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Dr. Seuss Politics | Facts about Dr. Seuss’ Political Side
Dr. Seuss was a celebrated children's book author who wrote such classics as The Cat in The Hat, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Green Eggs and Ham. His uncanny way of telling a story with syncopated rhymes and kaleidoscopic worlds continues to dazzle every new generation. His books are timeless. For most, they;re nothing more than fantasy worlds. A delightful way to get lost in a book give in to silliness and wonder.
What many may not know is that Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), was an American political activist that was fighting for tolerance, equality and open mindedness. Way before he became Dr. Seuss, he was drawing editorial cartoons for the left-wing New York newspaper PM during World War II. He took pride in his political caricatures hoping he could somehow change his broken society.
In fact most Americans do not realize many of his books are stands on anti-semitism, nuclear weapons and the demise of the free world.
Horton Hears a Who isn’t just about an elephant who marches to the beat of his own drum. Dr. Seuss meant it as a political interpretation on Isolationism and how people in society are ostracized for being different. The classic line from this tale is "A person is a person no matter how small" which speaks volumes.
In his story The Sneetches, he features these odd bird like creatures in which some have stars on their belly's and some don’t. The underlying message here truly speaks volumes about racial prejudice and anti-Semitism. Some believe that the stars represent to Star of David and how Jews are discriminated against.
The Lorax couldn't be plainer in its message on pollution and propaganda. The very core of this story shows the conflict between nature and man. The main character The Once-ler chops down all the Trufala trees in an act of pure greed. He puts money and big business before doing what’s right for the earth. In the end, he sees the ravages of his ways and gets one chance to turn it around when a small boy dares to question the ways of a plastic world.
These are just a few of the powerful books written by Dr. Seuss. He was a true visionary and we can learn a lot by simply taking a journey through any one of these profound adventures.
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