What Is The Symbolism In The Tao Of Pooh

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In Benjamin Hoff’s short story, “The Tao of Pooh,” the author wanted to inform the reader about Taoism; and he also had intentions of persuading the reader to apply the ways of Taoism to their personal life. To do so, Hoff decided to use the childhood characters of Winnie the Pooh to allow the reader to easily make personal connections. Pooh is used as the symbol of Taoism - the calm, relaxed, and simpleminded one. Rabbit is the clever one, Owl is wise, Eeyore is pessimistic and Tigger simply does not know his limits. Once a connection is made between one of the characters, the author proceeds to describe a scenario and explains how each character reacts to a problem that arises. He then explains why Pooh’s simple mindedness allows him to be