Theodor Seuss Geisel [1904-1994]

“I like nonsense. It wakes up the brain cells.” --Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991)

On March 14 Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! was released in [US] theaters. Test your knowledge of some of the biblical parallels found in Dr. Seuss’ books.

“There are a number of very, very popular Dr. Seuss books…that have great moral lessons in them that children probably don't understand fully when they read Dr. Seuss, but they resonate throughout the child's lifetime, and by the time the child is an adult, the moral lessons are perfectly obvious.” --Thomas Fensch, editor of Of Sneetches and Whos and the Good Dr. Seuss (1997)

Questions

1. In Horton Hatches the Egg (1940), Horton says: “I meant what I said and I said what I meant…An elephant's faithful -- one hundred per cent!”

In what parable of Jesus does the master say: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” -- parable of the Lost Sheep, The Sower or The Talents?

2. What 1950 story by Dr. Seuss mentions Noah's Ark?

"A person's a person no matter how small.”-- Cover of Horton Hears a Who

3. One of the best-known Seussisms is: “A person's a person no matter how small.” Who said it?

4. What prayer by Dr. Seuss appeared in a 1955 issue of Collier's magazine?

5. The Cat in the Hat (1957) tells Sally and her brother: “I can hold up two books!/ I can hold up the fish!/ And a little toy ship!/ And some milk on a dish!” What's the only toy mentioned in the Bible?

6. What Dr. Seuss character echoes Lucifer's comment (Isaiah 14:13), “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God”?

7. What Dr. Seuss story was inspired by his opposition to anti-Semitism?

8. Myth scholar Heinz Insu Fenkl argues the name of the central character in Dr. Seuss's 1971 tale of ecological warning contains symbols for Christ. Name the character.

9. What minister read Green Eggs and Ham on NBC's Saturday Night Live (Sept. 28, 1991) as a tribute to Dr. Seuss, who had died four days earlier?

10. What Canadian comedy group performed their Dr. Seuss Bible sketch on CBC television -- Arrogant Worms, Kids in the Hall, or the Royal Canadian Air Farce?

Answers

1. The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:23)

2. If I Ran the Zoo, in which young Gerald McGrew says: “But I won't stop until/ I've captured the Fizza-ma-Wizza-ma-Dill,/ The world's biggest bird from the Island of Gwark/ Who only eats pine trees and spits out the bark./ And boy! When I get him back home to my park,/ The whole world will say, 'Young McGrew's made his mark./ He's built a zoo better than Noah's whole Ark!'”

3. Horton, in Horton Hears a Who! (1954). Seuss was outraged when pro-life groups adopted the phrase. Their use of it ended abruptly with Seuss' threat of legal action. In 2001, his widow Audrey Geisel criticized Action Life Ottawa for using “A person's a person no matter how small” with a picture of an 8-week old fetus on a pro-life poster put up in Ottawa Catholic churches. In 2004, Philip Nel, author of Dr. Seuss – American Icon, commented that the use of Horton’s phrase by pro-life groups is “one of the ways in which Seuss has been misappropriated. He would not agree with that.”

Mary Ellen Douglas (National Organizer of Campaign Life Coalition) comments at www.lifesitenews.com: "Mrs. Geisel became very irate in the past when the particular phrase 'A person's a person no matter how small' was adopted by the pro-life movement. But the reality of the story is probably extremely pro-life, and we hope that people viewing the movie will see the parallel between the unborn child and the little Who's." (Aug. 10, 2007)

Commenting on the Horton Hears a Who! movie (2008) Jason Anderson writes: “Screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul emphasize the book’s value as an allegory about religious belief, while mocking those who despise new and unorthodox ideas. One reason Horton is so detested is that he believes in something whose existence can’t be proven; according to Sour Kangaroo -- in a line that Geisel did not write -- ‘If you can’t see, hear or feel something, it doesn’t exist.’ Horton is cast as a believer who will not be swayed, despite mockery and abuse.” (http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/horton.html)

4. A Prayer For a Child:“From here on earth,/ From my small place/ I ask of You/ Way out in space:/ Please tell all men/ In every land/ What you and I/ Both understand”
“Please tell all men/ That Peace is Good./ That's all/ That need be understood./ In every world/ In Your great sky,/ (We understand./ Both You and I.)” (http://www.americanartarchives.com/seuss.htm)

5. A ball. Isaiah (22:17-18) compares God to a pitcher: “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you and hurl you away, O you mighty man. He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you into a large country.”

The Cat in the Hat continues: “And look!/ I can hop up and down on the ball!/ But that is not all!/ Oh, no./ That is not all…”

6. Yertle the Turtle (1958), who said: “I'll build my throne higher! I can and I will!/ I'll call some more turtles. I'll stack 'em to heaven!/ I need 'bout five thousand, six hundred and seven!”

In a 1983 interview, Seuss said Yertle the Turtle was modelled on the rise of Hitler. Those familiar with Seuss's political cartoons during the Second World War will recognize Yertle the Turtle as part of his satire of fascist dictators.

7. The Sneetches (1961), which begins: “Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches/ Had bellies with stars./ The Plain-Belly Sneetches/ Had none upon thars.” In the story Sylvester McMonkey McBean (“the Fix-it-Up Chappie”) teaches the Sneetches that prejudice can be costly. Paul writes (Philippians 2:3), “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

8. The Lorax, who says, “I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.”

The Lorax (1971)

Fenkl writes: "LORAX is an anagram that breaks down into three symbolic clusters: AO, RX, and L. AO represents Alpha and Omega…These two letters, as we know, symbolize Christ, who said, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega'… the R and X represent (the Greek) Rho and Chi…the first two letters in Christos or Christ…the L in LORAX is not an extra letter (or an article), but rather another condensation of the Christ symbol in conjunction with the theme of protecting trees…when all the Truffula trees are gone, the Lorax is 'lifted away,' ascending to some mysterious higher place.”

9. Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Fifty-four years before his death, Seuss had written a single verse entitled, I Am Prepared: “When I cross the Bar of the Great Blue Beyonder/ I know that my Maker, without pause or ponder,/ Will welcome my soul. For my record is scar-less/ I've eaten no oysters in months that are R-less.”

10. Kids in the Hall; their skit begins:” 'One day,' God said, 'This is what I will do/ I'll send down my son. I'll send him to you/ To clear up this humpity bumpity hullaballoo./ His name will be Christ and he'll never wear shoes./ And his pals will all call him, 'The King of the Jews!'”

Links

Seussville
http://www.seussville.com 

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!