by Zoe Pollock
Erica Grieder compares popular bears in English and American culture:
A. A. Milne's creation is perhaps the world's most well-loved bear. Sadly, however, Pooh struggles to love himself. I blame Christopher Robin for this. The boy is occasionally kind to the bear; when Pooh gets stuck a tunnel, Christopher Robin reads him a comforting book until Pooh loses enough weight that he can be pulled out. More often, however, Christopher Robin undermines Pooh in a way that is nearly abusive.
Alex Balk seems to be taunting Andrew:
"American bears are, for the most part, more assertive and autonomous than English bears." She's talking about bears in popular culture, but this comparison between our bears and those of our former colonial overlords will be of interest to anyone who has an obsession with bears, books and Britain. Surely I'm not the only one.