This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
PERIOD 7 - THE BEAR THAT WASN'T
Yesterday, we 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.
"The Bear that Wasn't" truly exemplifies the author's belief that individuals and their identities are directly related to their surrounding society. There are defined by who they surround themselves with as well as where they are, such as how the bear couldn't be a bear since he was in a factory, not the forest. Powerful individuals can shape the identities of others by altering their mind set and using repeated statements of who the lesser individual really "is" in their mind.
Emily Humphries I think that the bear should have stayed true to what he believed in no matter how many people told him otherwise. However, it just goes to show how easily people can be influenced by others thoughts and beliefs.
The story The Bear that Wasn’t really made me realize the affect that people and society have on our identity. The bear knew who he was (a bear) until people kept telling him that he wasn’t who he thought he was. You have to be who you want to be and who you think you are and not what everyone else expects you to be.
I agree with emily on how the bear should have just stayed true to who he was. Just because someone tells you to act a certian way doesn't mean you should.
"The Bear That Wasn't" was a short story all about how a bear some how ended up in a factory where he did not belong. They put him to work since they thought he was a factory working. He tried telling them all he was a bear but no one would belive him. They even brought him to the zoo and circus to ask the other bears if he was a real bear. The other bears said he wasn't a bear because otherwise he would be with them. They kept making him work since it was a group of people againt him. He started to believe that infact he wasn't a bear. HE couldn't defend himself because the whole group of factory workers and managers had much more power over him. Finally at the end he left the factory and went and hibernated all winter long and did what a bear was supposed to do.
"The Bear that Wasn't" is a children’s book that has a greater adult meaning. It not only teaches the children about the effects of society, but also to the adults that are reading them out loud. I think the book did a great job at showing how if enough people tell you who you are, you will start to believe anything they tell you, even if it is far from the truth.
I think the end resolved that issue and the bear did in fact stay true to what he was once he returns to his cave. Although it takes him until he is about to die to realize this, in the end, if someone's wellbeing is at risk otherwise, they should stay true to themselves and be like the bear.
I think that the Bear couldn’t maintain his identity because so many people, and even other bears, were telling him that he wasn’t a real bear. The book modeled the idea that it is hard for an individual to go against a large group of people in society. When one person’s beliefs oppose the majority’s beliefs, that one person often gives up what they think to conform to everyone else’s beliefs. The individual’s identity is therefore changed, and sometimes even formed almost entirely, by the people around them because they want to match the larger group. People might do this because it is easier to follow others than be the one person with a different view, and even though it isn’t necessarily the right thing to do, I think that it happens more often than not in society, and The Bear That Wasn’t illustrates this.
Olivia Montgomery After reading the Bear Story I feel as it made me realize how society really works, and the relationship between an individual and society. It also showed that society really shapes an individual and their identity. Most people do not realize that society is changing them, because most people will do what society wants them to do and not what they want to do. For the bear society did not view him as a bear because of his actions, and the environment where he was. Then he began to believe what society wanted him to believe that he was not a bear. This happens to many individuals in the world today. Society plays a major role in creating an individual’s identity.
“The Bear That Wasn’t” was a simplified story to represent the intricate sociology existing between humans. The context showed how the individual is often hindered his or his independence by the greater majority of society. The bear was repeatedly told he was not a bear to the extent that he convinced himself everyone else was right. Why did this happen? There are many logical explanations to explain why people are influenced by larger groups. Many feel comfort and stability being a part of a network of support rather than forced to fend for themself. Others fear being singled out, out casted or made fun of for being different. I find it interesting when people try to answer the question “who are you?” that they do not realize how much of their identity is influenced by the society that surrounds them. Is there anyway to be completely independent?
I enjoyed reading this book because it explains the relationship between an individual and society. What I got out of reading this story was that a person’s identity in this society is defined by who they associate themselves with, not with whom they are as a person. That’s something that we need to change because society will tell you’re a certain way and you may start to believe it. That’s what happened to the bear because after being told by the factory workers and even the other bears that he was just a man in a furry suit, he believed it. The bear tried to tell them that he was a bear but after so many people go against you, it’s hard to keep fighting to prove your point because you don’t want to be doing it alone. That’s why it’s so difficult for a person to go against the group because most fear being alone and everyone wants to be accepted. Society stresses the fact that if you are not part of a group, then you have failed.
After reading "The Bear That Wasn't" I came away with some thoughts about an individual in relation to society. In the book, the bear's identity was defined by society, which was the factory workers, the host of vice-presidents, and the president. All of these people thought of the bear as a man, who was silly and needed a shave. As more and more people thought this, and as the issue went up the chain of power in the company, it became more difficult for the bear to convince anyone that he truly was a bear.
My point is that sometimes in life, the identity of a person isn’t based upon what that person thinks of him or herself, but rather the opinion of the public. As a group, we are usually quick to make judgments on individuals, and occasionally think that people have to follow our thoughts. This was shown in the book, as the factory people didn’t think that the bear could actually be a bear, which would go against their stubborn beliefs.
"The Bear that Wasn't" made me think about bureaucracy and the affect that it has on authoirty and idividuals. The story showed the bear encountering different ranks that were present in the factory, such as the President. The pictures showed the increasing change that each level of authority was given. The first man he went to had a shabby looking office with one secretary and the last room the bear was in looked like a palace. These different scenes changed the tone and added to the power that each ranking had. The more people the bear saw, the less he believed that he was right.
“The Bear that Wasn’t”, tells the classic story of one’s identity being defined by society. Society has such a huge impact on how others should view themselves. I’m not saying that this is how a person’s identify should be defined but times have changed and labels are being placed on people. I also feel that finding your identity is a part of growing up and maturing because you are able to stand up for yourself and in your beliefs. This story gives a great example of affect a group of people can have on one person and defining their identity for them. The more someone is told they are a certain way, the more they are going to believe that they are.
The short story, "The Bear That Wasn't", was a reflection on the effect society has on an individual and their identity. The story implies that an individual's identity is shaped by society. The bear knew that he was a bear, but when the bureaucracy and the stereotypical bears told him otherwise, the bear began to question his identity. The same situation is common among individuals, where a group of people over-power the individual and in result alter their identity.
"The Bear that wasn't" demonstrates the preconceived ideas we have of others which prevent us from seeing others for who they are or how they identify their self. The story also shows how these preconceived Ideas can then be pushed upon those who they are about to the point that the victim may come to believe them.
I thought it was interesting that the workers at the factory were able to convince the bear that he was not a bear. Although it seems like a simple idea, to know whether you were a human or a bear, it is also realistic to be swayed from what you know by a conflicting idea that is supported by a large number of people or someone in a superior position. It is hard to convince yourself that everyone else is wrong because it seems logical that the majority opinion would be correct. Someone must have a lot of self-confidence to be able to determine during which circumstances your opinion is more valuable than the majority’s.
This book was a typical example of people in a group not standing up for or believing somebody that is trying to convince them on who they are. Identity, in my opinion, is defined on what I know and what I believe that is true about me, not what anybody else thinks they know. Trying to convince a group of people is essentially impossible to do because they are afraid of going against their group of people. It is very rare society goes with their gut feeling, which is why it is unfair on how powerful people can get so ignorant when they really don’t know anything
“The Bear that Wasn’t” was a great example of how challenged by many people an individual can be formed and molded by the beliefs and thought of the group. At first the bear thought of himself as a bear, that was his identity in his mind. However after multiple meeting with vice president after vice president his ideas changed. By the end of the book he thought of himself as a man who needed to shave and wore a fur coat. He didn’t know what a man in a fur coat should do so he went outside of his beliefs and changed by sitting out in the cold.
I feel that it shows how higher authority figures in society can shape a person’s identity. Just because the bear was in the factory people thought that it meant the bear was a worker. It just made sense to people. More and more people began telling the bear that it was a person not a bear. Because these people had power it seemed reasonable to think that they knew what they were talking about. The bear probably made that assumption so he began to believe that he was not a bear. The bear wanted to fit in with what the rest of society thought. He began to work at the factory and believed he was not a bear to fit in because it made sense to him.
I think there is a way to be completely independent, but in some instances it is not the best idea. Society needs to alter us in some way, shape, or form, otherwise, how could we have morals of any kind. The only way to be independent is to completely ignore the views of others, but under some circumstances, these views will better us.
I agree with Molly on how well the book shows how society can alter people's mind sets into thinking they are something that they aren't. If you are surrounded by a society that doesn't fit who you are, you may end up transforming into what the society thinks is acceptable.
Olivia Montgomery -I agree with Sarah that people should be who they want to be and not what society wants them to be. People should not care what others think, but in this society everyone cares what others think.
To what Michelle Sa said, I agree how the bear started to doubt himself after more people told him he wasn’t a bear. It just shows how powerful a group can be. When we confront those with “more power” we start to believe them.
The idea that people are shaped by more powerful individuals, is one that is present in everyday life. We encounter this idea in school, work places, and even at home. I believe that its rather unfortunate that people aren’t able to be themselves or be individuals, they are forced with making a decision between going against the grain and being unique or falling in line with everyone else and just being a part of society. Standing up for yourself is usually met with resistance or ridicule, which most people tend to avoid. I thought that this short story did a wonderful job of showing the flaws of society and the lack of individualism that it possesses.
I agree with what Amy said because it is hard for someone to defend themselfs against a whole group of people that believe one thing and the person trying to defend themself believes in something else. I don't believe that there is anyway to be completely independent in society.
I agree with Emily that the bear should have stayed true to who he was, but I also think that it would be difficult for him to do that, especially because everyone around him was telling him that he wasn’t a bear. This demonstrates that in real life, it is important to stay true to who you are as a person and your core beliefs, despite what others say. If you change your identity, it can be hard to go back, which the bear showed when he was sitting in the snow and didn’t know what to do.
In response to what Olivia said, I agree with her point that society does more than ourselves to shape the type of person that we are. Also, most of the times, people don't want to get singled out, and sometimes resort to just following what society orders, in order to fit in better.
To what Michelle Sa said, I agree how the bear started to doubt himself after more people told him he wasn’t a bear. It just shows how powerful a group can be. When we confront those with “more power” we start to believe them.
I agree with Doug. The independence of individuals is also overlooked because even if a person is true to their own identity, the people around them are constantly making assumptions and judgments that may or may not be true. I think it is important for the individual to ignore false accusations but also for the society to be wary of what they believe is fact until it is proven. Generalizations are often inaccurate but seem to label mass groups of people which influence everyday thinking.
"The Bear That Wasn't" shows how the identity of an individual can manipulated. A factor depicted in the story that can manipulated an individual's identity is the opposing opinion of the society, because people generally like to blend in with the crowd. Another factor highlighted in the story that can sway an individuals identity is if an authority figure has an opposing opinion. An example of this would be if a parent is a bad influence of their child, but as that child grows up they may not think of whatever they are doing as wrong because it came from a trusted source.
I think Mckayla's right in saying that when there are a lot of people saying who you are you start to believe it. When its a group against one person you start to think that maybe you're the one who is wrong.
“The Bear that Wasn’t” pushed everyone to realize how going with everyone else’s views puts our own view in jeopardy. Peer pressure is a pretty big concept that everyone has gone through at some time in their life during high school and we have to decide if we should stand up to our beliefs or just go ahead with everyone else’s to fit in. The bear was constantly told that he was “just a man with a fuzzy jacket”, and he struggled with sticking with his identity after time and time again people from higher power told him elsewise. Society often tells us what’s right and wrong in order to be accepted into a crowd, however if we are not comfortable with setting our own morals we will eventually be sucked in and do what is socially acceptable to others. Staying true to your opinion can be hard at times, but it’ll form your identity in the long run.
Emily Humphries I agree with McKayla that this book has an adult meaning to it but it is also important for any age group to learn. I think society tells children to be who they want to be when we grow up but as we get older and we are more heavily influenced by our peers we forget the concept of staying true to ourselves and our beliefs. As children we really don’t see the effects of what would happen if we don’t stay true to ourselves and this book does a great job at reiterating that.
After reading this story it makes me and should make every one believe in themselves no matter what other people say and no matter how many people say it. This is because people can only believe in you if you believe in yourself. And the bear didn’t do that, when he started to think that he wasn’t a bear he almost didn’t survive until he did. This goes to show that in real life if you don’t believe in yourself you will never survive when you encounter a problem, you will just let people walk all over you and will not listen to a word you say.
In response to Amy I agree with molly in that I think it is possible to be completely independent; however it is an incredibly difficult thing to achieve and does not usually happen. I think in order for people to be able to be completely independent, society would have to remove their prejudices and judgments of other people and unfortunately I cant see that happening.
In response to Emily's comment, I think that at the point in which the bear started to believe that he was, in fact, a man, it no longer mattered which he was. If every man believed he was a man, ever bear believed he was not a bear, and he was working in a factory, it was no longer advantageous for him to be a bear. The easiest option was for him to conform and act like a man. Only when the factory was closed and the bear needed shelter did he revert back to his original identity. If adhering to his original identity was not important enough to him to reject the ideas of everyone around him, then that was his right and his decision to make. I think this is realistic: a lot of people conform to society's expectations.
I agree with McKayla on how you end up transforming into what the society thinks is acceptable. I feel like you can let society influence you a little bit but you can’t lose sight of who you are. But at the same time becoming completely independent is hard to do because no matter where you go, the surround society is going to trying to define a person’s identity.
I agree with him one hundred percent. The amount of power those people had made the bear try to fit in with the rest of the factory. Power is uncontrollable.
I agree to what molly said "A individual is directly related to their surrounding society" in the example of this story the bear was changed because the environment that he was in. The group kept on telling him what he was and after a while that sunk in and he believed what society saw.
I agree powerful individuals can shape the identities of others, though in the case of “the Bear that wasn't" it is truly a mass of individuals that shapes the bear's identity, as the bear has no conception of monetary power.
To what Sarah said, I agree with the fact that people do not want to go against larger groups so they just try to fit in. I want to point out it is not just a group of people saying he is not a bear. I t is more specifically a group of more powerful individuals telling him what he is or isn’t. An individual may not want to go against such a large group of powerful people in society.
I don't think there is any way to be fully independent. Whether we like it or not our mind is completely warped by our world and the experiences we go through. There are some things that we persoanlly can choose to believe or agree with, but esentially what we think and say is heavily related to the enviorment we grew up in or are in right now. For example, alot of people have the values they do because of their family. Even if they don't agree with them, they choose other values becuase of something they may have witnessed in their family, such as divorce. This could shape how they view relationships later on in their life and affect how they approach them. In the end though, it's our choice to remain faithful to what we believe in or to fall under the pressure of constantly re-molding ourselves to fit in.
I completely understand Nancy’s viewpoint. When we are not able to be a part of a group there is a lot of judgment on your identity. We get judged on our friends because we associate ourselves with them, therefore people believe we are all similar. Also, the bear struggled with maintaining his identity because fighting by yourself is a lot harder than teaming up with others. This creates more pressure for the person you’re fighting against, making it harder for them to back down.
I 100% agree with Ben because of his comment about the individual identity being manipulated. This is because of the example of people changed by society. People will do anything to fit it even if it means changing who you are. And that’s what the bear did he tried to fit to make people stop calling him a silly man and almost died because of it.
I agree with Karli that finding your identity is a part of maturing and growing up. When an individual is able to find their own identity without an influence from society or other people, this demonstrates strong character and individuality. The story of the bear is a great example of how society and groups of people have an affect on an individual's identity. The more power a group of people has, the easier it is for them to influence an individual, sometimes to the point where their identity may be altered. I support Karli's opinion that society has a huge impact on how others should view themselves.
When I first saw the cover of this book, I thought it would just be another children’s book. By the end of the story, I learnt a major meaning behind the story: You are influenced by your surroundings.
"The Bear that Wasn't" is a good example of how your surroundings influence your personality and your thinking. The Bear continued to believe that he was a bear despite what others told him, but that belief eventually collapsed as he lost faith in himself.
While this novel illustrates just a small example of how people change themselves according to their surroundings, these kinds of things happen every day, in every part of the world.
People want to belong, and for that reason, they are willing to do anything, even change themselves.
I think that the “Bear That Wasn’t” was a great example of how society makes people see themselves as something totally different than what they are. I think that this is something that is one the saddest aspects of our society, that people are so self-centered and self-conscious, that they are willing to conform and do anything degrading just to feel like they belong to something, because they do not feel like their individuality is “cool” enough. And the opposite of these people get a sense of satisfaction of someone wanting to be more like them and less like themselves. This makes the people feel empowered because others want to be like them.
52 comments:
I was absent the day of this assignment.
"The Bear that Wasn't" truly exemplifies the author's belief that individuals and their identities are directly related to their surrounding society. There are defined by who they surround themselves with as well as where they are, such as how the bear couldn't be a bear since he was in a factory, not the forest. Powerful individuals can shape the identities of others by altering their mind set and using repeated statements of who the lesser individual really "is" in their mind.
Emily Humphries
I think that the bear should have stayed true to what he believed in no matter how many people told him otherwise. However, it just goes to show how easily people can be influenced by others thoughts and beliefs.
The story The Bear that Wasn’t really made me realize the affect that people and society have on our identity. The bear knew who he was (a bear) until people kept telling him that he wasn’t who he thought he was. You have to be who you want to be and who you think you are and not what everyone else expects you to be.
I agree with emily on how the bear should have just stayed true to who he was. Just because someone tells you to act a certian way doesn't mean you should.
"The Bear That Wasn't" was a short story all about how a bear some how ended up in a factory where he did not belong. They put him to work since they thought he was a factory working. He tried telling them all he was a bear but no one would belive him. They even brought him to the zoo and circus to ask the other bears if he was a real bear. The other bears said he wasn't a bear because otherwise he would be with them. They kept making him work since it was a group of people againt him. He started to believe that infact he wasn't a bear. HE couldn't defend himself because the whole group of factory workers and managers had much more power over him. Finally at the end he left the factory and went and hibernated all winter long and did what a bear was supposed to do.
"The Bear that Wasn't" is a children’s book that has a greater adult meaning. It not only teaches the children about the effects of society, but also to the adults that are reading them out loud. I think the book did a great job at showing how if enough people tell you who you are, you will start to believe anything they tell you, even if it is far from the truth.
To what Emily said,
I think the end resolved that issue and the bear did in fact stay true to what he was once he returns to his cave. Although it takes him until he is about to die to realize this, in the end, if someone's wellbeing is at risk otherwise, they should stay true to themselves and be like the bear.
I think that the Bear couldn’t maintain his identity because so many people, and even other bears, were telling him that he wasn’t a real bear. The book modeled the idea that it is hard for an individual to go against a large group of people in society. When one person’s beliefs oppose the majority’s beliefs, that one person often gives up what they think to conform to everyone else’s beliefs. The individual’s identity is therefore changed, and sometimes even formed almost entirely, by the people around them because they want to match the larger group. People might do this because it is easier to follow others than be the one person with a different view, and even though it isn’t necessarily the right thing to do, I think that it happens more often than not in society, and The Bear That Wasn’t illustrates this.
Olivia Montgomery
After reading the Bear Story I feel as it made me realize how society really works, and the relationship between an individual and society. It also showed that society really shapes an individual and their identity. Most people do not realize that society is changing them, because most people will do what society wants them to do and not what they want to do. For the bear society did not view him as a bear because of his actions, and the environment where he was. Then he began to believe what society wanted him to believe that he was not a bear. This happens to many individuals in the world today. Society plays a major role in creating an individual’s identity.
“The Bear That Wasn’t” was a simplified story to represent the intricate sociology existing between humans. The context showed how the individual is often hindered his or his independence by the greater majority of society. The bear was repeatedly told he was not a bear to the extent that he convinced himself everyone else was right. Why did this happen? There are many logical explanations to explain why people are influenced by larger groups. Many feel comfort and stability being a part of a network of support rather than forced to fend for themself. Others fear being singled out, out casted or made fun of for being different. I find it interesting when people try to answer the question “who are you?” that they do not realize how much of their identity is influenced by the society that surrounds them. Is there anyway to be completely independent?
I enjoyed reading this book because it explains the relationship between an individual and society. What I got out of reading this story was that a person’s identity in this society is defined by who they associate themselves with, not with whom they are as a person. That’s something that we need to change because society will tell you’re a certain way and you may start to believe it. That’s what happened to the bear because after being told by the factory workers and even the other bears that he was just a man in a furry suit, he believed it. The bear tried to tell them that he was a bear but after so many people go against you, it’s hard to keep fighting to prove your point because you don’t want to be doing it alone. That’s why it’s so difficult for a person to go against the group because most fear being alone and everyone wants to be accepted. Society stresses the fact that if you are not part of a group, then you have failed.
After reading "The Bear That Wasn't" I came away with some thoughts about an individual in relation to society. In the book, the bear's identity was defined by society, which was the factory workers, the host of vice-presidents, and the president. All of these people thought of the bear as a man, who was silly and needed a shave. As more and more people thought this, and as the issue went up the chain of power in the company, it became more difficult for the bear to convince anyone that he truly was a bear.
My point is that sometimes in life, the identity of a person isn’t based upon what that person thinks of him or herself, but rather the opinion of the public. As a group, we are usually quick to make judgments on individuals, and occasionally think that people have to follow our thoughts. This was shown in the book, as the factory people didn’t think that the bear could actually be a bear, which would go against their stubborn beliefs.
"The Bear that Wasn't" made me think about bureaucracy and the affect that it has on authoirty and idividuals. The story showed the bear encountering different ranks that were present in the factory, such as the President. The pictures showed the increasing change that each level of authority was given. The first man he went to had a shabby looking office with one secretary and the last room the bear was in looked like a palace. These different scenes changed the tone and added to the power that each ranking had. The more people the bear saw, the less he believed that he was right.
“The Bear that Wasn’t”, tells the classic story of one’s identity being defined by society. Society has such a huge impact on how others should view themselves. I’m not saying that this is how a person’s identify should be defined but times have changed and labels are being placed on people. I also feel that finding your identity is a part of growing up and maturing because you are able to stand up for yourself and in your beliefs. This story gives a great example of affect a group of people can have on one person and defining their identity for them. The more someone is told they are a certain way, the more they are going to believe that they are.
The short story, "The Bear That Wasn't", was a reflection on the effect society has on an individual and their identity. The story implies that an individual's identity is shaped by society. The bear knew that he was a bear, but when the bureaucracy and the stereotypical bears told him otherwise, the bear began to question his identity. The same situation is common among individuals, where a group of people over-power the individual and in result alter their identity.
"The Bear that wasn't" demonstrates the preconceived ideas we have of others which prevent us from seeing others for who they are or how they identify their self. The story also shows how these preconceived Ideas can then be pushed upon those who they are about to the point that the victim may come to believe them.
I thought it was interesting that the workers at the factory were able to convince the bear that he was not a bear. Although it seems like a simple idea, to know whether you were a human or a bear, it is also realistic to be swayed from what you know by a conflicting idea that is supported by a large number of people or someone in a superior position. It is hard to convince yourself that everyone else is wrong because it seems logical that the majority opinion would be correct. Someone must have a lot of self-confidence to be able to determine during which circumstances your opinion is more valuable than the majority’s.
This book was a typical example of people in a group not standing up for or believing somebody that is trying to convince them on who they are. Identity, in my opinion, is defined on what I know and what I believe that is true about me, not what anybody else thinks they know. Trying to convince a group of people is essentially impossible to do because they are afraid of going against their group of people. It is very rare society goes with their gut feeling, which is why it is unfair on how powerful people can get so ignorant when they really don’t know anything
“The Bear that Wasn’t” was a great example of how challenged by many people an individual can be formed and molded by the beliefs and thought of the group. At first the bear thought of himself as a bear, that was his identity in his mind. However after multiple meeting with vice president after vice president his ideas changed. By the end of the book he thought of himself as a man who needed to shave and wore a fur coat. He didn’t know what a man in a fur coat should do so he went outside of his beliefs and changed by sitting out in the cold.
I feel that it shows how higher authority figures in society can shape a person’s identity. Just because the bear was in the factory people thought that it meant the bear was a worker. It just made sense to people. More and more people began telling the bear that it was a person not a bear. Because these people had power it seemed reasonable to think that they knew what they were talking about. The bear probably made that assumption so he began to believe that he was not a bear. The bear wanted to fit in with what the rest of society thought. He began to work at the factory and believed he was not a bear to fit in because it made sense to him.
Amy,
I think there is a way to be completely independent, but in some instances it is not the best idea. Society needs to alter us in some way, shape, or form, otherwise, how could we have morals of any kind. The only way to be independent is to completely ignore the views of others, but under some circumstances, these views will better us.
I agree with Molly on how well the book shows how society can alter people's mind sets into thinking they are something that they aren't. If you are surrounded by a society that doesn't fit who you are, you may end up transforming into what the society thinks is acceptable.
Olivia Montgomery -I agree with Sarah that people should be who they want to be and not what society wants them to be. People should not care what others think, but in this society everyone cares what others think.
To what Michelle Sa said,
I agree how the bear started to doubt himself after more people told him he wasn’t a bear. It just shows how powerful a group can be. When we confront those with “more power” we start to believe them.
The idea that people are shaped by more powerful individuals, is one that is present in everyday life. We encounter this idea in school, work places, and even at home. I believe that its rather unfortunate that people aren’t able to be themselves or be individuals, they are forced with making a decision between going against the grain and being unique or falling in line with everyone else and just being a part of society. Standing up for yourself is usually met with resistance or ridicule, which most people tend to avoid. I thought that this short story did a wonderful job of showing the flaws of society and the lack of individualism that it possesses.
I agree with what Amy said because it is hard for someone to defend themselfs against a whole group of people that believe one thing and the person trying to defend themself believes in something else. I don't believe that there is anyway to be completely independent in society.
I agree with Emily that the bear should have stayed true to who he was, but I also think that it would be difficult for him to do that, especially because everyone around him was telling him that he wasn’t a bear. This demonstrates that in real life, it is important to stay true to who you are as a person and your core beliefs, despite what others say. If you change your identity, it can be hard to go back, which the bear showed when he was sitting in the snow and didn’t know what to do.
In response to what Olivia said, I agree with her point that society does more than ourselves to shape the type of person that we are. Also, most of the times, people don't want to get singled out, and sometimes resort to just following what society orders, in order to fit in better.
To what Michelle Sa said,
I agree how the bear started to doubt himself after more people told him he wasn’t a bear. It just shows how powerful a group can be. When we confront those with “more power” we start to believe them.
I agree with Doug. The independence of individuals is also overlooked because even if a person is true to their own identity, the people around them are constantly making assumptions and judgments that may or may not be true. I think it is important for the individual to ignore false accusations but also for the society to be wary of what they believe is fact until it is proven. Generalizations are often inaccurate but seem to label mass groups of people which influence everyday thinking.
"The Bear That Wasn't" shows how the identity of an individual can manipulated. A factor depicted in the story that can manipulated an individual's identity is the opposing opinion of the society, because people generally like to blend in with the crowd. Another factor highlighted in the story that can sway an individuals identity is if an authority figure has an opposing opinion. An example of this would be if a parent is a bad influence of their child, but as that child grows up they may not think of whatever they are doing as wrong because it came from a trusted source.
I think Mckayla's right in saying that when there are a lot of people saying who you are you start to believe it. When its a group against one person you start to think that maybe you're the one who is wrong.
“The Bear that Wasn’t” pushed everyone to realize how going with everyone else’s views puts our own view in jeopardy. Peer pressure is a pretty big concept that everyone has gone through at some time in their life during high school and we have to decide if we should stand up to our beliefs or just go ahead with everyone else’s to fit in. The bear was constantly told that he was “just a man with a fuzzy jacket”, and he struggled with sticking with his identity after time and time again people from higher power told him elsewise. Society often tells us what’s right and wrong in order to be accepted into a crowd, however if we are not comfortable with setting our own morals we will eventually be sucked in and do what is socially acceptable to others. Staying true to your opinion can be hard at times, but it’ll form your identity in the long run.
Emily Humphries
I agree with McKayla that this book has an adult meaning to it but it is also important for any age group to learn. I think society tells children to be who they want to be when we grow up but as we get older and we are more heavily influenced by our peers we forget the concept of staying true to ourselves and our beliefs. As children we really don’t see the effects of what would happen if we don’t stay true to ourselves and this book does a great job at reiterating that.
After reading this story it makes me and should make every one believe in themselves no matter what other people say and no matter how many people say it. This is because people can only believe in you if you believe in yourself. And the bear didn’t do that, when he started to think that he wasn’t a bear he almost didn’t survive until he did. This goes to show that in real life if you don’t believe in yourself you will never survive when you encounter a problem, you will just let people walk all over you and will not listen to a word you say.
In response to Amy I agree with molly in that I think it is possible to be completely independent; however it is an incredibly difficult thing to achieve and does not usually happen. I think in order for people to be able to be completely independent, society would have to remove their prejudices and judgments of other people and unfortunately I cant see that happening.
In response to Emily's comment, I think that at the point in which the bear started to believe that he was, in fact, a man, it no longer mattered which he was. If every man believed he was a man, ever bear believed he was not a bear, and he was working in a factory, it was no longer advantageous for him to be a bear. The easiest option was for him to conform and act like a man. Only when the factory was closed and the bear needed shelter did he revert back to his original identity. If adhering to his original identity was not important enough to him to reject the ideas of everyone around him, then that was his right and his decision to make. I think this is realistic: a lot of people conform to society's expectations.
I agree with McKayla on how you end up transforming into what the society thinks is acceptable. I feel like you can let society influence you a little bit but you can’t lose sight of who you are. But at the same time becoming completely independent is hard to do because no matter where you go, the surround society is going to trying to define a person’s identity.
To what Jason said,
I agree with him one hundred percent. The amount of power those people had made the bear try to fit in with the rest of the factory. Power is uncontrollable.
I agree to what molly said "A individual is directly related to their surrounding society" in the example of this story the bear was changed because the environment that he was in. The group kept on telling him what he was and after a while that sunk in and he believed what society saw.
I agree powerful individuals can shape the identities of others, though in the case of “the Bear that wasn't" it is truly a mass of individuals that shapes the bear's identity, as the bear has no conception of monetary power.
In response to Doug Casey's post...
I agree that as society becomes more homogeneous it becomes more difficult to be an outlier, because of the possible ridicule.
To what Sarah said,
I agree with the fact that people do not want to go against larger groups so they just try to fit in. I want to point out it is not just a group of people saying he is not a bear. I t is more specifically a group of more powerful individuals telling him what he is or isn’t. An individual may not want to go against such a large group of powerful people in society.
In response to Amy..
I don't think there is any way to be fully independent. Whether we like it or not our mind is completely warped by our world and the experiences we go through. There are some things that we persoanlly can choose to believe or agree with, but esentially what we think and say is heavily related to the enviorment we grew up in or are in right now. For example, alot of people have the values they do because of their family. Even if they don't agree with them, they choose other values becuase of something they may have witnessed in their family, such as divorce. This could shape how they view relationships later on in their life and affect how they approach them. In the end though, it's our choice to remain faithful to what we believe in or to fall under the pressure of constantly re-molding ourselves to fit in.
I completely understand Nancy’s viewpoint. When we are not able to be a part of a group there is a lot of judgment on your identity. We get judged on our friends because we associate ourselves with them, therefore people believe we are all similar. Also, the bear struggled with maintaining his identity because fighting by yourself is a lot harder than teaming up with others. This creates more pressure for the person you’re fighting against, making it harder for them to back down.
I 100% agree with Ben because of his comment about the individual identity being manipulated. This is because of the example of people changed by society. People will do anything to fit it even if it means changing who you are. And that’s what the bear did he tried to fit to make people stop calling him a silly man and almost died because of it.
I agree with Karli that finding your identity is a part of maturing and growing up. When an individual is able to find their own identity without an influence from society or other people, this demonstrates strong character and individuality. The story of the bear is a great example of how society and groups of people have an affect on an individual's identity. The more power a group of people has, the easier it is for them to influence an individual, sometimes to the point where their identity may be altered. I support Karli's opinion that society has a huge impact on how others should view themselves.
When I first saw the cover of this book, I thought it would just be another children’s book. By the end of the story, I learnt a major meaning behind the story: You are influenced by your surroundings.
"The Bear that Wasn't" is a good example of how your surroundings influence your personality and your thinking. The Bear continued to believe that he was a bear despite what others told him, but that belief eventually collapsed as he lost faith in himself.
While this novel illustrates just a small example of how people change themselves according to their surroundings, these kinds of things happen every day, in every part of the world.
People want to belong, and for that reason, they are willing to do anything, even change themselves.
This story taught me an important lesson.
I think that the “Bear That Wasn’t” was a great example of how society makes people see themselves as something totally different than what they are. I think that this is something that is one the saddest aspects of our society, that people are so self-centered and self-conscious, that they are willing to conform and do anything degrading just to feel like they belong to something, because they do not feel like their individuality is “cool” enough. And the opposite of these people get a sense of satisfaction of someone wanting to be more like them and less like themselves. This makes the people feel empowered because others want to be like them.
I was absent the day of this assignment.
Post a Comment