Essay about Dr. Seuss's Political Education

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a children's book about greed and destruction. The book is set in the forest of Truffula Trees. The Once-ler was riding through the country in his wagon one day and discovers the beautiful forest of Truffula Trees.

Born in 1904, Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, is perhaps one of the most beloved children’s authors of the twentieth century. Although he is most famous as an author of children’s books, Geisel was also a political cartoonist, advertisement designer, and film director. He used the power of imagination to produce unforgettable children’s books and helped solve the problem of illiteracy among America’s children. By using his experiences in life as a foundation for most of his books, Theodor Geisel was able to shape the character of many of his readers, as well as teach children subliminal messages through a unique writing style that incorporated various elements and techniques. Through a few of his books,

More then exceeding my expectations, Seussical the Musical opened on Broadway in 2000 and has since been preformed in off-Broadway settings around the country. Intricately weaving The Cat in the Hat with the various chronicles of Horton the elephant such as Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches an Egg, this performance exceeded my expectations. Considering it was a dinner theater in Jacksonville, Florida and that the play’s namesake came from a book my parents read to me as a toddler, my expectations were relatively low; however, the performance greatly exceeded my preconceived expectations. From the high quality of the actors to the surprisingly sophisticated plot, this play proved to be a real treat.

“ I do not like green eggs and ham I do not like them Sam-I-Am.” These famous words not only started my childhood but many children’s childhood. Theodore Seuss Geisel or most commonly known as Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1994 and from there the world was changed. Theodore Geisel is a charismatic man who put his lively personality into his fun and lighthearted books like Green Eggs and Ham, The classic Cat in the Hat, and the iconic How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Geisel is thought to be one of the best children’s book authors. “For most people the thought of growing up in a world without Green Eggs and Ham, Grinches, and Cats in Hats is barely conceivable” (Levine 10). Children throughout the world have grown up with the wonderful books created by “Dr. Seuss”. “These odd creations occupy a special place in the earliest memories of children around the world” (Levine 10). He has been able to not only capture their minds but their hearts as well. Geisel’s colorful imagination, upbeat rhymes, and unique illustrations seem to have no limits. He has written books that range from simply humorous to impressively insightful. This has contributed greatly in him selling more than 200 million copies. To many “Dr. Seuss is by far the best-selling children’s author to date, and perhaps the most beloved” (Levine

Oh, the exhaustive ways to interpret the expansive wonderland of creativity that is the mind of Dr. Seuss. Most known for his beloved children’s books, Theodor Seuss Geisel, or more commonly, the one and only Dr. Seuss, has contributed to the education of youth for close to 80 years. This includes even after his death, through the continuing legacy of his books. The books have also made him a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. Their widely successful movie adaptations, such as The Cat in the Hat or an even better example, How the Grinch Stole Christmas which has become a holiday franchise of its own, help to carry the stories of Seuss into the 21st century. However, looking through youthful eyes at the bright colorful cartoons and marveling at the silly rhymes and ridiculous made up words; it is easy to overlook some of the deeper controversial messages that can be found in Seuss’ seemingly simple stories. Literary criticisms suggest that Seuss was actually a profound political and social activist, expressing his views on the real world through the stories of his own outlandish one. An example of this can be found within the story of The Sneetches published in 1961 from which, two opposing interpretations have arisen. Both of these interpretations hold larger messages of criticisms against human nature and social conduct. Through the fantastical story of plain and

Dr. Seuss is probably the American writer who has so far had the greatest impact on children's literature. The intelligent usage of vivid illustrations, imaginative characters, and catchy rhymes made it easy for people who grew up reading these stories to recognize them. However, although the author worked tirelessly at his craft, he is not well-known since he did not seek after personal fame. Most of the fans to his literary materials are not well conversant with the details of his private life. For instance, most people are not aware that Dr. Seuss was not a doctor, but simply added the prefix to his pseudonym to provide credibility to the menagerie of characters in his works (Thompson 21). He worked as a writer and a cartoonist, publishing nearly more than sixty books. Some of the most famous pieces of his work include “Green Eggs and Ham” and the “The Cat in the Hat.”

Even though Dr. Seuss was voted “least likely to succeed” (“Grahame-Smith” 14) in college he quickly proved everyone wrong. He was widely known for his great books written for children. “Many of his books were initially composed of his sketches”(“Dr. Seuss” St. James). Dr. Seuss successfully wrote and illustrated sixty books for children (“Dr. Seuss” Biography). Dr. Seuss was able to impact the lives of many people with his constant hard work and creativity.

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

Have you ever thought about why you have the political beliefs and values you do? Where did they come from? Are they simply your own ideas and experiences or have you been influenced by others in your thinking? This process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and attitudes is called political socialization. In another words, Political socialization is a concept where the study of the developmental processes by which children and adolescents acquire political cognition, attitudes and behaviors. What people think and how they come to think it is of critical importance to the stability of the government. The beliefs and values of the people are the basis for a society's political culture and that culture defines the

“Theodor Seuss Geisel.” Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, Detroit, Gale, 2002. Biography in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1617001313/BIC1?u=bato77293&xid=1c58127a. Accessed 23 Jan.

Unsatisfied with his throne, Yertle the Turtle, king of the pond, orders the turtles around him to

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, is perhaps one of the most beloved children’s authors of the twentieth century. Although he is most famous as an author of children’s books, Geisel was also a political cartoonist, advertisement designer, and film director (Kaplan). He used the power of imagination to produce unforgettable children’s books and helped solve the problem of illiteracy among America’s children. By using his experiences in life as a foundation for most of his books, Theodor Geisel created a unique writing style that incorporated various elements and techniques, enabling his books to appeal to people of all ages.

The Cat In The Hat by Dr. Seuss, pseudonym of Theodor Seuss Geisel, tells a story of two children at home on a rainy day alone, being visited by the Cat in the Hat and the turmoil that he causes. The Cat In The Hat is clearly Geisel’s most famous book, written in 1956 and published in 1957, considered a children’s classic today. It was The Cat In The Hat “where Dr. Seuss jubilantly breaks the barriers of the basal reader’s simplistic language and pedestrian artwork” (MacDonald 10). In The Cat In The Hat, Geisel uses this childish language and comical pictures as well as an interesting story and fun characters to not only create a successful children’s book but to deliver a subtle political message of rebellion against authority.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, is perhaps one of the most beloved children's authors of the twentieth century. Although he is most famous as an author of children's books, Geisel was also a political cartoonist, advertisement designer, and film director (Kaplan). He used the power of imagination to produce unforgettable children's books and helped solve the problem of illiteracy among America's children. By using his experiences in life as a foundation for most of his books, Theodor Geisel created a unique writing style that incorporated various elements and techniques, enabling his books to appeal to people of all ages.