The other day, we read
The Bear That Wasn't by Frank Tashlin. Please share with the class your thoughts about the story and/or the class discussion about it. Remember, you want to write at least a paragraph for full credit. You have 24 hours to complete the assignment. The time starts at the end of class. If you were absent on the day of the reading or film - your comment will be that you were absent. Mr. Gallagher
28 comments:
I feel this book was a good way to self-analyze our instinctive need to fit in with a group. It is far easier to simply sit down and pretend you agree with everyone else, because you could risk losing the group. And nobody wants to lose the group. But in The Bear That Wasn’t, the bear finally decided to give up and listen to everyone doubting him. And with this happened, and the bear decided he was a human, he almost froze to death during the winter when he decided hibernation was no longer necessary for him. And I think this scene in the book shows the point of the whole novel; which is to be yourself. Follow your own moral compass, not one someone else gave to you. Each person is an individual, and if you get lost in a group, you can begin to lose your identity as well.
After reading the story the bear that wasn’t I feel it is a great example of how society groups certain people together because of their actions or appearance. The bear in this story was not thought of to be a bear because people are only use to seeing bears in places like zoos. Seeing this bear outside of the place he was grouped with gives people the impression that he can’t be a bear because bears are never outside their given habitat. In now a days it is so important for people to feel as though they belong and without that feeling of security, people will end up changing the way they act to fit in. just like the bear in this story who reacted when he was told by many that he wasn’t a bear by changing his ways to fit in with the humans. By believing what all these people and bears said, the bear had gotten himself into a dangerous situation of almost freezing to death. Instead of listening to what everyone had to say, the bear should of listened to his gut feeling that he was a bear because at the end of the day its only your thoughts on yourself that matter not any one else’s.
After reading this book and having this discussion I felt like I learned a lot. When Mr. Gallagher brought up the fact that the reason Hitler had so many people behind him was because he was so high up in the ranks, it made me rethink things. He was able to ensure that people followed him because he had military personnel and people of very high stature working with him. I always wondered how it was possible that that many people could somehow join such a terrible group but it makes me think about what threats the people received upon trying to resist. I can only imagine. This book also really made me think about how much people’s opinions can change us. The fact that the bear truly decided that he wasn’t actually a bear really portrays how in our society, the more people tell you things, the more you start to believe them. It is important in our society with so many people there to influence our every move that we stay true to ourselves.
I think this book was an excellent representation of how we value our own image in society. Whether we want to admit it or not, most people care about what other people think and say about them. Most people will also attempt to alter their behavior to better fit in with those around them, based on what their peers say and do. The Bear That Wasn’t didn’t believe what everyone around him said until the very end, and where did that get him? Cold, alone, confused and freezing to death in the woods. Then he made a realization, he didn’t do what others told him, he did what felt right and went on doing what he always did. We could all learn a lot from that bear, if everyone would just be themselves, no one would ever feel pressured to fit in, as there wouldn’t be anything to fit in to.
The Bear That Wasn't really opened up my eyes and showed me how much a society can judge one because they don't want to see who that person is, but who they want to see them as, a better person. It becomes harder and harder for a person to maintain their own identity if someone else keeps on bringing them down and telling that the image they apply themselves is not who they are. Like Mr. Gallagher said "the higher the authority the bear went, the harder it became for the bear to believe he was actually a bear". The factory officials couldn't recognize the bear for who he was because they were confused to what a bear is doing in a factory, but needed to be in a zoo/a circus. This made the bear frustrated and sad because he didn't understand why others are telling him to change his image. In the end, the bear got himself into a difficult situation when he was left to stay outside in the cold, snowy weather because he chose not to listen to himself. This story taught me a lot on finding your own identity, sticking with it and don't give a hoot on anything anyone says. BE YOU!
I think that this book was informative to our age group. I feel that this short story opened my eyes and realize that no one should be able to tell me who I am or who I'm not. Everyday, we as teenagers are making decisions of who we hang out with and how to fit in with certain people. Reading this story reminded me to stay true to myself and to not let others tell me who I am, if I don't believe it. We can not let people control our identities because then, we can lose ourselves.
I felt that this book was to tell us that the problem the bear faces is very common in the society that we live in, and the author acknowledges that and writes about it to tell us, the readers, that we should keep our composure no matter what and not let anyone stick a finger at you and tell you that you are not what they want you to be. Like the bear who was changed by the positions of authority, this problem is active in our society and people lose their identity because of this. This is what I thought about the book and the message it was trying to convey.
At first I did not understand why we were reading a children's book in a class of juniors and seniors, but I was pleasantly surprised at how worldly it was. This book was a reflection of how society works in groups and how individuals cannot stand against groups without feeling as if their individually has been stolen from them. This book made me realize that groups, even within the boundaries of Westborough High, can truly define someone and change who they appear to be. I believe that people viewing the group from the outside view each of these members as one in the same and it is hard to stand apart from the groups ideas. I think the book presented the idea that people often feel afraid to go against groups because they are afraid of being alone. I think the explains the situation the people of the Hitler youth were in and how hard the peer pressure was on them to join Hitler. I have never looked at the holocaust at such an angle and I am intrigued to continue on this path.
The story The Bear that Wasn’t was a great illustration of how a person can change who they are to fit in. In the story, the bear is told that he isn’t a bear so many times that he believe that he isn’t a bear. The bear changes who is to please the people around him. No one wants to be an outcast so people will change their identify to fit the mold society has made for them. I think that having the bear out in the freezing cold winter was a great way of saying that if a person changes their identity due to what other people think or say then that person will not end up happy. To be happy you have to be yourself.
“The Bear That Wasn’t” helps us come to the realization of how we act everyday amongst society. The main character in the story was in fact a bear, but as more and more forces acted against him that insisted he was instead a “silly man who needed a shave and wore a fur coat”, he began to give in to them. This demonstrates how we as human beings change ourselves just to fit in with the groups of people around us, even if it means pretending to be someone completely different. Despite his own belief, the bear goes along with society and works in a factory as he is told to do merely because he is unlike the other bears in the zoo and at the circus. However, at the end of the book, the bear finally realizes that he in fact was exactly what he thought himself to be at the beginning when he discovers how cold it is in the winter and how he should be hibernating because deep down he has no idea how to be a “silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat.” This story is a great lesson for everyone because it shows how too much outside influence can stop you from being your true self and how you have to sometimes stand alone to stand up for who you are.
I believe that “The Bear That Wasn't” is an accurate representation of society’s views of “outsiders” and those that are different. When someone doesn't fit into a certain group or are different in any way they are quickly pulled back into the group wither that means changing his/her appearance or actions or both. Because the bear wasn't where bears were “meant” to be, he was claimed not to be a bear. I think this is an accurate representation of how people fall into groups, even if they don’t fit the characteristics that define that group. Many are lead to believe they must hold the traits of said group because that is what they are told and begin to act like, just like the bear. Ultimately the bear discovers himself again and decides that being a bear works for him. This is a revelation that most people would be best having, yet many have been drawn so deep into being a person they aren’t that they can never find their true self again. I think this is one of the saddest things to happen to a person, but thankfully for the bear, he found himself again. I found that many people in my discussion group had the same responses and opinions. Even in our group discussion of the lack of individualism I found the lack of individualism in my peers. Overall, I think “The Bear that Wasn't” accurately represents society today.
I really enjoyed this short book! I love how even though it's a short children's book, the very concept of the story is very true and meaningful
It shows how far society can affect your identity; not only the way others see you, but how you see yourself as well. And I think this happens a lot too in the real world. The Bear, although physically and genetically a bear, was 'not a bear' according to society's standards and so by the end of the book, he himself didn't even consider himself a bear which I found rather discerning and sad. But I suppose it's not surprising..
The book really reminded me of how easily you can be affected by others..
I was taken back when I saw how the simplicity of this book could have so much meaning behind it. It reveals to us how someone high in status, rank, or authority can have such an impact on our identity. We ourselves are sometimes afraid of being different, or going against what is common in a certain group, which causes us to completely alter ourselves, leaving us uncomfortable and not knowing why. I'm sure after being in the group of workers for so long, the bear forgot his identity, forgot who he was. When everyone left and the factory shut down, he was left abandoned and alone in the cold winter. This brought to him the realization of who he really was, and he became happier and more content than ever. When we alter ourselves, we become something we aren't, which leaves us extremely unhappy and unsatisfied.
The Bear That Wasn't was in its own way a sad and moving story with a clear message to the audience: don't lose faith in your own self just because no one else can embrace your true self. In addition to this though, the story also emphasizes greatly the insecurity one feels when singled out by society. While the Bear knew strongly that it was truly a bear, unfortunately, in the "real" world, society holds absolute power and the question of what is or isn't is defined by society. The same applies for what is right or wrong. While it is certainly true that not every single person in the society is united together in his belief of what is good or right, those who don't completely agree either feel that they should assimilate to fit in or they just feel powerless against overwhelming odds. As a result, it is extremely difficult to go up against society because the only people who believe and will advocate for the victims are the victims themselves. In my opinion this story is a sort of microcosm of our world and that it was a great way to allow us to better understand the situation of victim or the situation in the Holocaust. Because society is so powerful when united against a cause (whether good or bad), it is important for those (bystanders) to stand against society if they truly believe that the victims have been wronged.
I thought this book was a good representation of the human instinct to fit into a group. The bear was constantly being told he wasn't who he thought he was and eventually he gave in and acted as a human factory purely so he had a place to fit in. It also emphasizes the usage of stereotypes in our society. The bear wasn't accepted as a bear because he didn't fit the stereotype. The bear also finds it hard to go against the majority which is typical in our culture today. The need to be accepted into a group is basically a human society. No one wants to feel isolated or that they don't belong so they will give into peer
pressure and be something others want to be. This is exactly what the bear did by eventually accepting his role as a factory worker, luckily he soon realized his true identity: A bear.
I believe the story of The Bear That Wasn't has a perfect connection to our lives today. Like the bear, people are constantly told who they are supposed to be, through advertisements, TV shows, and other people. It is difficult for one to define their identity in a world where many people won't accept you for who you are. The end of the story when the bear accepted the idea that he was a man, not a bear, is a great representation of what happens in real life. In life, people want to be accepted and many people will change themselves and do whatever is necessary to be accepted. The bear identified himself as a man towards the end of the story because he was constantly told that he was a man and because in order to fit in with his surroundings, he had to be a man, not a bear. I believe the story was a perfect representation of how people can change who you are and how you see yourself because you don't fit into their idea of who you should be.
I thought that the story of The Bear That Wasn't was an ideal example of social pressure in society; social pressure that is certainly incorporated in our lives today in high school. People have allowed their identities to be hidden by this force called the majority. Just like the bear accepted the identity the workers told him he had at the end of the novel, people hide more and more of there true qualities and cover them up with qualities that will lead them to fit in with the majority. I guess this majority force is just a prime example of peer pressure. People fear isolation will lead to embarrassment and thus to the feeling of being wrong. Unfortunately, in our society it isn't socially accepted to be wrong. However, being wrong actually reveals bravery, strength and confidence. Without these three qualities that person would not have been able to step out of the vast majority and jump on a possibility of being wrong. The story also revealed the stereotypical organization of our society today. Everyone has a clique and singles out those that are not similar to everyone in their specific group. As a result, people who are singled out change their identity just to be accepted. This also shows how people in groups only look through the perspective of the type of people they are, hence how the bear was called a worker with a fur coat. This all shows how societal groups tied with this immense fear of being singled out or simply being a little different plays with and tricks the human mind from seeing the moral importance of identity.
When we first read the story, I didn't understand why we were reading a children's story. After that when we got into groups to discus it I realized the message was a lot bigger than what I had thought. The bear had changed his identity because of people discouraging him when he told them he was a bear. This story shows how people group together and make judgement's of others based on where they think they belong. If people did not see him in a zoo or a circus they automatically thought he wasn't a bear. This book shows how people are not judged on who they actually are, but by the group the society thinks fits them best.
The book “The Bear That Wasn’t” sends a message through children’s eyes about losing your identity. This issue of losing your identity was also apparent during the holocaust for Jews. For this reason I found it very interesting. In the story the bear is pushed by everyone around him to believe he is someone he’s not because they have a tunneled vision of who bears are. The reason Jews lost their identity is because people who also had tunnel vision took it away from them. The Nazis had tunnel vision towards what society must be like, but the Nazis and the other tunnel-visioned people in “The Bear That Wasn’t” are one in the same. I believe this is a good teaching tool for both adults and children.
The Bear That Wasn’t taught me a lesson regarding a situation that I think everyone has been in at some point in their lives. Everyone has wanted to fit in with a group, everyone has been ridiculed or made fun of for being different than the norm, and everyone has probably changed themselves in some way to be part of the majority. In today’s society, we get that kind of pressure not only from the people we interact with, but from ads, TV, and other media. Off the top of my head, I can think of several times personally when this has happened. What this book showed was two different ways of dealing with that. The first was something that’s definitely tempting: to give up on what you know to be true, so you can easily fit in. But the ending of the book showed the right thing to do: to stick to your guns even when everyone is telling you the opposite. I’m interested to learn more about how this connects to the Holocaust, especially after Mr. Gallagher talked about Hitler using social pressure in Germany.
I've never read this book before but i really enjoyed it. I thought it had a lot of layers to it; it can be viewed as short picture book aimed to entertain the thought of a talking bear in a factory. But more than this, it can be a reflection of society and the struggle to keep ones identity central to them self. While everyone is blinded by their atmosphpere and surroundings, they are unwilling to see what is clearly in front of them. So when the bear was pleading to be believed in, they just couldnt. Their own lives and the want to be apart of the bandwagon view got in the way. I guess it shows that, even when you are pretty set in who you think you are, it is easy to lose sight of it when you are surrounded by doubt. without anyone backing you up, its easier to change to feel like you belong because going against the group is scary: being wrong, the unknown if anyone will follow too, we all have these fears.
I think this book was a good way of showing oneself about the issues of wanting to fit in. People want to fit in and will do anything in order to make it happen. Eventually, that peson diguises theirself into someone of the social group they are trying to fit into and no longer posses their own individualality. It isn't much different in the story. The bear says he is a bear, but everyone else says he is a man. In this case the people telling the bear he is not a bear, is a personification of the struggle of fitting in while still trying to maintain ones image. The effect is that it is impossible to do both. By the end of the story the bear still believes he isn't a man, but now he does not believe he is a bear either. He was sucked into a group and stripped of his character, such is a person joining a group and giving up their self in order to do so.
After reading the story the bear that was I thought it was a good way to represent our society. It shows how peoples opinion of you can shape what you think of yourself. After everyone telling the bear he wasn't a bear he began to believe it. this applies to the real world because if you are told all the time that you are something and everyone unites against you, you will start to believe it. once you start to believe you are something that you are not your actions change, just like the bears did. The bear ended up working in the factory and not knowing what to do in the winter because he had lost his roots. He forgot who he was and how to be himself because of society.
While discussing "The Bear That Wasn't" it became apparent how accurate of a representation it was of our society. The bear was shown to have a hard time retaining his identity when it repeatedly was drilled into his head that he was something else. He eventually gave in to what he had been told to fit the identity created for him by the factory workers. In our society people will often let go of their unique qualities to fit into the group just as the bear did. At the end of the short story he was able to renter his cave and regain his identity because there was no one around to tell him not to.
The Bear to me was a simple little story but it contained great meaning. Even though it was so short and too the point, it had reminded me of a few things. Those things are that even though we think we know who we are, others are always going to tell us that we are something different. For example, the whole school may think that this one person is the biggest jerk who sells drugs who cares about nothing; but instead he might actually be a very caring guy who went down the wrong path and is now stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the choices he has made. It is hard not too, but I know that everyone needs to stop judging a book by its cover. In The Bear, even though he knew what he actually was, everyone around him believed he was something different because of the place he happend to be in at the time. I could go to an underground concert in Worcester with dark clothes and makeup on and everyone there would believe i like heavy metal music and i am an emo. If i told them that i was actually a girl who attends christian alliance in school and sings in many choirs, i do not think they would believe me. Overall, The Bear was a little story to help us realize that it isnt right to jump to conclusions and that we need to start listening more rather than coming up with our own thoughts about a person when we dont even know them.
The story of the Bear was a story that was very meaningful to me. It taught a lot of life lessons and it got to the point and was very direct. It shows you how people judge you based off your appearance, which is wrong. The Bear was being judged by the people because the Bear was out of place. The people around him were convincing him he wasn't a bear and then later he almost believed he wasn't who he was. This shows you how people a so judging and how they look at someone and basically judge who you are based off your looks. This story was a short story that showed us that you can't jump right to your conclusion about someone, you need to talk and find out more about someone being you have a feeling about them.
I was absent.
I was absent.
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