How the Author of Winnie-the-Pooh Inspired Me

by Sandra Merville Hart

I’ve always loved Winnie-the-Pooh.

The honey-loving bear captured my heart instantly as a child. I also fell in love with Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, and Christopher Robin in stories shown on TV.

I recently began reading The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne. It delighted me to find the same whimsical manner in the book because the shows remained relatively true to the writing.

Milne so captivates readers ninety years after he published the stories because he created lovable, believable characters with childlike innocence and allowed a young boy to be the hero.

Pooh describes himself as a “Bear of Very Little Brain” yet he often sits to think about things. His friend, Rabbit, worries about everything. Eeyore, a gray donkey, sees every event through the gloomiest possible lens. Piglet tries to be brave until scary circumstances bring out his timidity.

All Milne’s characters are credible. Children quickly spot some of their own characteristics in the different personalities. For example, children are often afraid of things they don’t understand and may be drawn to Piglet.

And what child doesn’t have a favorite food or snack? They relate to Pooh’s desire for honey.

Another facet of Winnie-the-Pooh is the story’s hero. Pooh and his friends often get into difficulties, which children understand. Christopher Robin, a young boy around the reader’s age, always knows exactly how to save his little friends. This begins to build confidence in young readers (or listeners!) that they can help, too.

Milne released Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926. The book brought recognition as a children’s author, but the path leading to his fame held a rocky beginning.

After he finished studying at Cambridge, he traveled to London in 1903. The talented writer wrote but earned little that first year.

He didn’t give up.

He continued to write. His earnings increased the following year, enough to support himself.

Milne’s lovable characters with believable traits and their friend, Christopher Robin, teach us the importance of authenticity. The author’s perseverance paid off. Had he given up when difficult times struck, the world would never know a lovable little bear named Pooh, a tragedy indeed.

What novel will you write? What lovable characters will you create? The world will never know if you give up.