posted on 06 Jan 2016

Three Bears ( part one)

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard received the accolade of being number one in a recent 100 children's book list compiled by Nicolette Johnson of The Sunday Times. I am not surprised that it reached these dizzy heights but it got me thinking about two other famous literary bears that came lower in the ranks: A Bear called Paddington by Michael Bond illustrated by Peggy Fortnum ( place number 8) and Rupert Bear by Albert Besthall ( unplaced).

Firstly let's consider the relative physical attributes of the three bears in terms of initial appeal. None of them have recognisable animal characteristics in terms of being dangerous or smelly but all differ in their degree of anthropomorphism. Pooh has a clear advantage because he is clearly based on a real teddy bear toy, so unashamedly soft and cuddly that he usually only wears a tight fitting short cardigan and often needs no clothes at all. Paddington is firstly defined by his rather eccentric red hat but soon adopts the iconic blue duffle coat for practical reasons as he has to cope with living in a cold English climate as an immigrant from Peru. Rupert on the other hand has a very smart but somewhat limited wardrobe of a red jumper, yellow check trousers and matching scarf that help him to blend in with his equally sartorial animal chums and humans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what about their faces? Again Pooh presents no threat at all with his bland, rather dopey demeanour. He is by his own definition ' a bear of little brain' who doesn't worry his dear little head with much other than the enjoyment of blundering about, socialising with the other toys and ensuring plentiful honey supplies. Paddington is the most whiskery of the trio with a pleasant sometimes puzzled expression that is very endearing. Rupert has a very odd poker faced blank white look about him that doesn't easily show nuances of feeling. But after all, he is often engaged on complicated adventures where he needs to be stoical with a stiff upper lip to give confidence to the others in his little troupe. 

Similarly, their different body shapes tell us something about their overall lifestyles. The rotund ungainly Pooh shambles through The Hundred Acre Wood with the wise Christopher Robin keeping an overall eye on him and the other toys. Paddington is the most bear like in shape and is the only one that I could imagine occasionally going on all fours out of sheer laziness. The sleek, well toned Rupert looks as if he might be inclined to use a gym, if such a thing could possibly exist in Nutwood.

The stories are very different of course which might also help to explain the enduring appeal of Pooh and Paddington. Pooh lives in a very defined area with familiar characters that pose no real threat with predictable traits like the over exuberant but ultimately likeable Tigger. Paddington lives at thirty two Windsor Gardens, in a recognisable suburbia as part of a familiar kind of human family. Both these bears have circumscribed adventures that they muddle through but have cosily happy endings. Rupert's world is rather more exotic as although he begins and ends in familiar safe territory with his parents he is usually engaged In scrapes with interesting types like The Sage of Um who lives on Um Island with a band of unicorns and the like. 

If these three bears were to star in the same story ( now there's a thought if copyright would allow it), I'm not sure they would get along terribly well together. Rupert would obviously take charge in his bossy way and probably be irritatingly enigmatic and a bit anti social. Paddington would try his best to please but be a bit moody and unco-operative. I think that Pooh would go along with the other two in his dreamy way, as long as a promise of honey was in the offing. It may be that Rupert appeals more to adults who have nostalgic memories of his escapades. After all, there is an active Rupert Society website with approaching 1,000 members but the Junior club is 'currently dormant'.

 

Karen Argent

5th January 2016