- René Fleischbein
Janosch’s Tiger and Bear: Teaching and Learning Lifestyle Tolerance
At a time when much of the world seems more divided than ever, from world states to individuals of different races, religions, and sexual orientation, the lessons of tolerance from German author Janosch’s picture book stories featuring his iconic characters, Bear and Tiger, provide a respite from reality and a reminder that living in harmonious tolerance is achievable. The following is the first of three posts in a series examining the theme of tolerance in the works of German children's book author Janosch (b. Horst Eckert, 1931). Janosch has published over 150 books in Germany since 1960. His books have been translated into 30 languages and have won numerous awards. His Tiger and Bear books are among his most popular works.
Janosch’s picture books are an ideal vehicle for fostering tolerance because they are generally regarded as unthreatening and lighthearted. Janosch began publishing children’s picture books in the 1960s, emerging and enduring through times of social and political uncertainty. However, these seemingly benign texts afford the opportunity to promote tolerance of individuals and groups of people who are otherwise muted or silenced by society. In particular, Janosch’s Tiger and Bear books create inclusivity by giving voice and representation to marginalized groups, quietly demonstrating tolerance to their readers.
The subtle lessons of tolerance of lifestyle from the Tiger and Bear books provide a respite from social constrictions and a reminder that living in harmonious tolerance is achievable. The title characters Tiger and Bear are both clearly identified as male and sharing a domestic space. For example, in Oh, Wie Schön ist Panama (1978), Tiger and Bear are both referred to with the masculine pronoun “er” or “he,” and the masculine article “der” which is a gendered article of “the.” Further, the story describes their idyllic, pastoral life in a cozy little house with a chimney, on a riverbank, surrounded by trees.
As Bear is fishing one day, he finds a box that smells like bananas and has the word “Panama” written on it. Bear runs home to tell Tiger about Panama and they talk until late into the night. The image of them talking demonstrates the domestic space and interaction of a committed couple.
The narrative follows Tiger and Bear as they set out in search of Panama. In their travels, they encounter several other animals, including a rabbit and a hedgehog who invite them to spend the night at their house. The illustration of Tiger and Bear at Rabbit and Hedgehog’s house provides yet another example of how Janosch’s books promote tolerance.
Tiger and Bear sit close together, their arms around each other, and Bear has his hand or paw on Tiger’s knee, as they tell the Rabbit and the Hedgehog about Panama. The body language of the pair indicates that they are more than friends or comrades. They are a couple. Rabbit and Hedgehog, sitting across from Tiger and Bear, listen attentively, demonstrating that the behavior of Tiger and Bear, their closeness and their bond, is perfectly acceptable and even normal for the others to witness. And if these other characters are comfortable with the open displays of affection between Tiger and Bear, readers can also be comfortable with such displays, thus fostering a more open, tolerant, and accepting community.
The narrative humorously concludes with Tiger and Bear rediscovering their own home in their search for the elusive Panama. They work together as a couple to restore their new-old home to its former tidiness. As with the previous illustration with Rabbit and Hedgehog, Tiger and Bear are pictured in domestic harmony sitting on a comfortable couch in their perfect cozy little house.
They sit together as a loving, committed couple, subtly promoting tolerance for others. The tolerance found in the text of the story, through the male partnership, is reinforced by the accompanying images of Tiger and Bear as an affectionate couple.
My future posts will feature the theme of tolerance and race and gender representation in Janosch’s books.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: René Fleischbein earned her Ph.D. in children’s literature at The University of Southern Mississippi where she examined the role of critical literacy in challenging the status quo of twentieth century English children’s literature. Her work has been published in the Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts and the International Journal of Multicultural Education, and she has presented her research at conferences for international organizations such as the Children’s Literature Association, the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, and the International Society for the History of Rhetoric. In addition to children’s literature, her areas of scholarship include young adult literature, fantasy literature, British literature, and rhetoric and its history. Dr. Fleischbein, a California native, has lived in Germany and Jordan and is currently an Instructor of English at the University of South Alabama.