Manzano, Mary Joyce M.

Assignment in: Business Ethics

IV BSBA MWF/6-7pm

Reaction Paper on the movie The Lorax On the apparent, Dr Seusss The Lorax is a cute childrens story about the conflict between a greedy, enterprising Once-ler who invades and destroys the land of the pesky, but persistent Lorax. Although the Once-lers ambitions are not slowed down by the Loraxs protests, neither wins out in the end. However, the story is more complex than one may see at first glance. The story clearly exposes Dr. Seuss as a strong environmentalist intent on influencing his young readers views on the environment. He cleverly makes a strong environmentalist point through the interaction between the Once-ler and the Lorax, and suggests a powerful message to the young readers of this story through the boy, who at first seems to play a rather minor role in the story. Seuss clearly uses Once-ler to symbolize what he sees as the attitude of big business towards the environment and the damage that can be caused by that attitude. Upon his arrival, Once-ler immediately sees opportunity in the land of the Truffula Tree. He quickly builds a successful business on the needs he produces in spite of the protests from the local ambassador for the areas natural resources. He turns a deaf ear to the frequent protests of the Lorax even when faced with evidence that his actions are causing harm to the local wildlife. Although he claims to care, he makes no changes in his behavior. Seuss uses Once-lers reactions to the Lorax to expose his own views on industrys attitude toward the environment, I the Once-ler felt sad as I watched them all go, but business is business!And Business must grow. The Once-er continues to chop the trees, failing to recognize the damage he is doing until, at last, it is too late to do anything about it. Once-ler ironically goes on to destroy the one thing that made him rich. His business fails, and all that is left is a barren wasteland. The result is clearly Seusss warning to both industry and those who regulate it. On the other side of the conflict is the Lorax, who clearly symbolizes Mother Natures response to our own abuse of the environment. The Lorax literally speaks for both the trees and the animals of the land. He repeatedly

warns Once-ler of the damage he is doing just like Mother Nature warns us when we damage the environment. The Bar-ba-loots are the first among the native animals to get pushed out by the destruction done by Once-ler. The other animals flee as a result of the pollution, and each are clearly presented by the Lorax as a warning to Once-ler, just as Mother Nature presents us with the warnings of red tides, ozone pollution, and increasing numbers of endangered species. Finally, when the land is barren and useless, the Lorax himself departs, leaving only a message in the pile of stones. This is Mother Natures last plea for help, a message that remains a mystery to Once-ler, and a message that gives Seuss the opportunity to present his solution to the problem. The boy obviously symbolizes Seusss solution to the problem created by the Once-lers of our world. The story opens with the curious boy who asks questions and is willing to pay the price to learn the answers. He represents the hope of the next generation. He listens to the Once-lers entire story showing how much he cares about the knowledge that Once-ler can give him. When Once-ler finishes the story, he willingly accepts the challenge of repairing the land of the Truffula as is seen when he raises his hands to catch the last Truffula seed. Seuss demonstrates his belief that todays children truly are the solution to our own environmental issues by allowing that boy to be the spark that helps Once-ler figure out the puzzling message left by the Lorax. When he sees the potential represented by the boy, he willingly offers both resources and advice to make the boys challenge possible. Finally, when the Once-ler tosses the boy that seed of hope, Dr. Seusss message is just as clear to us as it was to the Once-ler. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, Its not! That seed represents the same potential power that is represented by todays children. If they care enough, they will find that they can be instruments of positive change. We Once-lers may even find that we can learn a thing or two from them, and that with their help, the Lorax may even come back to places we thought were hopeless. Dr. Seuss leaves us no doubt that this is his hope. Otherwise, why would he send this message through characters that appeal directly to children and the children within us? Therefore, my reaction about the movie was Im not sure what to expect watching The Lorax. Deliberate it was Dr. Seuss, I discerned it have rhyming

and some funny humor. Let me just say, I was really stunned. The overall basis of the movie to me was not went somewhere and use a resource when you dont know how much of it there is and how it affects the area and/or community there. The Once-ler, who represents the early people who began creating factories by using natural resources, goes to a place where he realizes how he can use the natural resources to make a lot of money. What he does not realize is that there is a limited supply and the community of other animals/people depends of the resource for survival. The Lorax keeps on warning the Once-ler about using the resource and the lack of it affecting the community. Obviously he does not stop and realizes that he is all by himself. There is only one Truffula seed left. It represents oil for example. When it was first discovered what it could be used for, it was being used like it was always going to be there or have an endless supply. Obviously that is not true. We are now in a crisis of trying to find alternate ways of creating energy instead of using oil. Im sure there were people who ask using oil and other such natural resources when they were first being used. They are represented by the Lorax. It is clear to me that the movie shows that keeping in mind the resource and the community around is important. For example, if the Once-ler realized there was limited supply of those trees and that it affected the community around it, he probably would have been more careful about using it. Now for us, we never realized that there was a limited supply of oil and so now we are paying the price. I feel the Lorax was a good movie to watch, especially for the people and even children in the world and I think it can also clarify young children about our current problem and how to prevent that problem. I think the story is age-appropriate because although it is talking about a serious topic, it teaches us in a fun and creative way on how to conserve things and not take those things for granted. Although other might understand the politics of it, other can understand what the Lorax was trying to say. Dont use and abuse things that can hurt other people. The bottom line is that serious topic like this with the lessons taught in life early may make the future generations better. THATS ALL! ;)