Help and dedication manifest in many different forms across communities. These good deeds are often documented in literature. This is the subject of the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. People go out of their lives to help others become better individuals. Edwin and Garvey take on the challenge of making Cole Mathews a better person. In Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, the help of others allows an individual to transform, as illustrated by characterizations, epiphanies, and symbols, which show others that even in the worst of times, help is everything what they need. For starters, in Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. Bear, the help of others allows an individual to transform, as the characterization demonstrates. How the author characterizes the characters in the book plays an important role in whether or not they will change. In Touching Spirit Bear, Ben Mikaelsen did a good job choosing the characters based on how they behave and what they do. Mikaelsen made Cole an angry person, which helps the reader understand that anyone can change. Cole is helped by Edwin and Garvey because they had also been to the island as children. Edwin and Garvey went through all the changes like Cole does and they helped his personality change. Cole acts like he's really bad, but Edwin knows he's just angry. Because the author did a good job characterizing Cole and Edwin, we can see that they help each other transform into another person. The author made it clear that “anger is building inside Cole” (Mikaelsen 5). Cole doesn't see that he has an anger problem. He doesn't realize that hurting people is wrong. Mikaelsen made it clear that it wouldn't be easy to help Cole on his transformation journey. This allows readers to see that anyone can change. Cole is middle of paper......sometimes all they need is help. In conclusion, the use of symbols, epiphanies, and characterizations demonstrate how the help of others allows an individual to transform into Touching the Spirit Bear. Thanks to others, Cole realizes that he is not alone. When Cole helps Peter, he discovers he can feel better without hurting others. No one should go through changes alone. Courage and thoughtfulness from others can help people become the person they want to be. Ben Mikaelsen uses Touching Spirit Bear to reveal that everyone needs help from time to time, while also showing that even someone as angry as Cole Mathew can change. If an individual does not recognize that he needs help even if he does not want it, he will not be able to become a better man. Work cited Mikaelsen, Ben. Touch the spirit bear. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2001.Print.