Although The Story of Ferdinand was written for kids, it hints at some deeper themes . One is the idea that nonviolence can succeed. When Ferdinand is pushed to fight the matador, he refuses to comply . This makes the people in the stadium angry, and they do more to instigate a reaction. Eventually, they lose interest and give up, and Ferdinand is allowed to return home. If Ferdinand had fought back, however, he would most likely have lost his life. The story also encourages children to find their own way in life. Ferdinand finds happiness because he refuses to conform and behave like the other bulls.
The book’s author, Munro Leaf, published many children’s books during his career. Prior to becoming a writer, Leaf taught English and worked as an editor for a publishing company. Remarkably , he claimed that he finished The Story of Ferdinand in under an hour. The concept came to him suddenly on a rainy afternoon. He wrote it to provide work for his unemployed friend, Robert Lawson, who would later draw the book’s illustrations . Leaf selected a bull as the story’s protagonist because the animal wasn’t a hero in any other popular children’s stories.
Upon its release in 1936, the book became an instant best seller. A big reason for its appeal is that the story is simple and allows readers to use their imagination to attach ideas and meaning to it. Mahatma Gandhi loved the book because it taught children the principles of nonviolence. Hitler, on the other hand, banned the book and labeled it a work of “ democraticpropaganda .” Although the book stirred up lots of discussion and controversy , Leaf insisted that his sole purpose for writing the book was to entertain children.
《 THE STORY OF FERDINAND》2011 圖片轉引自：https://is.gd/pNOnGS
