In relevance to mental health, “Winnie the Pooh,” on the outside looking in suggests lovable and innocent morals to young readers and moreover implies that exploring the one’s surroundings is important in order to get to know and learn how things work on one’s own. But, when dug a little deeper it was found that many of the characters showcased in the Pooh series has been discovered to have displayed minor or major mental illnesses, however ridiculous that sounds. 

 

After further research, it has come to attention that not many children’s literature offers knowledge and facts about mental health as most times it is swept under the carpet as something adults must deal with when in fact it has been proven that in Ontario alone, 1 in 5 children and youth experience some form of mental health problems with the youth suicide rate being the third highest in the world. It would be ideal for classrooms are set up to teach young children the importance of having knowledge about not only getting the flu or curing the chicken pox, but also, how to be aware of mental illnesses and what to look out for in regard to symptoms and such.

 

The exclusion of mental health awareness in children’s literature aids in the ignorance of a highly problematic issue in which children in the city must be inclined to for the safety of other but more importantly safety for themselves. 

“6 p.m. at Cedarwood park, bring your skip ropes.” 

“7 p.m. at Cedarwood. Bring your running shoes and water bottles, we’re making ball teams today.” 

 

After a sweaty day at the park, the children head home for dinner and homework. At 10 p.m. they head to bed ready for the fun Saturday they’ll spend shopping with parents and Sunday evenings attending their cousin’s birthday parties. Then impatiently wait for school on Monday so they can repeat their routine. 

 

This was the typical life of a child during the mid 2000’s. 

 

It is crucial for children, especially those growing up in urban environments, to become aware of those dangers enlisted in roaming the streets without adult supervision. It is obvious that no matter how many times a child is told not to do something, they tend to dismiss their warning and resume being curious and rebellious. It’s in their nature. However, teaching children coming from city scenes what is to be expected when or if they come to be alone on the streets or put in an emergency situation is just as important. 

 

Through extensive research, it has been brought to attention that the Toronto schools tend to cut short the lectures of safety on the streets. The curriculum does not touch base on much else other than the drug safety which is equally as significant as street safety and mental health. 

 

1.    Winnie the Pooh: 

a.    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – range of behavioural disorders appearing mostly in children in which symptoms include lack of concentration, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It is to be considered that Pooh suffers the inattentive subtype in which one demonstrates carelessness and apathetic towards friends.

b.    Impulsivity – Pooh is addicted to honey. Throughout the entirety of the book he grabs any jar or pot of honey he can find and usually is ready to take risks in order to obtain it. 

2.    Piglet: 

a.    Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Piglet is suggested to have possibly suffered a self-esteem issue in the past in which in present time is causing heavy stress, anxiety and nervousness. He is also seen to have a speech impediment in where he stutters which can be linked to the irrational anxiety. 

3.    Owl: 

a.    Dyslexia – Many times throughout the book, it is quite evident that the owl is dyslexic. Outside his home he has sign that convey the message of ringing or knocking on the door if an answer is required however, the misspelling of most of the words hints at his incompetence. 

4.    Eeyore: 

a.    Depression – Throughout the story he is seen as a glum and moody character. With a negative outlook on life he is unable to feel positivity and joy in his life. His stance and words are never short of depressing and indicates that he is a major depressive. 

5.    Christopher Robin: 

a.    Schizophrenia – His imagination sends him wild as he “hallucinates” these talking animals to be his friends and formed in his mind as something real. Since Christopher is a child, his appeal to learning about how function in society socially allows him to interact with this fixated world. 

 

A life without adults, supervision and rules is a recipe for chaos and that is exactly was in displayed in this novel. However, the more striking theme in this story is not responsibility, freedom, leadership or survival but rather the concept of not obtaining an education or lack thereof since the oldest people in the world are twelve years old. 

 

This puts into perspective how much children miss out on had they the choice to not attend school. Of course, it is a crucial part of a growing adolescent to learn math, science, and English but to learn life valuing content is much more useful for their future. 

 

In this case, the story is surrounding the lives of kids who don’t know left from right yet are expected to feed and live off of the remaining resources left. If the education system was not trailing to fail the young minds of society, the censorship of imperative thinking and learning would not exist therefore allowing children to begin manifesting the real world at a young age to be prepared for unexpected events such as the situation that occurs in this novel. 

 

Ultimately, this  book should have shown the darker side of the issue and focused on how the children handled such a difficult time, mentally and emotionally.  

 

Frozen gives insight to depression, a widely known mental issue with a negative stigma surrounding it. Elsa, the oldest child who has endured a lot for a girl her age, especially given her circumstances with the powers she must mask. Her gloves are used as a symbol of antidepressants as mentioned in an article title, “Frozen Teaches You What Depression is Like” written by Isaac Cabe. “She has been using her gloves since she was a small child, and now as a young woman she can’t function without them.” Antidepressants only work had it been taken over a long period of time. Once it’s been stopped, the symptoms will bring its way back up. Elsa has to learn from scratch how to function in a social society without giving her powers away.  

 

The most played song of 2016, Let it Go is believed to be similar to a suicide note. Its background is not initially from Frozen as it was used on a broad way show about the main character curating deep dark thoughts of himself as he believes everyone around him dislikes him. Some lyrics in the song can make one stop and think: 

“the cold never bothered me anyway” (Idina Menzel)– reference to her ice powers but also the numbing feeling depression brings. 

“couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I’ve tried, Don’t let them in, don’t let them see” (Idina Menzel)– a person suffering from depressions tends to be in denial most times and as a means conceals their feelings due to the negative stigma around those going through it.

Self isolating and not knowing how to get better are also factors that depressions plays in ones life. Frozen explicitly involves learning experiences in this movie however does not advertise such a thing due to ratings and viewers. If audiences knew they were about to walk into the movie about depression and anxiety, they'd walk right out.  

Kuba. “The Mental Disorders of Winnie-the-Pooh Characters.” Knowledge Guild, 1 Apr. 2016, knowledgeguild.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/the-mental-disorders-of-winnie-the-pooh-characters/.

Lopez, Robert. “Idina Menzel – Let It Go.” Genius, 27 Nov. 2013, genius.com/Idina-menzel-let-it-go-lyrics.

McClain, Carrie. “‘The Girl Who Owned A City’ Review.” Black Nerd Problems, 7 June 2014, blacknerdproblems.com/the-girl-who-owned-a-city-review/.

Milne, A A. illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard, Winnie the Pooh. Meuthuen & Co Ltd., 1939.

UK, Disney, director.  Let It Go - Frozen. YouTube, YouTube, 30 Jan. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0MK7qz13bU.