The Works of Dr. Seuss: Written for Adults or Children?

1341 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Introduction on Greed

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.” (Seuss 1 pg. 58) In our world today, the environment is not taken care of properly. Most anyone can look outside, or look in a stream, and finds garbage or pollution littering the landscape. Dr. Seuss knew and despised this fact. For this reason, he wrote a children’s book titled “The Lorax.”
His strong respect for the environment portrayed through this character as a “guardian” type figure for the fictional truffula trees. When the Once-ler arrived and found the forest of these trees, he decided to cut one down. He realized, by cutting a tree down and selling the silky leaves, he could become rich! So he did just that. He cut another. And then another. But this didn’t suffice. So then he cut ten. And then he cut one hundred. Until finally, there were no more truffula trees to cut down. The Once-ler felt terrible, but it didn’t matter because he was rich. Now, in today’s society, the majority of people don’t care about the environment. So there’s not a lot that can be argued about that aspect in relation to this book. But what can be argued about this book is the fact that greed causes more damage than is known or seen. The Once-ler realized, long after he had chopped all the trees, that what he did was extremely greedy, damaging to the environment, and inconsiderate. Greed is one of the biggest social problems in society today. The mind-set of “I want more, and I don’t care what has to happen in order for me to receive it,” is a very extreme, but unfortunately real way that people think. Mahatma Gandhi said; “There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.” He wisely stated that in the world today, we can onl...

... middle of paper ...

...ecause of a star on their bellies. Theodor Seuss Geisel was a very practical man, who taught very important life lessons not only to kids, but also to adults through his children books.

Works Cited

"Adolf Hitler." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 1 April 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/adolfhitle385743.html

Geisel, Theodor, Seuss. “The Lorax.” Random House. 1971. Print.

Geisel, Theodor, Seuss. “The Sneetches.” Random House.

Geisel, Theodor, Seuss. “Yertle the Turtle.” Random House. 1942. Print.

Jefferson, Thomas. “The Declaration of Independence.” U.S.A. Congress. 1776. Print.

"John Steinbeck." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 7 April 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnsteinb411693.html

"Mahatma Gandhi." BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 7 April 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/mahatmagan104952.html

Show More
Related

  • The Other Side Of The Sacred Analysis

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human beings have made much of purity and are repelled by blood, pollution, putrefaction (Snyder, 119). Nature is sacred. We are enjoying it and destroying it simultaneously. Sometimes it is easier to see charming things than the decomposition hidden in the “shade”.We only notice the beautiful side of nature, which are benefits that nature brings us: food, fresh air, water, landscapes. But we forget the other side, the rottenness of human destruction. That is how human beings create “the other side of the sacred”. We cut trees for papers, but we fail to recognize that the lack of trees is the lack of fresh air. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge “the other side of the

    Read More

  • Brief Biography of Renown Children´s Author: Dr. Seuss

    653 Words  | 2 Pages

    Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. To Theodor Robert Geisel and Henrietta Seuss Geisel. His father was a successful brewmaster. All of his grandparents were German immigrants. His father managed the family brewery and later was a supervisor of Springfield’s public park system. The family brewery was closed because of the Prohibition his father had to get a different job he got the park system job from the mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts John A. Denison.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Trux And The Lorax

    436 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Lorax has a very pessimistic view on how we humans are using the environment or our needs. Something he said was that cutting down the trees leaves nothing for the environment; meaning that trees are a big part of the environment and if we cut them down it’ll be very unhealthy. Another thing the Lorax had to say is about how unhealthy for the environment it is to cut down the trees for our benefit, and that we care

    Read More

  • Comparing Harper Lee and Dr. Seuss

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many differences between the author Harper Lee and Theodor Seuss. One of the main differences between them is their writing styles. Dr. Seuss and Harper Lee have different literature topics which sets them apart. Another element that sets them apart is how well-known Dr. Seuss is compared to Harper Lee. Also the two authors have very different word choices and styles.

    Read More

  • Dr. Seuss 'The Lorax, Yertle The Turtle'

    626 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dr. Seuss, also known as Theodore Seuss, has written many poems as well as short stories, and is considered one of the greatest children’s author in history. His silly stories are able to excite children in ways that make them want read. His Wife says,” Ted doesn’t sit down to write for children. He writes to amuse himself;” Little do children know that often, in his stories, there is a lot of political undertone, a few examples include The Lorax, Yertle the Turtle, The Sneethces, and The Butter Battle Book. If you were to really critique some of his books or poems, you might see that some of his themes wouldn’t seem to pertain to children. But what he’s doing, is hoping that they will understand the main idea of the story enough that it challenges them to stand against the crowd of judgment and evil. Take notice of the issues around them, and make a change. He feels that they deserve to know about the issues, just as much as adults do. He is showing them early on, telling them that they do not need adults to make a difference.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Ecocristism In The Silent Spring And The Lorax

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Barbiloo bears had to leave their homes because the trees provided food for the bears. Also the birds were forced to leave after the air had become contaminated with awful gases that filled the air. The fish also played victim, the water had also been contaminated from all the toxins being thrown into the water. The Lorax and The Silent Spring tell close to the same story and have the same story. They look at what having factories, communities and, humans and what it can do in an environment without out our

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Silent Springs And If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth

    1104 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a society, we focus some of our thoughts on how to preserve the Earth and different ways to recycle and keep it clean. Although we do have an effort into saving our home planet, we, as a whole race, don’t have our hearts in it. There are the people who are obsessive economists and worry about the world excessively and those who don’t care enough or at all. The two stories both present a possible outcome for our lack of effort in preserving the Earth in two different genres, fiction and nonfiction. Of the two stories “Silent Spring” and “If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth…”, the one i felt most affected by was Marvin in, “If

    Read More

  • Comparing The Lorax Book and Film

    1840 Words  | 4 Pages

    Quite a while before “green” was the new black; Dr. Seuss wrote a cautionary story about trees. The Lorax, originally published in 1971 by Dr. Seuss, became a classic children’s book. The classic was recently turned into an animated film. In 2012, The Lorax film was made by directors Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda (“The Lorax”). The book and the film have the same basic storyline; however, there are a few differences. The Lorax film is more in depth than the book. The book, The Lorax went through many changes to become a film.

    Read More

  • Theodor Seuss: Yertle The Turtle, How The Grinch Stole Christmas

    941 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Geisel found his niche churning out tales of the weird and the whimsical, populating them with squawking fish and top-hatted cats.” Very few child...

    Read More

  • Dr Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who and Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    Everyone is Important in Dr Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who and Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Sneetches

    1491 Words  | 3 Pages

    Seuss in the midst of Civil Rights Movement. Discrimination was a nationwide issue and Seuss knew that his story would bring the attention of many different races and those from all walks of life. People of this era could relate with the misery the Plain-Belly Sneetches were in. As the Plain-Bellies were being stereotyped for not having stars on their skin, people in the fifties and sixties were being discriminated by their class, race, religion, and even their sexuality. In the story, the Plain-Belly Sneetches weren’t allowed to play with the Star-Belly Sneetches. As the story goes on, it declares “When the Star-Belly children went out to play ball, / Could a Plain-Belly get in the game...? Not at all. / You could only play if your bellies had stars / And the Plain-Belly children had none upon thars” (Sneetches 13-16). When this happens in the story, it alludes back to the civil rights movement. In the fifties and sixties, blacks were living a life barricaded from everyone else. For example, blacks had separate bathrooms they were expected to use. Back then, anything and almost everything segregated the blacks from the

    Read More

  • Historical Illustrator Biography – Theodor Seuss Geisel and Garth Williams

    1873 Words  | 4 Pages

    Theodor Seuss Geisel. [A profile of the author’s life and works]. (2004). Contemporary Authors Online. Retrieved from Gale Cengage Learning.

    Read More

  • Dr. Seuss

    2656 Words  | 6 Pages

    Dr. Seuss I took an unconventional approach in the topic I chose for my reading assignment – whereas most groups selected single novels, my partner and I opted to read a collection of short stories by none other than the notorious Dr. Seuss. Were I writing this essay on a “normal” book, I would be able to pose a question about the book itself and answer it in an ordinary sort of way. However, given the subject matter I have chosen, an essay on an individual book, though possible, would be a very tricky thing to do. It would be wiser, and probably easier, to respond to the man himself. My decision to respond to the man himself makes many more choices – what facet of Dr. Seuss shall I ask myself questions about? I think perhaps I first need to give some brief biographical information on the man to understand the background he’s coming from. In 1904, Theodore Seuss Geisel was born in Massachusetts, USA. I have not been able to find too much documentation about his childhood, but he certainly did not come from a terribly poor or terribly unsuccessful family… in fact, his family had owned a local brewery in their home town of Springfield for several years. Ever since his childhood, Geisel had dabbled in the fields we all know and love him for today… for instance, during bible recitals, he read the verses to a rhythm and often in rhyme. In High School he wrote many short essays and drew cartoons for the school paper, and even then he had adopted a pseudonym for himself – “Pete the Pessimist”. Upon graduation, Geisel began studying literature at Oxford university, as his original intent was to become an educator… even then, he punctuated his time at Oxford with his job editing and contributing to the “Jack-O-Lantern”, ...

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis of Dr. Seuss

    1670 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to literary critic Clifton Fadiman, “Theodor Geisel Seuss provided ingenious and uniquely witty solutions to the standing problem of illiteracy among children (qtd. in Kaplan).” Due to various influential figures and profound experiences during his lifetime, as well as expert use of creative literary techniques, Theodor Seuss Geisel’s children’s books continue to compel readers of all ages – allowing them to escape into different worlds filled with nonsense.

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues In The Movie 'The Lorax'

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Lorax is a tale that involves business ethics and environmental ethics. “Even in 1972, Dr. Seuss recognized that modern corporations don’t always have the environment at heart when they decide how to do business. The Lorax, provides a straightforward account of what can go wrong when companies fail to take environmental concerns into account (Arthur)”. Could the Once-ler have done things differently to keep the environment healthy? The film ultimately provokes the question, is there a way for businesses to exist that is not in conflict with the natural environments that they work

    Read More

More about The Works of Dr. Seuss: Written for Adults or Children?

Open Document