This is the masterpiece of the famous picture book writer Yoko Sasano. Many of her other works are also about cats, but she says she doesn't really like cats herself. "Everyone treats me like a cat painter. Actually, I don't like cats. The only reason I draw cats is because I draw dogs. I'm afraid I can't draw well and cats are better. "

Talking about the creative inspiration of her works, she said that she was only in her thirties. One day, a cat that lived a million times suddenly appeared in her mind, and then the story basically took shape. It can be said that the story is done in one go. She said that writing this book at that time also reflected her instinctive desire at that time: eager to find true love, because she had just finished her first marriage.

Interpret this story

There is a cat that has lived in the world for a million times. It died 6.5438 million times and lived 6.5438 million times. This 6.5438+million times, he exists as a human pet. He is a king's cat, a sailor's cat, a circus cat ... Every time his life ends, it is accompanied by his master's sadness. In contrast, cats don't care. Every life seems like an ordinary day to him, without surprises, sadness and me!

Later, he became a wild cat, met a white cat and gave birth to many kittens. He prefers white cats and kittens to himself. He has a loving and ordinary life. The white cat cried 6.5438+00000 times after her death. He stayed quietly beside the body and never woke up.

In fact, this story is full of many changes. These changes constantly promote the development of the whole story and make the philosophical significance more and more profound.

Other people's cats-their own cats.

Never cried-cried 1 ten thousand times.

Hate others, only like themselves-like white cats, kittens prefer themselves.

Say dead forever 10000 times-never say it again.

You can be resurrected after death-never resurrected.

Man's World-Cat's World

Pursuing freedom-pursuing love

It may be an accessory of the king, a companion of sailors, old ladies and little girls, and a tool for magicians and thieves. Its existence value is that others need it, and even his death is caused by the so-called "owner", so he hates this pet life and has no feeling for human tears. It doesn't know the meaning of life and death at all, so every time it dies, it is "alive". Why are you alive? Because I am unwilling, because I always want to live for myself once.

Finally, this time, he became his own cat. Other cats worshipped and sought after him for "dying 10 thousand times", but the white cat turned a blind eye. The purity and elegance of the white cat attracted him, and he began to re-recognize his own existence value. He has a family, love and responsibility, and it has found its own value. So after the white cat died, she finally burst into tears. She really lived once and never woke up.

Interpret pictures

A good picture book actually has three stories, the story of words, the story of pictures, and the story of words and pictures. In The Cat Who Lived a Million Times, all the stories that were not expressed in words were expressed in pictures.

This tabby cat has become the cat of many people in the past 6,543,800 times. In the picture, we can see that in the human world, the cat occupies very little position, which proves that in the human world, it is only a subsidiary of human beings, and it has never had eye contact and emotional communication with any owner. But when he finally became himself, he occupied a large position in the picture and stretched lazily. Look, how relaxing it is to be yourself! Surrounded by the mother cat, his unscrupulous expression shows his happiness in freedom!

If the story ends here, then this is a story of pursuing freedom. Is it enough to be a pet and be yourself?

Yoko Sasano told us: Not enough.

The pure, elegant and beautiful white cat appeared, which changed his definition of life. It turns out that love is companionship, and I like you better than myself. Love is having a home of your own. When the white cat died, it cried 654.38+00000 times. Now, he is a tabby cat who knows how to love. Finally, the cat never came back to life. However, we can see the back of the two of them hugging each other on the back cover, so can it be understood that he didn't want to live, but went to another world to accompany the white cat?

Teaching direction

1, retell the story

Children in grade three and four constantly emphasize the importance of retelling stories in the compilation of Chinese textbooks. We can also ask the children to retell the story. Yoko Sasano said that this book is more like an adult picture book. Then let the children tell their families.

2. Fragment imitation

If we look closely, we can find that every time a cat happens in the human world, his jokes are similar.

Whose cat was it? Cats hate humans. How do humans treat cats? Soon the cat died for some unknown reason. Humans were very sad and buried the cat somewhere.

Maybe this time it's the cook's cat, the farmer's cat and the little boy's cat. ...

3. Philosophical thinking

1, the meaning of life is to find yourself and love.

Love yourself, love your family and put all your energy and efforts into the pursuit. This is an awesome life.

2. It makes sense to die 6.5438 million times before.

Not to its owner. When the cat died, the king knew that life was important. Wandering sailors lead a monotonous life at sea; The lonely old woman spent a quiet old age ... The tabby cat also brought light to the lonely people.

3, life is only once, so it is precious.

People's lives are fragile and there is no chance to start again. It is precisely because of this that our lives are precious. Only by treating your life well and cherishing your life can you make your life radiate the most beautiful light, create the value of life infinitely in a limited life and have more love.

Step 4 face death

The white cat is dead, and the tabby cat doesn't want to be resurrected. Let us feel that growth is a process of constant loss. We will lose a lot of things and many people will leave. We should carry on with the gains in this intimate relationship and find more meaning in life.