He is a simple-minded bear that travels around and has many adventures without becoming smarter, or losing his simple mindedness. As a result, he is the perfect symbol to explain Taoism and the eastern worldview to the average busy Western thinker. In the Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff explains Taoism through the extensive use of symbolism coupled with numerous allusions to the characters and stories written by Alan Milne. As such, the best place to start analyzing the Tao of Pooh is to look at these allusions in depth.
"P"u the Uncarved Block the idea that all things in their original form have a natural power." (10) Pooh is the absolute symbol of the Uncarved Block. As Hoff points out, he is simple minded, so he is always able to do what needs to be done without too much trouble. Winnie-the-Pooh is used to demonstrate this and the other principals of Taoism, such as taking time to stop and smell the roses because if one doesn't, as Pooh says, "[one will] burn [one's] toast a lot."(99) Pooh helps the "Bisy Backsons" of the world understand what Taoism is all about. He is the perfect symbol and spokesperson for Taoism because of his simple easy to relate to nature. Plus, everyone loves Whinne-the-Pooh.
If Pooh represents the perfect Taoist, then Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, and Tigger, represent everything else. Owl represents "the Brain" (25) which is often at odds with the Taoist way of life. The Brain thinks too much and is unwilling to just let things be. Hoff explains that Taoism is about going with the flow and not thinking about things that are irrelevant to life. While Brain is something that Owl has in spades, "if it were Cleverness that counted most, Rabbit would be Number One." (14) Rabbit is clever that is clear to anyone who has read Milne's work. However, Hoff explains that cleverness can be a bad thing if it is overused. Hoff shows this empirically, by chronicling Rabbits journey throughout the Tao of Pooh to find out who has the Uncarved Block.
These fables were not only a comment on society, but also a guideline on how to improve said society. ... This was Aesop's of asserting that everyone, no matter how "small", had a way of benefiting society. ... Aesop's fables were obviously not only a social commentary on how the way things were, but also a recommendation on how the way things should be. ... "Much better than poohs.""... said Pooh. ...
"The Catcher in the Rye" Reflection The title "The Catcher in the Rye" is to symbolize how Holden wants to protect the innocence of little kids. ... Salinger called the novel "The Catcher in the Rye" because it signifies how even though Holden is the way he is; he still has the innocence of a little child inside of him. ... Most teenage girls have that innocence inside of them, they still like cartoon characters such as Winnie the Pooh. ...
It is amazing to see how differently children view certain things than adults view them. ... I watched her turn pages in her Winnie the Pooh book with no hesitation or problem. After I read the Winnie the Pooh book to Christina we colored together. ... I know that Christina likes listening to simple stories because I read her the Winnie the Pooh book. ... I admire how Christina always had a smile on her face; now I understand why children make so many people happy. ...
Then there were days I would climb to a spot in my favorite tree, my "Pooh Tree" as I called it, which leaned out over the water just right. ... The time we all spent together, at the time seamed meaningless, but today all the jokes that we told, and how everyone seemed to have this same dream in their heads made the pond my favorite place. ... I also can recall the smell of the barn, how everything we took had had a kind of mystery to it. ... It seemed like I was the only person in the world that knew how important this all was. The way the "Pooh Tree" reflected off the water, and how the...
Snow White, Pooh Bear, Aladin, Alice, Mickey and Minney Mouse...and then I saw her, wearing a blue dress, making her only more beautiful. ... I wanted so much to run up to her and tell her how much I loved her but suddenly a wave of fear came over me. ...
Danielle would sit next to me in bed with her Pooh Bear and wait till I climbed in next to her. ... We got to school and I was in awe at how big my school was. ... I told her that we read my favorite book in class and learned how to do some math problems. ... I finished reading and Danielle was passed out next to me with her Pooh Bear. ... As a way to recollect on the memories that went along with that book and remember how much she loves us, we all got matching tattoos. ...
So, how does a parent decide when a child is ready? ... Some of the signs to look for to judge whether or not the child is ready include the ability to walk to a potty, follow simple commands, remain dry for several hours, take off their own clothes, show a desire for independence, curiosity about the toilet, talk about pee-pee and pooh-pooh, and enjoy copying their parents. ... When teaching your daughter, be sure to show her how to her how to wipe from front to back. ...
Although, beautifully done films like DreamWorks The Prince of Egypt and Jones's How the Grinch Stole Christmas can rise to Disney classic potential. ... How many of us can stand up and say that we don't have regrets? ... Every child I know has grown up with everything from Winnie the Pooh to Buzz Lightyear. ... But Goof Troop, The Debbie Barrera 4 Mickey Mouse Show, or Winnie the Pooh? ...
To add to their interests, the author puts fictional characters in the book like Winnie the Pooh, Little Red Riding Hood and Aladdin. ... The course of the history of philosophy shows how the philosophies developed through the years with the paradigm shifts; from the escape of the natural philosophers from the primitive thinking of believing in myths until the rise of existentialism. ...