardians-song.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I read "Salmon" as "Sauron". Made it muchly better.

But jeez... Thank you for sporking this junk. And Edwin has a point... but I'm sure that Cole will be OMG right. Gah. DX

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Cole was right. Of course.

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

I've found the Spirit Bear! I've found it! I've found it!

The Spirit Bear (warning will open up in Windows Media Player). Found it here

See! It's real! Yesh... sooooo real... reach out and touch the spirit bear! Heresh another Spirit Beer Go on! Touch it!

Quite frankly I think that only a lot of these spirit bears could explain a book this awful.

Meanwhile I am absolutely shocked by how you're talking! Obviously poor Peter will have a great time being all alone on an island with a guy who tried to kill him! Think how much fun they can have, think of the joys of lifting the ancestor rock in a wheelchair!

By the way apparently real native-americans much like the book and the usual suspects whinre about it.

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

Gah! That should be native americans don't much like it (go figure!), and the usual suspects (new agey teachers) whine about it.

[kellicat.livejournal.com]

I clicked on the link. I now have that website saved in my bookmarks folders. I always knew that something was wrong with Little House on the Prairie.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

"Being angry is giving someone else control of my feelings so they own me. Forgiving gives me control again."

That's what my schoolteachers always told me when I was being bullied.

[T]hat is the biggest cock and bull I've ever heard[.]

That's exactly how I felt.

You can get angry by someone setting you off. But that's not giving them control of your feelings. It's a reaction.

"But a reaction is what they want, so you are giving control to them." Needless to say, I look at schoolteachers the way most people look at sex offenders.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Don't you just hate when they say that?

"You're being an enabler. Don't let them do that."

They're trying to hit me! I didn't do anything but exist! And if I fight back, I get into trouble!

Gah.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'd prefer it if they tried to hit me, then the hippy dingbats'd have to care.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Did they say "You need to stand up for yourself"?

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

Wasn't allowed to, I had to tell a staff member if someone was being mean. Standing up for myself would put me in the wrong, according to the rules of disruptive behavior, and no one taught me how to stand up for myself anyway.

[kellicat.livejournal.com]

But of course it's the victim's fault when they're bullied! The bullies are just poor widdle misunderstood children with terrible home lives! We must help them with pseudo-Native American methods like Circle Justice! Who cares about a little thing like a serious head injury? Saving the bullies' souls is far more important!

(Actually, a lot of bullies are narcissists, not people with low self-esteem, but try telling that to certain New Age teachers...)

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

Gah yes! I found this link collection about it. I'm exploring it now.

[the-norseman.livejournal.com]

And whaddya know! Look at what I found in a Scientific American article:

Take the bullying that goes on among children, a common form of aggression. Dan Olweus of the University of Bergen was one of the first to dispute the notion that under their tough exteriors, bullies suffer from insecurities and self-doubts. Although Olweus did not measure self-esteem directly, he showed that bullies reported less anxiety and were more sure of themselves than other children. Apparently the same applies to violent adults, as Baumeister discussed in these pages a few years ago [see "More to Explore," below].

Which of course makes perfect sense to anyone who isn't entirely into New Age.

I think I know where this preconception comes from... it comes from an inability to accept that violence and domination displays are a natural part of human behaviour. Therefore it follows that if someone deliberately hurts others he has to be sick, or injured somehow.

[authoressarktos.livejournal.com]

But then again, I forget, this is the magical cure all. Soak in a pond. Roll a rock around. Carve a totem. See the "Spirit Bear". It's the new therapy. I bet Edwin and Garvey make a mint off of it. The Spirit Bear is really just some poor bear they dyed white and release occasionally on the island for Cole to see. Every thing's just a big sham and Edwin and Garvey are laughing it up somewhere.

You know, the book makes so much more sense when I think of it that way...XD

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it? It's the most logical explanation I can think of.