R: I chose for this novel, since it is less of a story than a book showing an interpretation of something, to use the forward and so called "backward" to the book to explain my anticipation. In the foreword The author begins to introduce Pooh bear and the role he will play in the book, a subject being taught the principles of Taoism while simultaneously representing these principles himself. Hoff then explains how he came across the idea of creating this story when an "Unbeliever" said he could never prove a Great Master of Wisdom had come from the west and at the same time prove that this Great Master was actually Winnie-the-Pooh. This was a beautiful opening to the book as it adequately depicted all that was to come as I began to read the novel. He used so many wonderful and simple example of Pooh representing Taoism through his many adventures and used his responses to these examples and principles to even better encase the ideas of Taoism. By the end of the book when the "backward" comes along I feel completely as if he has accomplished his initial purpose to " explain the principles of Taoism through Winnie-the-Pooh, and explain Winnie-the-Pooh through the principles of Taoism". The "backward" consists mainly of a song that Pooh composes in an attemp to cover just exactly what the "Tao of Pooh" is,
"To know the Way,
We go the Way;
We do the Way
The way we do
The things we do.
It's all therein front of you,
But if you try too hard to see it,
You'll only become confused.
I am me,
And you are you,
As you can see;
But when you do
The things you do,
You will find the Way,
And the Way will follow you."
As much as this book made me question things about myself it is undoubtedly very simple just as Taoism was meant to be and is a very clever and well constructed way to present Taoism to those wanting to understand. From the foreword to the backward I appreciate Benjamin Hoff's perspective and focus on his rhetorical purpose.
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