2009-2010 discussion

1. Analysis: What does vinegar symbolize in this book?

2. Synthesis: Taking the different philsophies out of the book, create your own philsophy?

3. Application: Would you change that the story takes place in the book Winnie-the-Pooh?

1. Synthesis: If you could make a movie out of this book, how would you format the movie?

2. Analysis: Why do you think the author explained Taoism by using Pooh?

3. Evaluation: Looking at the cover of the book, what was your first impression of the book?

1.Analysis: Why did the narrator use vinegar as life?

2.Application: Do you have anybody in your life thats wise and always leads you in the right path?

3.Synthesis: If you had to be an agent for the person who wrote this book how would marketed it?

1. Analysis: How does pooh play a big role in helping the readers learn about taoism?

2.Application: Can you relate to Piglet, Pooh, Eeyore, and the rest of the game as they travel through their journey?

3. Evaluation: How would you have changed the text so it would have been easier to comprehend, or do you think it was already easy to comprehend? Explain.

1. Analysis:How does Benjamin Hoff set up Pooh as a Taoist master?

2.Application:Is there anything in the book that Winnie-the-Pooh does in the Tao Of Pooh that you can relate to?

3.Evaluation: In the Tao of Pooh when Hoff quotes the Tao Te Ching, "The wise are not learned, the learned are not wise." Do you agree with this statment?

Tavia wrote: "1. Analysis: What does vinegar symbolize in this book?

2. Synthesis: Taking the different philsophies out of the book, create your own philsophy?

3. Application: Would you change that the sto..."

ANSWER
1.The vinegar is describing Lao Zi, Buddha, and Confucius.Which is actually a painting.The painting shows three men tasting vinegar. The first man is Confucius who finds the vinegar sour.Meaning he belives life should be foucus on the present and not longing for the past.The second taster was Buddha who thought the vinegar tasted bitter. For him he thought he thought life was full of attachements and things we really don't need,he also belive the only way to escape this world was by through nirvana.The last taste tester was Lao -tse he begings to laugh because he belives He belives the heavens exist on earth only if one lives in the natural harmony.

Kavaughn wrote: "1.Analysis: Why did the narrator use vinegar as life?

2.Application: Do you have anybody in your life thats wise and always leads you in the right path?

3.Synthesis: If you had to be an agent..."


ANSWER
2.Thier have been many people in my life that have lead me in the right way. Some the most influential people in my life were complete strangers who I have never heard of or spoken to again. But on an everday basis I belive that my parents and teachers lead me on the right path. Especially my parents who have spent a great deal of time with me.They have thaught me good values that will be benfit me in the long run.

1.Analysis: What does Hoff mean when he talks about "Eeyore" and "Rabbit" Attitudes

2. Application: Do you think it would be possible to be a Taoist and still function in modern society?

3.Evaluation: Do you agree with the Auothors use of Pooh as a representation of the "uncarved block"?

1. (analysis) Why do you think the author really picked Pooh to explain taoism?

2. (Grammer) Why do you think the author italicize's his words?

3. (Evaluation) do you find it hard to comprehend the way the author sometimes relates specific parts of Taoism to the different characters of Winnie the Pooh?

(Anaoysis) 1) what is the uncarved block and how does it relate to pooh?

(Synthesis) 2) what song best fits Pooh's personality?

(Evaluation) 3) what could Benjamin do to make his ideas more clear?

Zack M.
1.(Analysis) Why do you think that the author used the three main religions in China ass the Characters in the Vinegar Taster portrait?
2. (Evaluation) why do you think the author use such childish fictional characters to teach a subject as important as religions?
3. (Grammer) Why does the author italicize some word thyen others, also when the author is depicting and argument or converstaion why does he indent?

Nathan wrote: "(Anaoysis) 1) what is the uncarved block and how does it relate to pooh?

The principle of the uncarved block is that things in their original state contain their own natural power, which is runied if it is changed. The way it relates to Pooh, is that he is who he is with out changing. He is the simple form of himself. In other words he keeps things simple just like the block

Zack wrote: "Zack M.
2. (Evaluation) why do you think the author use such childish fictional characters to teach a subject as important as religions?

He uses Pooh because most people have seen the show and will find the toopic intersting to relate to. He also uses Pooh because the basis of this religion describe the characters very well. So when you read it you will be able to understand why the characters act the way they act based off this religion.

Zack wrote:
2. (Evaluation) why do you think the author use suc..."

The reason why the author uses Winnie the Pooh to teach this subject Religion is because he wants everyone to relate to the topic. The author just can't write a boring book about Taoism that some maybe not any would read. He wants the topic of Religion to be explained to kids like ourselves so we can compare this religion to something that we all might understand. Also, the author might want to explain Taosim in a way that everyone can relate to, and make it a book that everyone could read and be like hey that makes sense.

Tavia wrote: "1. Analysis: What does vinegar symbolize in this book?

2. Synthesis: Taking the different philsophies out of the book, create your own philsophy?

3. Application: Would you change that the sto..."


1.In the book vinegar symbolizes life. Like vinegar life can be interpreted in many different ways.Confucist view life as sour and Buddhist view life as bitter.Unlike other religions, taoist view life as sweet, even when it is not. This is the point that the author is trying to demonstrate with the story.

Stephanie wrote: "1. Synthesis: If you could make a movie out of this book, how would you format the movie?

2. Analysis: Why do you think the author explained Taoism by using Pooh?

3. Evaluation: Looking at th..."

Answer 2. Taoism isnt just something you can learn in a couple of days. Thats why the Hoff used Pooh to explain Taoism. Pooh is a known and fictional character so younger people can understand the teachings of Taoism. By using Pooh the story is more interesting than actually being taught by Taoist.

Nathan wrote: "(Anaoysis) 1) what is the uncarved block and how does it relate to pooh?

(Synthesis) 2) what song best fits Pooh's personality?

(Evaluation) 3) what could Benjamin do to make his ideas more c..."

Answer 3. Hoff could make his ideas more clear by making it less confusing. Teens may not get what he is trying to say in the book. Pooh makes the story confusing because the author makes him seem like hes clueless of whats happening. He should make Pooh tell the teachings in a different way.

Janelle wrote: "1. Analysis: How does pooh play a big role in helping the readers learn about taoism?

2.Application: Can you relate to Piglet, Pooh, Eeyore, and the rest of the game as they travel through their..."

1. Pooh plays a role in helping the reader learn about Taoism by helping to simplify its concepst. Instead of finding a complicated explanation for things such as the uncarved block or the Wu tei Hoff instead says "Pooh's personality" or "Pooh's way of problem solving". This puts the idea's in terms that the reader understands and can relate to.

Kavaughn wrote: "1.Analysis: Why did the narrator use vinegar as life?

The reason why the author uses vinegar as life is because of opinions. Everyone has an opinion on something, such as vinegar. Some people may love vinegar, some people may hate it or some just don't care. This is like life some people love life to the extreme but then others may hate it or just don't care. So comparing life to vinegar was more like a simile using something different to talk about or describle life.

Janelle wrote: "1. Analysis: How does pooh play a big role in helping the readers learn about taoism?

Pooh plays a big role because everyone can relate to him. Using Pooh to explain Taosim makes the readers understand the concept and help them relate it to everyday things. Also, using Pooh doesn't confuse must readers and that could read the book and but like hey I understand that Pooh does do that. Also, using Pooh helps readers understand why he acts a certain way in the serious, in the book they explained that people dwhen they watch the series Winnie the Pooh they think wow that is one stupid bear but then when they read this book they can relate to him and understand his actions.

Zack wrote: "Zack M.
2. (Evaluation) why do you think the author use such childish fictional characters to teach a subject as important as religions?

In my opion, its very important to learn about different religions. Its important because I believe that you shouldnt stay confined to one religion so you wont become bias or close-minded. Pooh bear is a nation wide child figure. If children see that pooih is represented as the main character in this book, they might be interested in reading it. It also helps children understand it in a way that provides them with good knowledge of what Taoism really is!

Cheryl wrote:
2. (Grammer) Why do you think the author italicize's his words?

Italicizing words can mean many things. In most books, including this one, it highlights the important words.The author wants the readers to interpret the word or words in your head and actually take the time to process it. When they were using pooh bear to explain Taoism, they used hard vocabulary which was italicized. The authors want you to remember the italicized words.

I agree Janelle, but sometimes I feel like he over did the italicizing in some parts, but hey it is his book. lol =)


Janelle wrote: "Cheryl wrote:
2. (Grammer) Why do you think the author italicize's his words?

Italicizing words can mean many things. In most books, including this one, it highlights the important words.The a..."

Janelle wrote: "1. Analysis: How does pooh play a big role in helping the readers learn about taoism?

-For people like me that have no knowledge of Taoism, Pooh Bear is the perfect character to me. His role in the book corresponds with people’s misconceptions and confusion about Taoism. Benjamin Hoff made sure that his book could be understood by all. Pooh has a dumfound tone in his book lead him to ask many question like...“But what does that have to do with vinegar” is the same question that was pondering in my mind. A question which the narrator of coursed explained. Pooh role in the book is to make a complicated subject simple.

Stephanie Tran wrote:
3. Evaluation: Looking at th..."

First I didn’t even know what Taoism was or how to pronounce it. My second impression of the book was that it would be the Asian version of Winnie- the-Pooh. Which I though was a cute anyway especially that he was dress in an Asian outfit too. Last that this book was to big to be that simple,and that I had to find out what it is about.

Jasmin wrote: "Tavia wrote: "1. Analysis: What does vinegar symbolize in this book?

-That is what I though as well, that the vinegar showed the contrast between these different religions.

Analysis: When the author said, "join the dust of the world", what do you think he means?

Application: If you had to choose to live your life by the teachings of K'ung Fu-tse, Buddah, or Lao-tse, who would you choose? Why?


Grammar: Does the author use a variety of sentence structures within one chapter?

Zack wrote: "Zack M.
1.(Analysis) Why do you think that the author used the three main religions in China ass the Characters in the Vinegar Taster portrait?
2. (Evaluation) why do you think the author use suc..."

Answer 1: I think that the author used the three main religions in China as the characters in the Vinegar Taster portrait because each religion is like an intake on life. Confusious thought that life was sour and needed all these rules to be fixed up. Buddah thought that life was bitter. Lao-tse just made the best of life.

Stephanie Tran wrote: "1. Synthesis: If you could make a movie out of this book, how would you format the movie?

2. Analysis: Why do you think the author explained Taoism by using Pooh?

3. Evaluation: Looking at th..."

Answer 2: I think the author explained Taoism by using Pooh because people as a whole can probably understand the teachings better as if we were pooh. Some people can't understand complicated text, so the author decided to use a different more easy method to explain Taoism. He also found a way to make reading about Taoism less boring.

2. Analysis: Why do you think the author explained Taoism by using Pooh?
why did the author use pooh to explain toaism, i believed he used it for younger kids to get a better understanding. say for instance if an old man with big bifocals and a long roab was trying to teach it younger kids wouldnt want to listen, but if you put a popular character in the place of the old man kids would most likely listen to a silly character than and old man himself.

this is my answer

Stephanie Tran wrote: "Janelle wrote: "1. Analysis: How does pooh play a big role in helping the readers learn about taoism?

Pooh plays a big role because everyone can relate to him. Using Pooh to explain Taosim makes..."

Kavaughn wrote: "Nathan wrote: "(Anaoysis) 1) what is the uncarved block and how does it relate to pooh?

(Synthesis) 2) what song best fits Pooh's personality?

(Evaluation) 3) what could Benjamin do to make h..."
answer; i believe he narroator used vinger as life because it has its ups and downs. vinger can be good at times ans it can be bad. different people have different for what they like i think he used vinger because it can variey

Kavaughn wrote: "1.Analysis: Why did the narrator use vinegar as life?

2.Application: Do you have anybody in your life thats wise and always leads you in the right path?

3.Synthesis: If you had to be an agent..."

answer; i believe he narroator used vinger as life because it has its ups and downs. vinger can be good at times ans it can be bad. different people have different for what they like i think he used vinger because it can variey . and life varies alot life has many ups and downs