Owl and the Moon

by Arnold Lobel

Questions for Philosophical Discussion
by Sulaiha Schwartz
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The nature of friendship:

The moon is very far away from Owl. He can see the light of the moon shining down on him, but he can't touch it.

1. Can the moon be your friend?
2. Do you think that the moon thinks Owl is his friend?
3. Can you still be friends with someone or something if they do not think that you are friends?
4. Can you be friends with someone or something that you can't touch?
5. What kinds of things can be your friends?
6. Think about your own friends - what makes them a good friend?
7. How do you know that they are your friend?
8. Should we expect things from our friends? If so, what kinds of things?
9. Why do we have friends?
10. Do we make friends on purpose, or by accident?

Owl keeps telling the moon that it must go away because he is going home. When the moon does go away, he is sad.

1. Have you ever said goodbye to a friend? If so, how did you feel?
2. Can someone be your friend when s/he is gone?
3. If they are gone, how do you know that they are still your friend?

The different kinds of friendships:

1. Do you think that there are different kinds of friends?
2. Think about your own friends. Are your relationships with each one different in some way? How?
3. What kind of friendship do Owl and the moon have?
   
   

Knowledge and truth:

Owl believes that the moon is looking back at him because he is looking at the moon.

1. Do you think the moon can look back at Owl? Why or why not?
2. How does Owl "know" that the moon is looking back?
3. Does Owl's belief that the moon is looking at him make it true?
4. Is a belief the same as knowledge?
5. What makes something true?
6. Can something be true because you believe that it is true?
7. Can something be true if there is no proof of it?
8. How would we find out if the moon is Owl's friend?

 

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