A.A. Milne’s Birthday: A Look at the Man Behind Winnie the Pooh

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

A.A. Milne was an absolute titan in the literary world. Throughout the years, his work has impacted the hearts and ensnared the minds of millions. And today, we celebrate the day of his birth. So, let’s look at his life, and celebrate the man that, even in death, continues to bring us comfort. 

To understand his legacy and the impact he would have on the world, we first need to do a quick runthrough of Milne’s life before he became the man we all know and love.  

The Early Life of an Icon

He was born on January 18, 1882 in London, England. He would go on to attend Westminster School in London, and Trinity College, Cambridge. Although he attended the latter on a mathematics scholarship, he would later return to London to pursue a career in freelance writing.  

Milne began working for Punch in 1906. While there, he wrote “humorous verse and whimsical essays”. In 1913, he married Dorothy “Daphne” de Selincourt. Not long after, in 1914, A.A. Milne would go on to leave his employment at Punch. And, although he considered himself a pacifist, he joined the armed forces in 1915, during World War I.

A Life of War

On February 1, 1915, Milne was designated as an officer of the 4th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. While in the 4th Battalion, he was considered a member of the Royal Corps of Signals. 

During this time, A.A. Milne would fight in the Battle of the Somme, he would be sent to lay telephone lines close to enemy positions, and would even be attacked and badly wounded. 

The wounds sustained during this attack led him to be discharged from his service on February 14, 1919. Once home, Milne would begin the heart-wrenching journey that was healing mentally and physically from the things he had experienced during the war. 

A New Beginning

Then, on August 21, 1920, one of the defining moments of Alan Alexander Milne’s life would occur. On this day, his wife gave birth to their son, Christopher Robin Milne. 

If that name sounds familiar, it absolutely should. As it was A.A. Milne’s son who would go on to inspire the world-renowned children’s series Winnie the Pooh. 

A.A. Milne strived to be the best father for his darling boy that he could be. And it was one day when he took Christopher Robin to the London Zoo, where he first met the main characters of the Hundred Acre Wood. 

Christopher Robin had been enamored with a Canadian Black Bear named Winnipeg, or as she was more commonly called, “Winnie.”

Even though she was a Black Bear, Winnie herself was rather shy, tame, and introverted. And though his son found a connection with the bear through how cute he thought it was, A.A. Milne resonated with the bear’s gentler nature. 

He bought Christopher Robin a stuffed version of Winnie that day. And then, in 1926, the first book in the Winnie the Pooh series would be published. 

Stories That Transcend Time

Throughout the years, there have been many theories on what the characters of this book represent. Do they each represent some form of mental disorder or illness, as this article suggests? Does Tigger show the struggles of ADHD? Does Rabbit battle OCD? 

Many of the illnesses that are theorized were not officially named or accepted until long after Milne’s death. So, the likelihood of him consciously writing them into his stories is minimal. But, does that takeaway of the real representation that people find within his words? 

Or, as this writer theorizes, were the books a way to explain the internal battles A.A. Milne was facing to his young son? It was widely reported as having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after his time in the war. So, were his stories a way for him to connect with his son, and explain the way the symptoms of this disorder manifested within his own mind? 

Alan Alexander Milne passed away on January 31, 1956, at the age of 75. And, while alive, he never confirmed one way or the other if the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood represented himself, mental disorders, or if all of the connections were just happenstance.

One thing we do not need A.A. Milne to confirm, however, is just how prolific his reach was. The Adventures of the Hundred Acre Wood, whatever the reason that he created them, lives on to this very day. 

The stories of Winnie-the-Pooh still remain some of the most popular for children. The reach of them still remains broad.

Christopher Robin, the son that A.A. Milne loved so much has also passed away as of April 20, 1996. And through his books, Alan Milne was able to keep his son alive, still adventuring with his friends. 

So on this day, one hundred and forty-three years after he was born, we want to give a heartfelt thank you. Thank you to A.A. Milne, whose words have transcended time to continue to inspire millions. 

Thank you for making us feel seen, and heard, and loved, and comforted from the confines of your page. 

And a very happy, merry birthday.