The following article was originally printed in
The Maneater,
student voice of the University of Missouri Columbia, on Oct. 18, 1996.
By Jennifer Campbell
Two-year-old Cory de Vera and her sister Michelle clung to hellum balloons as they hopped from bed to bed in their bedroom. In their collective imagination, they weren't little girls, but little Bears, not bouncing on beds, but rising to the treetops.
The pair was inspired by the first chapter of A.A. Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh." This chapter, in which "We Are Introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees, and the Stories Begin," tells the adventure of Pooh and the Honey Tree.
In the story, Pooh poses as a rain cloud and plans to steal the honey of bees living in the tree. When the bees become suspicious, Christopher Robin shoots the balloon with his pop-gun and Pooh floats gently to the ground, honeyless.
While re-enacting the scene, the sisters jumped off their beds onto the floor, but Pooh always got the honey.
"I'm not a real big fan of honey, but we tried it for Pooh," de Vera said.
de Vera, now an employee of Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc., has loved Pooh more than a "Little Smakerel" for a long time. On a Christmas morning almost 30 years ago, she was ony a few hours old when Michelle, then 3 years old, gave de Vera her first Pooh doll.
By that time, the Pooh phenomenon was already in full swing. Alan Alexander Milne introduced "Winnie-the-Pooh" to the world in 1926. Now at the 70th anniversary of the book's publication, the Bear of Very Little Brain has become a hero in children's literature.
During those seven decades, Pooh and his compaions have evolved from pages in British literature to colorful, animated cartoons.
But the passage of time barely touches Pooh. The Bear continues to enchant children and adults alike with his imaginative adventures and calm acceptance of whatever mishaps life may bring.
No matter what happens, he always is content to watch the river slip slowly away from under a particular bridge in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Pooh's unchangeable nature is his appeal. Milne's books "Winnie-the-Pooh" and "House at Pooh Corner" offer a doorway to a world without the stress of modern life.
"It teaches you the things you hope to pass on to the next generation," sai Jennifer Zarrelli, senior secretary for the MU English department. "It's friendship and values that society doesn't care so much about anymore."
Lovers of Milne's books extend further than the English-speaking world. "Winnie-the-Pooh" has been translated into 33 languages, delighting children of many cultures. The Latin translation, "Willie ille Pu," spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1960.
Pooh first appeared in a book of Milne's children's poems titled "When We Were Very Young," published two years before "Winnie-the-Pooh." In the poem "Teddy Bear," his name was Edward Bear, and he confronted the dilemma of being tubby.
Milne's son Christopher Robin, who owned the stuffed Pooh and his friends, granted the Bear his own exciting name not long after this poem. The name Winnie-the-Pooh originated from two of Christopher Robin's other animal friends.
Christopher Robin had owned a swan named Pooh (or the swan owned him. Milne writes that he cannot remember which is correct). The swan eventually died, as swans do, and passed its name onto Edward Bear.
The other part of the Bear's name originated from a young black bear at the London Zoo for which Christopher Robin had a special fondness. He always stopped at Winnie's cage on the occasion of his visit to the zoo.
Later in life, both Milne and Christopher Robin tried to separate themselves from the shadow of their creation. Milne often complained that Pooh's popularity eclipsed his other writings and plays. Before Christopher Robin's death in April 1996, he voiced resentment for his association with the children's stories.
Despite the complaints of both father and son, Pooh's following has grown, mostly through his well-known Disney incarnation.
Walt Disney bought the rights to Milne's stories in June 1961. The first Pooh animated short, "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Honey Tree," aired five years later.
The backlash from Milne's British countrymen was immediate. The Americanization of the classic stories upset Milne's fans. In the American interpretation, every character except Christopher Robin spoke with an American accent, and Piglet was replaced with a lisping gopher.
Disney corrected one problem in its next film, "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Blustery Day," in which Piglet finally came to his rightful place in the Hundred Acre Wood. The Very Small Animal appeared in every film that followed, as Pooh's best friend.
In addition to the films, Disney recently has been capitalizing on the Bear's gorwing popularity with dolls, clothing, figurines and other such items.
Pooh-lover Robin Wheeler, an employee at MU's Academic Support Center, said her fascination with the classic stories began during her childhood when her mother read them aloud. Disney's mass-marketization of Pooh offends her.
"In a way, I like it. In another way, they're selling my childhood," Wheeler said. "I'm sick of getting it shoved down my throat."
Ernest H. Shepard's decorations in Milne's books are less recognizable to Americans than the Disney drawings. Young children sing the theme song to Disney's cartoon series, "The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh," in which Pooh has adventures never mentioned by Milne.
The cartoon degrades Pooh rather than compliments Milne's works, de Vera said.
"They have Pooh doing things any generic cartoon character could do," she said. "They may as well be Smurfs."
Disney's Pooh does have charm as he muddles his way through his many puzzling predicaments, and he has done more than just entertain since his appearance in 1966.
de Vera said when she was a child, she owned a record on which an American-accented Christopher Robin explained the electoral college and the American political system to Pooh. The record was part of a Sears promotional campaign in 1972 titled "Pooh for President."
In fact, Pooh's friends had an influence on de Vera's political leanings. She said she's a Democrat probably because the party's mascot, a donkey, reminded her of the always-gloomy Eeyore. She also mentioned the similarity between the Republican elephant and Milne's malicious Heffalumps, elephants that steal honey from unsuspecting bears.
de Vera's work desk describes her Pooh fetish most accurately. A Pooh mouse pad, toy train and statue adorn her workspace; the wall behind her desk is home to several Pooh drawings by children who visit the IRE office.
de Vera said adults do not get to take part in a world as imaginative as Milne's very often. Pooh offers a rest from life's chaos in a Wood of imagination an intriguing adventures.
For those who wish to visit Pooh in his Enchanted Place, Milne promises that "the Forest will always be there...and anybody who is Friendly with Bears can find it."
I'd love to hear your comments at campbellj83@hotmail.com
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