And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street Sparknotes
Theodor Geisel (1904 - 1991), better known as Dr. Seuss, was an American writer of chil- dren’s books for young readers. His works have been widely read, since the 1937 release of “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street”, his first children’s book. While most of his subsequent releases were aimed at young children, he also drew political cartoons during the 2nd World War, which provide a backdrop for the motivation into exploring the topic of this essay - reading his works as a thinking adult. I provide an analysis of his more seminal works, from the perspective of a mature reader, while attempting to resolve my interpretation of his works, with the adoration that Geisel enjoyed among his younger readers. I also look at the utility, if
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The entire narrative centers around the idea of environmental destruction, and the circumstances that surround it. The story chronicles the destruction of the Truffula trees, by the Once-Lers to fabricate Thneeds (The needs?). After discovering the potential for growth, they establish a factory, complete with a supply chain, and develop faster and better ways (the Super-Axe-Hacker) to cut down the Truffulas. As the ruination of the area unfolds, the entire ecosystem is disturbed, and the Lorax sends away the Bar-ba- loots and Swamee-Swans. The Once-Lers also dispose of their Gluppity-Glup in the river, causing the Humming Fish to leave. This story is told as a story by the Once-Ler to a passer- by, curious about the story of the Lorax. The story ends on a hopeful note, with the Once- Ler handing over the last remaining Truffula seed to the passer-by, and urging him …show more content…
Parents may not want to expose their children to raw ideas, and the works would lose their integrity. Nobody wants their kids to read a story about a Cat that thinks its a good idea to invade Vietnam. The ingenuity of Geisel is that this is precisely what he does do, because even if a reader is suspicious that a certain non-conventional idea is represented in a story, the details are sketchy, and the difficulty of separating out the idea from the fabric of the story is prohibitive, because of how well it’s stitched together. This, then, is an un- usual case where a work doesn’t really want one to look at its non-obvious subtext (aside from the obvious moral lessons) too deeply, but becomes extremely rewarding when one does precisely that. To answer the original question, of what makes Dr. Seuss’s works appealing, we must ask an- other; who was the original question posed towards? If it was children, then we know the appeal. The disarmingly mischievous tone, the humorous poetic voice and the imaginative story-telling, complete with colorful pictures. If it was their parents, then equally well, the answer lies in their utility over traditional primers, and the somewhat coy, fun spirit of his works which they are enthusiastic about sharing with their kids. However, the picture is more complete when we also address that Dr. Seuss’s works are con- sidered distinctly American at
The entire narrative centers around the idea of environmental destruction, and the circumstances that surround it. The story chronicles the destruction of the Truffula trees, by the Once-Lers to fabricate Thneeds (The needs?). After discovering the potential for growth, they establish a factory, complete with a supply chain, and develop faster and better ways (the Super-Axe-Hacker) to cut down the Truffulas. As the ruination of the area unfolds, the entire ecosystem is disturbed, and the Lorax sends away the Bar-ba- loots and Swamee-Swans. The Once-Lers also dispose of their Gluppity-Glup in the river, causing the Humming Fish to leave. This story is told as a story by the Once-Ler to a passer- by, curious about the story of the Lorax. The story ends on a hopeful note, with the Once- Ler handing over the last remaining Truffula seed to the passer-by, and urging him …show more content…
Parents may not want to expose their children to raw ideas, and the works would lose their integrity. Nobody wants their kids to read a story about a Cat that thinks its a good idea to invade Vietnam. The ingenuity of Geisel is that this is precisely what he does do, because even if a reader is suspicious that a certain non-conventional idea is represented in a story, the details are sketchy, and the difficulty of separating out the idea from the fabric of the story is prohibitive, because of how well it’s stitched together. This, then, is an un- usual case where a work doesn’t really want one to look at its non-obvious subtext (aside from the obvious moral lessons) too deeply, but becomes extremely rewarding when one does precisely that. To answer the original question, of what makes Dr. Seuss’s works appealing, we must ask an- other; who was the original question posed towards? If it was children, then we know the appeal. The disarmingly mischievous tone, the humorous poetic voice and the imaginative story-telling, complete with colorful pictures. If it was their parents, then equally well, the answer lies in their utility over traditional primers, and the somewhat coy, fun spirit of his works which they are enthusiastic about sharing with their kids. However, the picture is more complete when we also address that Dr. Seuss’s works are con- sidered distinctly American at