This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
PERIOD 1 - 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.
Why do you think the bear gave in and started to believe what everyone said? What does this say about our culture, and conforming to other people's demands.
I have always believed that if you say somthing enough it eventually becomes the false truth which was what happned in this book with the bear being told that he was in fact not a bear and simply a man who needed to shave and wore a fur coat. however even after the bear was told this many times and even after he started to believe it he eventually came through and went with what he knew which was that he was in deed a bear, he stood up for what he believed.
Throughout the story, the bear tries to stay true to itself. In the end, it succumbs to social pressure and conforms to social norms despite its previous protests. When the winter comes, it is lost for what to do, but after realizing that by staying true to its origional beliefs, it is better off. I feel that this is a lesson that should be taught along with any other life lesson because too many people try to be "one of the group" despite knowing that what they do is not the best course of action.
I agrere with Amos that it sucked that the bear was continously told he wasnt a bear, and that for awhile he believed them and didnt live his beary life. I liked how in the end though he believed in himself and knew deep down that he was a bear no matter what anyone said.
The book was pretty good. I think it was meant to show how no one can tell you what you are. For example, everyone calls the bear a man and despite everything he went through, at the end he still believes he is a bear.
I think that the bear is representative of a typical person in society. If people are told something enough, they will start to believe it. An example would be people who are bullied. If someone is told that they are ugly or stupid, they will start to believe it. Even though they are not either of those things. Some victims of bullying will not overcome the lies though, like the bear did. The bear believed he was a man who needs a shave and who wears a fur coat. However by the end of the book, the bear overcame this belief and finally just believed that he was a bear. Hopefully people will overcome the belief that they are ugly or stupid, just like the bear overcame the belief that he was a man.
This story struck me as a symbol for what can happen to people if they are exposed to stereotypes. If someone is told they are bad or something that they are not, eventually they will begin to see themselves as what they are being called and not who they truly are. It causes people to go into an identity crisis where they doubt their true selves, something that should not have to happen to anyone.
The bear continued to not take any of the discrimination that the factory owners said because he knew his identity. the same thing can be applied to us as people and see how strong you can be when others put you down. The book shows that self perseverance can teach you to ignore what others think or say.
Molly Hester- I think that it reflects our culture as one that gives in to peer pressure and believes what others say. But at least the bear was civil about it, because the bear could have been more violent when he disagreed.
i agree with what Molly said in todays world many people have grown immune to being pushed around and doing what other people tell them to which has become a fault in our culture because less people know how to stand up for what they want and believe.
The short story we just read effectively protrayed a common event in our social order. People often try to change who they are in order to assimmilate into a group, but eventually just end up being a square peg forced into a round hole. As senseless as it is, though, it still happens every day.
I think this book teaches a good lesson. It shows that the bear was able to overcome the social pressure and ideas that we imposed on him about himself. In the beginning on the book he was very addiment that he was in fact a bear but his thoughts began to change when multiple people told him otherwise. By the end of the book he changed his opinions because he truly knows who he is no matter what anyone else says.
The Bear That Wasn't is about how if you get told things enough times you start to believe it. The bear got told so many times that he wasn't a bear because he wasn't either in the zoo or circus and was in a factory instead, that once winter came back around he was sleeping out of his warm cage cause he was convinced he was just a man who needs to shave and was wearing a fur coat.
The bear is unique. He is not a circus bear, and he is not in the zoo, but because people believe there are only two types of bears, they try to convince him he is not a bear. The bear tries to stay true to himself, but in the end he no longer believes he is a bear because of what others say. Do people conform this easily? After conforming is it easy or difficult to return to your original views?
I thought this book was very good and had a good meaning. This story can relate to real life. A lot of people say stuff people dont want to hear and the best thing you should do is ignore what people say if it bothers you. This was a great story.
I agree with Mara, I thought that the bear represented someone who gave in to the beliefs that others held of him and began to see himself in that way.
this book was really good and at first I thought this book was pretty funny because of the cover. but this book says how people would judge you just based on the way you look and you should just deal with it because other people won't ever understand........
In the story "the bear", the bear is faced with a dilema of retaining his identity as a bear in the face of the factory men who say that he is just a hairy man. This story highlights the effects of society on an individual's perception of his/her self and of their opinions. In eccence the beliefs of society and the effects of peer pressure may make an individual believe something that he/she knows to be false.
I agree with Amos that it sucked because the bear was continuosly told it wasn't a bear, when it clearly was, and that for a while, it too believed it wasn't a bear. In the end, however, it was able to shield itself from social pressures and believed that he was, in fact, a bear.
I agree with Andrew, often times people are put into sterotypes and just give in to these sterotypes because it is alot more work to prove themselves as a different person, and when they hear the same thing frequently enough they just conform. Because it's sometimes easier to give into other people opinions then just stand up for your own.
I agree with what Molly said. The bear was going to start to believe he wasn't a bear after being told repeatedly. He worked hard to meet the demands of the high ranked people in the factory.
My thoughts towards "The Bear That Wasn't" were that this bear wasn't anything. The bear was confused about who it was, living in an enviornment that treated the bear as the average human. The bear couldnt comprehend being treated as a human for that he was only a bear in his mind. The bear had the ability to do what he desired in the real world, but only wanted to be a lazy bear it seemed in the end. not making any other decision but going back to his hibernation by winter time.
I'm not sure that the bear was convinced he wasn't a silly man who needed a shave because at one point he did doubt his own identity. This was because all of the factory workers as well as other bears told him he was not a bear. At the end of the story he says that he's pretty sure he's not a silly man and he's pretty sure he's not a silly bear. I think what this is actually saying is that he is still confused as to who he is due to all of the outside influence.
The book was quite repetitive, however it shows what could happen in the business world. For instance if you are visiting a company and are wondering the halls and an employee sees you, then they could question who and why you are here. I disagree with the fact that you would keep going to a higher official to get the same response. At some point, some guy, would see he doesn't work there, but that he's a visitor. I mean what do we need then, lie detectors or a judge from a court!?
I agree with Lampi because there is an identity struggle for the bear and stereotypes are a major cause of that. the bear was being rediculed for not being one of the two types of bears but that didnt stop him from finding his identity
Molly also raises a good point. Many people (kids, teens, adults) listen to others when making choices for themselves due to what others say whether it is a friend or someone part of the media. We see it everyday where someone acts completely different than who they really are just to look cool.
This story had a great plot, and a meaningful lesson at the end of it. I really understood what the author was trying to convey in writing this story. Just because some one tells you something doesn't mean it's true. You should stick to your own beliefs no matter what. The bear did the right thing in the end going back to being a bear. Bears shouldn't work in factories.
I agree with Mara's comment. I believe when people are bullied it is easy for them to believe who they are being told they arem, is actual who they are. If no one is there to help them realize the truth, they will not be as lucky as the bear was and go back to being themselves.
I think that the story of The Bear that Wasn't is about a bear who people in society cast as an outsider. People tell him that he can't be seen as what he wants. They alienate the bear and make him feel like an outsider who doubts himself. This story is supposed to make people see how they treat others in our world. Often times people are told that they can't be what they want to be or that despite how they view themselves, others see them differently. I think the book is supposed to make people question how they treat others and get people not to pass judgment so easily.
I enjoyed reading this short story. It was simple, predictable, and easy to read but had a strong theme. People tend to believe what most probable and what other believe without question. In "The Bear That Wasn't" so many times the bear was told he wasn’t a bear even though he knew he clearly was. The Foreman thought he was a "silly man" and so did every other person (and even bear) that saw him. People tend to believe what other people believe, simply because it is believable. If one person believes it then usually someone will agree, often without proper thought about the matter. The Bear insists that he is a bear but the men don’t listen, there are more of them so they must be true. In the end the bear is forced to believe this lie about him because they men have falsely convinced him of it. This book shows how a lie can be implanted into someone’s head to make them truly believe something that they know isn't true.
I think the story has a lot of truth to it in regards to the society we live in today. In my opinion, it seems like most people these days are more defined by what others want them to be. After someone has been told many times that they are, for example, ugly, it is only natural for this person to believe that it is true, whether it is or isn't.
I partially agree with Rudis in the fact that it was repetative. However, that repitition also acted to portray the amount of pressure the bear was given to believe he was a man when in fact he was a bear.
Yak, I agree that maintaining your identity in a storm of outside influence was the lesson that needed to be taken from this book. However, I don't think that the way you described the lesson being taught (the bear ultimately staying true to himself) is the way it is portrayed in this book. I believe that the bear was left confused to show that if the slightest doubt of your identity is allowed, you will lose sight of it one way or another. So, you should never question who you think you are or allow others to tell you that you are someone else.
I can't tell if this story is meant to be written for children or specifically for a class such as ours. I think that if it is meant for children then it is a great sort of way to teach children about how to be themselves and believe in what they stand up for. i strongly agree with what Mara says as well. some may not see it but i have been a victim of a bully more then one time as i'm sure most of the class has at least one time in their life. but when being bullied, their came a time when i did give in to what the person was saying and i got down on myself. similar to the bear. yet i know not only ignore that person but i also don't care so much because it was so insignificant and i am who i am. just like the bear is a bear.
I think Michelle brings up an intersting point. Everyone around the bear is pressuring him to conform because that what all of them have done and it is what society tells them to do. This bear however knows that is not who he truely is and at the end of the novel he breaks free of the lies which changed him in the first place. When she asked "Do people congorm this easily?" i believe the answer is yes and this is what the author is trying to point out.
I agree that at first I didn't think the book was going to be about others judging the bear. I thought it was going to be your average kids book because that is what it looked like.
I actually liked the book and it really got its point across. I wish people in the world would accept people for who they are and not try to change someone into someone their not. Hopefully people will end up realizing who they are and not end up living a life thinking they are someone else.
56 comments:
hey pritem
I thought the book was ok but it sucked because the fact that they kept saying that he wasent a bear when he clearly was.
Test
yo pritemmmm was up, can you not see this......
The book teaches us that no matter what everybody says, we are what we are on the inside.
Why do you think the bear gave in and started to believe what everyone said? What does this say about our culture, and conforming to other people's demands.
Briana Arnold
I have always believed that if you say somthing enough it eventually becomes the false truth which was what happned in this book with the bear being told that he was in fact not a bear and simply a man who needed to shave and wore a fur coat. however even after the bear was told this many times and even after he started to believe it he eventually came through and went with what he knew which was that he was in deed a bear, he stood up for what he believed.
Throughout the story, the bear tries to stay true to itself. In the end, it succumbs to social pressure and conforms to social norms despite its previous protests. When the winter comes, it is lost for what to do, but after realizing that by staying true to its origional beliefs, it is better off. I feel that this is a lesson that should be taught along with any other life lesson because too many people try to be "one of the group" despite knowing that what they do is not the best course of action.
I agrere with Amos that it sucked that the bear was continously told he wasnt a bear, and that for awhile he believed them and didnt live his beary life. I liked how in the end though he believed in himself and knew deep down that he was a bear no matter what anyone said.
Yakov is Russian
The book was pretty good. I think it was meant to show how no one can tell you what you are. For example, everyone calls the bear a man and despite everything he went through, at the end he still believes he is a bear.
I think that the bear is representative of a typical person in society. If people are told something enough, they will start to believe it. An example would be people who are bullied. If someone is told that they are ugly or stupid, they will start to believe it. Even though they are not either of those things. Some victims of bullying will not overcome the lies though, like the bear did. The bear believed he was a man who needs a shave and who wears a fur coat. However by the end of the book, the bear overcame this belief and finally just believed that he was a bear. Hopefully people will overcome the belief that they are ugly or stupid, just like the bear overcame the belief that he was a man.
I agree with Amos. The bear was clearly a bear and it got aggrivating after a while that the people were too stuborn to see that themselves.
This story struck me as a symbol for what can happen to people if they are exposed to stereotypes. If someone is told they are bad or something that they are not, eventually they will begin to see themselves as what they are being called and not who they truly are. It causes people to go into an identity crisis where they doubt their true selves, something that should not have to happen to anyone.
molly maybee because the bear wanted to be a human being...
The bear continued to not take any of the discrimination that the factory owners said because he knew his identity. the same thing can be applied to us as people and see how strong you can be when others put you down. The book shows that self perseverance can teach you to ignore what others think or say.
why was the bear out of his cage
I agree with what Yak had to say. Mostly because it is what I said but the way he said it was much better.
Molly Hester-
I think that it reflects our culture as one that gives in to peer pressure and believes what others say. But at least the bear was civil about it, because the bear could have been more violent when he disagreed.
i agree with what Molly said in todays world many people have grown immune to being pushed around and doing what other people tell them to which has become a fault in our culture because less people know how to stand up for what they want and believe.
The short story we just read effectively protrayed a common event in our social order. People often try to change who they are in order to assimmilate into a group, but eventually just end up being a square peg forced into a round hole. As senseless as it is, though, it still happens every day.
I think this book teaches a good lesson. It shows that the bear was able to overcome the social pressure and ideas that we imposed on him about himself. In the beginning on the book he was very addiment that he was in fact a bear but his thoughts began to change when multiple people told him otherwise. By the end of the book he changed his opinions because he truly knows who he is no matter what anyone else says.
Becky Litwin
The Bear That Wasn't is about how if you get told things enough times you start to believe it. The bear got told so many times that he wasn't a bear because he wasn't either in the zoo or circus and was in a factory instead, that once winter came back around he was sleeping out of his warm cage cause he was convinced he was just a man who needs to shave and was wearing a fur coat.
I strongly agree with Andrew Lampi.
The bear is unique. He is not a circus bear, and he is not in the zoo, but because people believe there are only two types of bears, they try to convince him he is not a bear. The bear tries to stay true to himself, but in the end he no longer believes he is a bear because of what others say. Do people conform this easily? After conforming is it easy or difficult to return to your original views?
I thought this book was very good and had a good meaning. This story can relate to real life. A lot of people say stuff people dont want to hear and the best thing you should do is ignore what people say if it bothers you. This was a great story.
I agree with Mara, I thought that the bear represented someone who gave in to the beliefs that others held of him and began to see himself in that way.
this book was really good and at first I thought this book was pretty funny because of the cover. but this book says how people would judge you just based on the way you look and you should just deal with it because other people won't ever understand........
In the story "the bear", the bear is faced with a dilema of retaining his identity as a bear in the face of the factory men who say that he is just a hairy man. This story highlights the effects of society on an individual's perception of his/her self and of their opinions. In eccence the beliefs of society and the effects of peer pressure may make an individual believe something that he/she knows to be false.
I agree with Amos that it sucked because the bear was continuosly told it wasn't a bear, when it clearly was, and that for a while, it too believed it wasn't a bear. In the end, however, it was able to shield itself from social pressures and believed that he was, in fact, a bear.
I agree with Andrew, often times people are put into sterotypes and just give in to these sterotypes because it is alot more work to prove themselves as a different person, and when they hear the same thing frequently enough they just conform. Because it's sometimes easier to give into other people opinions then just stand up for your own.
test
I agree with what Molly said. The bear was going to start to believe he wasn't a bear after being told repeatedly. He worked hard to meet the demands of the high ranked people in the factory.
come on pritem, y wouldnt a bear be a bear.
I thought Yak's was eloquently written and just beautiful.
My thoughts towards "The Bear That Wasn't" were that this bear wasn't anything. The bear was confused about who it was, living in an enviornment that treated the bear as the average human. The bear couldnt comprehend being treated as a human for that he was only a bear in his mind. The bear had the ability to do what he desired in the real world, but only wanted to be a lazy bear it seemed in the end. not making any other decision but going back to his hibernation by winter time.
I'm not sure that the bear was convinced he wasn't a silly man who needed a shave because at one point he did doubt his own identity. This was because all of the factory workers as well as other bears told him he was not a bear. At the end of the story he says that he's pretty sure he's not a silly man and he's pretty sure he's not a silly bear. I think what this is actually saying is that he is still confused as to who he is due to all of the outside influence.
The book was quite repetitive, however it shows what could happen in the business world. For instance if you are visiting a company and are wondering the halls and an employee sees you, then they could question who and why you are here. I disagree with the fact that you would keep going to a higher official to get the same response. At some point, some guy, would see he doesn't work there, but that he's a visitor. I mean what do we need then, lie detectors or a judge from a court!?
I agree with Lampi because there is an identity struggle for the bear and stereotypes are a major cause of that. the bear was being rediculed for not being one of the two types of bears but that didnt stop him from finding his identity
Molly also raises a good point. Many people (kids, teens, adults) listen to others when making choices for themselves due to what others say whether it is a friend or someone part of the media. We see it everyday where someone acts completely different than who they really are just to look cool.
This story had a great plot, and a meaningful lesson at the end of it. I really understood what the author was trying to convey in writing this story. Just because some one tells you something doesn't mean it's true. You should stick to your own beliefs no matter what. The bear did the right thing in the end going back to being a bear. Bears shouldn't work in factories.
I agree with Mara's comment. I believe when people are bullied it is easy for them to believe who they are being told they arem, is actual who they are. If no one is there to help them realize the truth, they will not be as lucky as the bear was and go back to being themselves.
Jessica Beliveau
I think that the story of The Bear that Wasn't is about a bear who people in society cast as an outsider. People tell him that he can't be seen as what he wants. They alienate the bear and make him feel like an outsider who doubts himself. This story is supposed to make people see how they treat others in our world. Often times people are told that they can't be what they want to be or that despite how they view themselves, others see them differently. I think the book is supposed to make people question how they treat others and get people not to pass judgment so easily.
BEARS DO WORK!
I enjoyed reading this short story. It was simple, predictable, and easy to read but had a strong theme. People tend to believe what most probable and what other believe without question. In "The Bear That Wasn't" so many times the bear was told he wasn’t a bear even though he knew he clearly was. The Foreman thought he was a "silly man" and so did every other person (and even bear) that saw him. People tend to believe what other people believe, simply because it is believable. If one person believes it then usually someone will agree, often without proper thought about the matter. The Bear insists that he is a bear but the men don’t listen, there are more of them so they must be true. In the end the bear is forced to believe this lie about him because they men have falsely convinced him of it. This book shows how a lie can be implanted into someone’s head to make them truly believe something that they know isn't true.
Justin has good thoughts and i agree with logan that bears should not work in factories
I think the story has a lot of truth to it in regards to the society we live in today. In my opinion, it seems like most people these days are more defined by what others want them to be. After someone has been told many times that they are, for example, ugly, it is only natural for this person to believe that it is true, whether it is or isn't.
I partially agree with Rudis in the fact that it was repetative. However, that repitition also acted to portray the amount of pressure the bear was given to believe he was a man when in fact he was a bear.
Matt, I think you brought up a good point about having the confidence in yourself to shrug off others opinions and stay true to what you believe.
Yak, I agree that maintaining your identity in a storm of outside influence was the lesson that needed to be taken from this book. However, I don't think that the way you described the lesson being taught (the bear ultimately staying true to himself) is the way it is portrayed in this book. I believe that the bear was left confused to show that if the slightest doubt of your identity is allowed, you will lose sight of it one way or another. So, you should never question who you think you are or allow others to tell you that you are someone else.
I can't tell if this story is meant to be written for children or specifically for a class such as ours. I think that if it is meant for children then it is a great sort of way to teach children about how to be themselves and believe in what they stand up for. i strongly agree with what Mara says as well. some may not see it but i have been a victim of a bully more then one time as i'm sure most of the class has at least one time in their life. but when being bullied, their came a time when i did give in to what the person was saying and i got down on myself. similar to the bear. yet i know not only ignore that person but i also don't care so much because it was so insignificant and i am who i am. just like the bear is a bear.
I think Michelle brings up an intersting point. Everyone around the bear is pressuring him to conform because that what all of them have done and it is what society tells them to do. This bear however knows that is not who he truely is and at the end of the novel he breaks free of the lies which changed him in the first place. When she asked "Do people congorm this easily?" i believe the answer is yes and this is what the author is trying to point out.
Brian,
I agree that at first I didn't think the book was going to be about others judging the bear. I thought it was going to be your average kids book because that is what it looked like.
Yaks thoughts are defined thoroughly and i strongly agree with his perspective on the book.
I actually liked the book and it really got its point across. I wish people in the world would accept people for who they are and not try to change someone into someone their not. Hopefully people will end up realizing who they are and not end up living a life thinking they are someone else.
I agree with what Matt said about the bear and how he knew who he was in the end and how self perseverance helps ignore what others say
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