This study aims to examine some of the differences between the original Winnie the Pooh novels and the subsequent film versions. A. A. Milne, the author of the novels, lived through periods of war and wrote
Winnie-the-Pooh and
The House at Pooh Corner between the two Great Wars. In his essay on war,
Peace with Honour, he referred to himself as a pacifist and outlined his notion of "Universal Peace" from a completely anti-militaristic view. In the essay, he insisted that "Preparations for defence are as dangerous to the cause of peace as preparations for aggression". As Ann Thwaite indicates, an "abhorrence of violence" and "total rejection of aggression" were characteristics of Milne himself, and this pacifism is reflected in the Pooh stories and his other writings. Actually, there is an almost total lack of violence and aggression in his stories. However,
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, as the only Disney-produced film based on Milne's original stories, does include some elements related to war, such as menace and weapons. This study aims to compare the novels with the film and make clear the important and problematic changes made in the Disney film.
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