Winnie-the-Pooh tackles the difficult task of talking about friendship even though all the characters are imaginary friends. Yikes. What this means, though, is that Milne can explore many different kinds of dynamics, and even propose a kind of "ideal" friendship. At least for kids. Keep in mind that the friends Christopher Robin wants and needs might be different from adult friendships.
Questions About Friendship
- How would Milne define friendship? Do you agree? Disagree? Qualify your answer.
- Which relationship best represents the ideal friendship in the Pooh books?
- Why don't Milne's characters ever get angry with each other? They certainly do selfish things sometimes, and create problems for each other. Why don't they get mad?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Winnie-the-Pooh shows us that friendship is all about being together. You can't be good friends unless you're actually spending time with each other.
A young child's friendship is fundamentally different an adult's friendship. Christopher Robin had to leave the forest because the friends he had there are no longer a fit for him.