This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
PERIOD 2 - "THE BEAR THAT WASN'T"
Today you read The Bear That Wasn't by Frank Tashlin. Please share with the class your thoughts about the story and be sure to post at least one comment on another classmate's reflective post.
Mr. Gallagher
37 comments:
Julian Sullivan
said...
The story is about a bear who throughout being told that he isn't a bear, believes it for a little while until he realizes for himself that he actually is one. It's just like the labeling theory which hypothosizes that people carry out their actions because that is what society has labelled them - criminals, honest people, etc. It also reminds me of a study that was done where participants were shown bars of different length and had to decide in a large group which one was the longest. All but one of the members were actors and purposely choose ones that were not the largest and the actual participant almost always went with the group because "How could that many people be wrong? How could I be the only one who is correct?" Very few had the courage to trust their own vision. The moral is that no matter what people tell you you are, you need to think for yourself and ask "Who am I?" because you should decide who you are, not others.
The story "The Bear That Wasn't" is about a bear who was told by everbody he wasn't a bear, even though he is a bear. This story represents how somebody today can loose their identity because of society, through a children's story.
"The Bear That Wasn't" tells of how someone can lose their identity through the society they are a part of. In the book, all the people around him tell the bear that he's not what he thinks he is but instead, he's a man with a coat that needs to shave. He doesn't believe this and is strong enough to keep his identity and return to his cave, a hard thing to do for most.
In this story the bear symbolizes one persons struggle to finding their identity. The bear was constantly repressed by society as being a dumb man who was wearing a fur coat and needed to shave. The bear started to believe what the other people started saying about him because he was repeatedly told by many people that he was dumb and needed to shave. In the end when the bear is all alone and he has no one, he relies on himself again and decides that he is a not a dumb bear. The bears struggle for identity is answered when he understands that he himself must decide who he is and not let others choice or decide for him.
I agree completely that it is a very difficult thing to find what your true identity is and that most people never truly do find their identity. The fact that the bear realized who he really was is a very complicated and hard accomplishment.
The story "The Bear That Wasnt" is about a bear who slowly looses his identity. The bear is told numerous times that he is not a bear and eventually believes what he is hearing. I think the story is trying to say that no matter what anyone says you know your identity the best. With that being said the bear should have believed himself and never have listened to the factory owners. Brian, I agree with your all of your thoughts on the story. I do think that you can listen to others opinions, but you are right saying that your opinion is the only one that matters.
This story demonstrates how people can loose their identity by trying to live up to societies expectations. Although the bear eventually submits to the pressures put on him by authority, he finds that the best way to stay "warm" is embrace his old identity and be happy with who he is and ignore what others say.
This story is about a bear who is continuously told that he not a bear but a man with a furry coat who needs a shave. The bear, after being told so many times, he is not a bear begins to believe the people who tell him he is not a bear. In the end, the bear knows he is a bear and goes back into hibernation. This story shows that if people are told they are something they are not, they can start to believe it. People can get confused on who they really are when influenced by others. Confidence in who you are can help you keep who you really are.
I believe that the theme of the story is to stay true to one's identity and to not allow society's pressures to greatly influence the core of your identity. This story speaks to young kids and also teenagers as well. In a stage of your life where one is trying to find themselves, it is important to become who you want to be and who you are, as opposed to what society thinks you should be.
"The Bear That Wasn't" is a story that shows how identity can be influenced or lost by other people of society. The bear began to lose his own identity as a bear after he was repeatedly told that he was a dumb man who needed to be shaved by others. At the end of the story, the bear ends up sitting in the snow, because of his lost identity. The story makes a statement on how much others' opinions can impact one's personal identity. Tonimarie, I agree with all your thoughts; especially with the fact that people can get confused easily with who they are when influenced by others, and confidence within one's self can really keep one's identity grounded.
To receive full credit, you must use your FIRST and LAST name and you must make the comment on either the first or second day the blog is posted. If you were absent you must post a comment explaining that you were absent. You will not see your post published if you are posting three days after the original post as it will be sent to me for moderator approval. I strongly suggest that you first enter your post in a Word document - save it - then copy and paste it into the blogger "comment" field in case it gets lost when you hit the "publish your comment" button. If you are commenting on the same day or second day of the original post and you don't see your comment - you should email me with your comments - that day - with the explanation that you are having problems publishing your comments.
I think that the bear in the story represents the average person’s struggle with identity in society. The bear is lead to believe that he is not a bear because he does not look like any of the other bears. I think that the story is trying to show how at the end of the day, like in the story when the factory is closed and the bear is left alone, it does not matter what everyone else thinks about you. The only opinion that matters is what you think about yourself. You should stand up for what you think because your opinion means just as much as anyone else’s, even if no one else agrees with you. The author uses a children’s story to explain a complex idea of identity and who we are as individuals with a simple story.
I agree with you that the bear is struggling to find his identity, because although he thinks he is a bear, others tell him he is not. I think this story shows how repetition of words can slowly corrupt the mind into thinking and believing other ideas. I also agree with you, that the answers to ones questions lay within themselves.
I think that the bear in the story is a symbol of personal identity. In addtion to that, i think its also about how a society can make generalizations based on a person's appearance and cause one to question who they are. The is evidentt when the bear is told by the people in his society that he is "a man that needs a shave and wears a fur coat." The presidents think that if the bear is really a bear than he must live in a zoo or the circus and do things that a bear would do, but this isnt really true. It just goes to show that a person's identity isn't based on generalizations that people make; your identity is who you believe you are. The bear ultimately realizes this at the end of the book when he disregards what everyone around him says and decides for himself that he is in fact a bear.
The story, "The Bear that Wasn't" is about someone who looses their identity because they were persuaded and told so many times that they were something different than what they really are. The bear at first told society many times that he knew he was a bear. However, everyone around him labeled him as a man was needs a shave and who wears a fur coat. He starts to believe that he really may be who everyone says he is, but in the end he realizes and accepts his true identity.
I think “The Bear That Wasn’t” accurately shows what happens when everyone else’s opinion is inflicted upon you. If you hear anything enough and don’t have any proof to the contrary, you will eventually believe what you are being told. The bear believed what everyone else was telling him because it is easier to doubt yourself than the rest of the world, especially when it seems like everyone else is in agreement. After the bear had accepted the identity that had been forced on him, he eventually came to the realization that he was a bear and not just a man in a fur coat who needed to be shaved. In this way the story ends with a positive note, giving hope that each individual will believe in their own personal identity, regardless of others’ influence. Kayla, I completely agree with what you said about societies’ generalizations causing people to question their identities and that individual identities aren’t based on what other people think of you but what you think of yourself.
I believe that the story is about someone who looses their identity through societies pressures. The bear was told countless times that he was not a bear, but instead a man who needed a shave and wore a fur coat. I feel that the bear always knew who he truly was and just didn't want to go against what everyone else viewed him as. This shows readers that you have an opinion and the right to say what you think, even if no one else agrees. The bear at the end of the story knew he was and always has been a bear, which shows the theme of only you know who you really are, and you shouldn't let other people define you.
"The Bear That Wasn't" really reminds me of highschool itself. You can go through life having people tell you what you are and what you are not, and after hearing it so many times, you are bound to believe it. I think the point of the story is really to be strong enough to define yourself as a person and not let other people determine who you are, which takes a lot of strength and self confifdence.
I thought you made a really good point saying "How could so many people be wrong? How could I be the only one who is correct?"
When you start to think that everyone thinks something different than you it puts a lot of doubts in your head regarding whether you are correct or not.
I think you are absolutely right. High school is exactly like the story "The Bear That Wasn't". I believe people do get caught up with what people are saying about them and lost their identity because of it. It does take a lot of self confidence to be who you really want to be.
I completely agree with the statements you have made. I think people can go through identity confusion, but underneath it all they know who they really are and thats all that matters. I think it was a good point when you said that people, like the bear, sometimes feel pressured to think the same way others do as well.
I completely agree with the statements you have made. I think people can go through identity confusion, but underneath it all they know who they really are and thats all that matters. I think it was a good point when you said that people, like the bear, sometimes feel pressured to think the same way others do as well.
I think the point that your making impacted the bear a lot during the book. If someone is told over and over again that they are something, they will start to believe it. I think its also a good point when you said it was almost as though everyone was in agreement. This shows that it made an even greater impact on the bears identity confusion.
I think the point that your making impacted the bear a lot during the book. If someone is told over and over again that they are something, they will start to believe it. I think its also a good point when you said it was almost as though everyone was in agreement. This shows that it made an even greater impact on the bears identity confusion.
The bear that wasn't is about a bear who forgot his identity because he started believing what everyone else was saying. This story has happened a lot throughout history when dictators want to take control of their people.
The story is about a bear who after time, as result of pressure of society he changed his identity. After he was told repeatedly that he was not a bear he himself started to believe it even though he knew the truth deep inside. I agree with all the girls when they say that people can be confused about their identity, even more people become victim of peer pressure making them do and act a certain way. I was really glad when in the story the bear broke the cycle and was true to himself. I just feel that some times now days is hard to do.
In the story "The Bear That Wasn't," the ideology of society's impact of an individual was presented. In the story, the bear was convinced by everyone around him that he was not truly a member of the bear family, and after being told numerous times he gave in and started believing it himself. Later in the story he comes to realize what he really is and accepts himself as a bear. Just like in reality, people are socially titled by their peers, and after being titled for a long period of time, one may become what they are expected to be, losing the truth of their character. This story showed me the effect of society's impact on people and widened my eyes to the influence on others around me, including myself.
"The Bear That Wasn't" explained how a bear was not accepted by a foreman, general manager, presidents, and many more groups. All of these people or groups represent society and how a single person could be turned away and judged with false accusations. I believe the short story coincides with the Holocaust and how the Jews were treated by the Nazis. A quick glance at this book makes it seem like it is just a story about a bear, but its clearly not. It shows what can happen to society when people are mislabeled. When asked how this story could relate to someone my age I think about high school and how some kids are considered 'outsiders' and treated somewhat like the bear in the story.
Dear Kayla, I like what you had to say about the bear representing personal idenity and how society generalizes people based on appearance. I agree with these statements and think that your information was very insightful. It helped me understand the short story better. *Not in class on Monday, Feb. 1st
"The bear that wasn't" was about a bear who looses his identity slowly by people whose are surrounding the bear. Those people kept telling him that he is not a bear. First time when people told to the bear, he did not agree very strongly. But later on, people kept implanted repeatly, he became nothing. Not a bear nor a person who works in people's factory. It was really sad and tremendously interesting topic. I think the bear was me or other people in the world. We do not recognize that we are a bear's situation, but we are. We slightly controled by the society what we should do, or what we are. We should be careful and protect identity of our own. And try not to loose it.
I already posted a blog earlier, but it was under anonymous. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that this story urges the reader to maintain one's identity. It urges us to be who we want to be as opossed to what society thinks we should be. This story shows how society can put pressure on an individual to become what society thinks they are. However, the theme of the story preaches for people to avoid the temptations of these pressures and maintain ones identity.
I already blogged before, but it was under anonymous. As I mentioned before, this story urges the reader to maintain one's identity. It shows the pressures that society puts on individuals to conform to society's view of them. This is what the bear does in the story. However, the theme urges the readers to ignore these pressures and stay true to one's identity. This is a good theme for high school students to understand. This is because students often have to deal with similar pressures throughout their lives.
The story of “The Bear that Wasn’t” is a story of a bear who falls into an identity that society forced upon him. The bear was confident in his identity of a bear until people began to tell him otherwise. Society expected bears to be in the circus, or the zoo and when they faced a true bear in his most natural of identities, they just didn’t believe it. They kept continuously forcing their view of what the bear should be on him, until the bear ultimately lost his own identity. The bear became a victim of the pressures of society to constantly be someone you just simply aren’t. I think this story is supposed to send a message to the reader to stay true to whoever they are, and never let anyone tell you otherwise and pressure you into believing you are what they want you to be. Only you can decide your identity, no one else.
Lexi, I agree with your idea that this book is similar to high school. This is a time where people are trying so hard to fit in, but also just trying to figure out who ever it is they are to begin with. Just like the bear, it is important for us to just listen to ourselves and not get lost in other people’s expectations.
Mr. Gallagher I was absent the day that we were told to comment on this book, sorry I didnt do this sooner. This was the day that Megan and I did "Seniors Speak," when we spoke to a junior english class about applying to college. Sorry again, I should have done this sooner.
37 comments:
The story is about a bear who throughout being told that he isn't a bear, believes it for a little while until he realizes for himself that he actually is one. It's just like the labeling theory which hypothosizes that people carry out their actions because that is what society has labelled them - criminals, honest people, etc. It also reminds me of a study that was done where participants were shown bars of different length and had to decide in a large group which one was the longest. All but one of the members were actors and purposely choose ones that were not the largest and the actual participant almost always went with the group because "How could that many people be wrong? How could I be the only one who is correct?" Very few had the courage to trust their own vision. The moral is that no matter what people tell you you are, you need to think for yourself and ask "Who am I?" because you should decide who you are, not others.
Pat Iasiello said...
The story "The Bear That Wasn't" is about a bear who was told by everbody he wasn't a bear, even though he is a bear. This story represents how somebody today can loose their identity because of society, through a children's story.
"The Bear That Wasn't" tells of how someone can lose their identity through the society they are a part of. In the book, all the people around him tell the bear that he's not what he thinks he is but instead, he's a man with a coat that needs to shave. He doesn't believe this and is strong enough to keep his identity and return to his cave, a hard thing to do for most.
In this story the bear symbolizes one persons struggle to finding their identity. The bear was constantly repressed by society as being a dumb man who was wearing a fur coat and needed to shave. The bear started to believe what the other people started saying about him because he was repeatedly told by many people that he was dumb and needed to shave. In the end when the bear is all alone and he has no one, he relies on himself again and decides that he is a not a dumb bear. The bears struggle for identity is answered when he understands that he himself must decide who he is and not let others choice or decide for him.
Devin,
I agree completely that it is a very difficult thing to find what your true identity is and that most people never truly do find their identity. The fact that the bear realized who he really was is a very complicated and hard accomplishment.
The story "The Bear That Wasnt" is about a bear who slowly looses his identity. The bear is told numerous times that he is not a bear and eventually believes what he is hearing. I think the story is trying to say that no matter what anyone says you know your identity the best. With that being said the bear should have believed himself and never have listened to the factory owners.
Brian, I agree with your all of your thoughts on the story. I do think that you can listen to others opinions, but you are right saying that your opinion is the only one that matters.
This story demonstrates how people can loose their identity by trying to live up to societies expectations. Although the bear eventually submits to the pressures put on him by authority, he finds that the best way to stay "warm" is embrace his old identity and be happy with who he is and ignore what others say.
This story is about a bear who is continuously told that he not a bear but a man with a furry coat who needs a shave. The bear, after being told so many times, he is not a bear begins to believe the people who tell him he is not a bear. In the end, the bear knows he is a bear and goes back into hibernation. This story shows that if people are told they are something they are not, they can start to believe it. People can get confused on who they really are when influenced by others. Confidence in who you are can help you keep who you really are.
Nate Foy said...
I believe that the theme of the story is to stay true to one's identity and to not allow society's pressures to greatly influence the core of your identity. This story speaks to young kids and also teenagers as well. In a stage of your life where one is trying to find themselves, it is important to become who you want to be and who you are, as opposed to what society thinks you should be.
"The Bear That Wasn't" is a story that shows how identity can be influenced or lost by other people of society. The bear began to lose his own identity as a bear after he was repeatedly told that he was a dumb man who needed to be shaved by others. At the end of the story, the bear ends up sitting in the snow, because of his lost identity. The story makes a statement on how much others' opinions can impact one's personal identity. Tonimarie, I agree with all your thoughts; especially with the fact that people can get confused easily with who they are when influenced by others, and confidence within one's self can really keep one's identity grounded.
To receive full credit, you must use your FIRST and LAST name and you must make the comment on either the first or second day the blog is posted. If you were absent you must post a comment explaining that you were absent. You will not see your post published if you are posting three days after the original post as it will be sent to me for moderator approval. I strongly suggest that you first enter your post in a Word document - save it - then copy and paste it into the blogger "comment" field in case it gets lost when you hit the "publish your comment" button. If you are commenting on the same day or second day of the original post and you don't see your comment - you should email me with your comments - that day - with the explanation that you are having problems publishing your comments.
Mr. Gallagher
I think that the bear in the story represents the average person’s struggle with identity in society. The bear is lead to believe that he is not a bear because he does not look like any of the other bears. I think that the story is trying to show how at the end of the day, like in the story when the factory is closed and the bear is left alone, it does not matter what everyone else thinks about you. The only opinion that matters is what you think about yourself. You should stand up for what you think because your opinion means just as much as anyone else’s, even if no one else agrees with you. The author uses a children’s story to explain a complex idea of identity and who we are as individuals with a simple story.
Mrinaal,
I agree with you that the bear is struggling to find his identity, because although he thinks he is a bear, others tell him he is not. I think this story shows how repetition of words can slowly corrupt the mind into thinking and believing other ideas. I also agree with you, that the answers to ones questions lay within themselves.
I think that the bear in the story is a symbol of personal identity. In addtion to that, i think its also about how a society can make generalizations based on a person's appearance and cause one to question who they are. The is evidentt when the bear is told by the people in his society that he is "a man that needs a shave and wears a fur coat." The presidents think that if the bear is really a bear than he must live in a zoo or the circus and do things that a bear would do, but this isnt really true. It just goes to show that a person's identity isn't based on generalizations that people make; your identity is who you believe you are. The bear ultimately realizes this at the end of the book when he disregards what everyone around him says and decides for himself that he is in fact a bear.
The story, "The Bear that Wasn't" is about someone who looses their identity because they were persuaded and told so many times that they were something different than what they really are. The bear at first told society many times that he knew he was a bear. However, everyone around him labeled him as a man was needs a shave and who wears a fur coat. He starts to believe that he really may be who everyone says he is, but in the end he realizes and accepts his true identity.
I think “The Bear That Wasn’t” accurately shows what happens when everyone else’s opinion is inflicted upon you. If you hear anything enough and don’t have any proof to the contrary, you will eventually believe what you are being told. The bear believed what everyone else was telling him because it is easier to doubt yourself than the rest of the world, especially when it seems like everyone else is in agreement. After the bear had accepted the identity that had been forced on him, he eventually came to the realization that he was a bear and not just a man in a fur coat who needed to be shaved. In this way the story ends with a positive note, giving hope that each individual will believe in their own personal identity, regardless of others’ influence. Kayla, I completely agree with what you said about societies’ generalizations causing people to question their identities and that individual identities aren’t based on what other people think of you but what you think of yourself.
I believe that the story is about someone who looses their identity through societies pressures. The bear was told countless times that he was not a bear, but instead a man who needed a shave and wore a fur coat. I feel that the bear always knew who he truly was and just didn't want to go against what everyone else viewed him as. This shows readers that you have an opinion and the right to say what you think, even if no one else agrees. The bear at the end of the story knew he was and always has been a bear, which shows the theme of only you know who you really are, and you shouldn't let other people define you.
"The Bear That Wasn't" really reminds me of highschool itself. You can go through life having people tell you what you are and what you are not, and after hearing it so many times, you are bound to believe it. I think the point of the story is really to be strong enough to define yourself as a person and not let other people determine who you are, which takes a lot of strength and self confifdence.
Julian,
I thought you made a really good point saying "How could so many people be wrong? How could I be the only one who is correct?"
When you start to think that everyone thinks something different than you it puts a lot of doubts in your head regarding whether you are correct or not.
Lexi,
I think you are absolutely right. High school is exactly like the story "The Bear That Wasn't". I believe people do get caught up with what people are saying about them and lost their identity because of it. It does take a lot of self confidence to be who you really want to be.
Dear Sarah,
I completely agree with the statements you have made. I think people can go through identity confusion, but underneath it all they know who they really are and thats all that matters. I think it was a good point when you said that people, like the bear, sometimes feel pressured to think the same way others do as well.
Dear Sarah,
I completely agree with the statements you have made. I think people can go through identity confusion, but underneath it all they know who they really are and thats all that matters. I think it was a good point when you said that people, like the bear, sometimes feel pressured to think the same way others do as well.
Dear Kristen,
I think the point that your making impacted the bear a lot during the book. If someone is told over and over again that they are something, they will start to believe it. I think its also a good point when you said it was almost as though everyone was in agreement. This shows that it made an even greater impact on the bears identity confusion.
Dear Kristen,
I think the point that your making impacted the bear a lot during the book. If someone is told over and over again that they are something, they will start to believe it. I think its also a good point when you said it was almost as though everyone was in agreement. This shows that it made an even greater impact on the bears identity confusion.
Mark Bernieri said...
The bear that wasn't is about a bear who forgot his identity because he started believing what everyone else was saying. This story has happened a lot throughout history when dictators want to take control of their people.
The story is about a bear who after time, as result of pressure of society he changed his identity. After he was told repeatedly that he was not a bear he himself started to believe it even though he knew the truth deep inside. I agree with all the girls when they say that people can be confused about their identity, even more people become victim of peer pressure making them do and act a certain way. I was really glad when in the story the bear broke the cycle and was true to himself. I just feel that some times now days is hard to do.
In the story "The Bear That Wasn't," the ideology of society's impact of an individual was presented. In the story, the bear was convinced by everyone around him that he was not truly a member of the bear family, and after being told numerous times he gave in and started believing it himself. Later in the story he comes to realize what he really is and accepts himself as a bear. Just like in reality, people are socially titled by their peers, and after being titled for a long period of time, one may become what they are expected to be, losing the truth of their character. This story showed me the effect of society's impact on people and widened my eyes to the influence on others around me, including myself.
---I was absent on Monday, February 1st
* I was not in class on Monday
"The Bear That Wasn't" explained how a bear was not accepted by a foreman, general manager, presidents, and many more groups. All of these people or groups represent society and how a single person could be turned away and judged with false accusations. I believe the short story coincides with the Holocaust and how the Jews were treated by the Nazis. A quick glance at this book makes it seem like it is just a story about a bear, but its clearly not. It shows what can happen to society when people are mislabeled. When asked how this story could relate to someone my age I think about high school and how some kids are considered 'outsiders' and treated somewhat like the bear in the story.
Dear Kayla,
I like what you had to say about the bear representing personal idenity and how society generalizes people based on appearance. I agree with these statements and think that your information was very insightful. It helped me understand the short story better.
*Not in class on Monday, Feb. 1st
"The bear that wasn't" was about a bear who looses his identity slowly by people whose are surrounding the bear. Those people kept telling him that he is not a bear. First time when people told to the bear, he did not agree very strongly. But later on, people kept implanted repeatly, he became nothing. Not a bear nor a person who works in people's factory. It was really sad and tremendously interesting topic. I think the bear was me or other people in the world. We do not recognize that we are a bear's situation, but we are. We slightly controled by the society what we should do, or what we are. We should be careful and protect identity of our own. And try not to loose it.
I already posted a blog earlier, but it was under anonymous. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that this story urges the reader to maintain one's identity. It urges us to be who we want to be as opossed to what society thinks we should be. This story shows how society can put pressure on an individual to become what society thinks they are. However, the theme of the story preaches for people to avoid the temptations of these pressures and maintain ones identity.
I already blogged before, but it was under anonymous. As I mentioned before, this story urges the reader to maintain one's identity. It shows the pressures that society puts on individuals to conform to society's view of them. This is what the bear does in the story. However, the theme urges the readers to ignore these pressures and stay true to one's identity. This is a good theme for high school students to understand. This is because students often have to deal with similar pressures throughout their lives.
The story of “The Bear that Wasn’t” is a story of a bear who falls into an identity that society forced upon him. The bear was confident in his identity of a bear until people began to tell him otherwise. Society expected bears to be in the circus, or the zoo and when they faced a true bear in his most natural of identities, they just didn’t believe it. They kept continuously forcing their view of what the bear should be on him, until the bear ultimately lost his own identity. The bear became a victim of the pressures of society to constantly be someone you just simply aren’t. I think this story is supposed to send a message to the reader to stay true to whoever they are, and never let anyone tell you otherwise and pressure you into believing you are what they want you to be. Only you can decide your identity, no one else.
Lexi, I agree with your idea that this book is similar to high school. This is a time where people are trying so hard to fit in, but also just trying to figure out who ever it is they are to begin with. Just like the bear, it is important for us to just listen to ourselves and not get lost in other people’s expectations.
Mr. Gallagher I was absent the day that we were told to comment on this book, sorry I didnt do this sooner. This was the day that Megan and I did "Seniors Speak," when we spoke to a junior english class about applying to college. Sorry again, I should have done this sooner.
Post a Comment