Kristina Arkhipova

English 414
Richard Burke
September 12, 2016
Book ChosenThe Lorax
Writer and Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
When I was a child, one of my teachers read the book to us, and it stuck with me. There was
something about the pictures and the funny, made-up words that just captured my attention for
years to come. It wasn't until I was older that I realized the message it carried. Once I realized
that it was about environmentalism, I began to love it even more.
Appealing Elements

Language
o What make the language of The Lorax appealing is a combination of the
whimsical words and rhyme scheme that Dr. Seuss employs throughout it and the
rest of his books. For example, when the Once-ler first meets the Lorax, he gives
a description of the creature, saying
He was shortish. And oldish.
And brownish. And mossy.
And he spoke with a voice
that was sharpish and bossy (Seuss).
This whimsical (and often nonsense) language, along with the rhyme scheme,
makes The Lorax fun and easy for children to read or have read to them.

Pictures

o Along with creating a fun, fanciful language for his books, Dr. Seuss also did the
illustration for his books. His illustrations, while minimalistic, are incredibly
detailed and fantastic. Half of the time, one does not have to even read the words
on the page in order to understand what is happening in the book. Seuss use of
vibrant colors throughout The Lorax help capture the attention of those who read
the book and draw them into an entirely new world. In the case of The Lorax,
these images help the reader follow the environmental decline in the Loraxs
world.

Message
o Perhaps the most important and appealing aspect of The Lorax is the message it
contains. The Lorax is the story of an outsider, meant to represent
industrialization, moving into a rural area and destroying it. The Once-ler moves
into the Loraxs area and begins chopping down the Truffula Trees to use their
tufts for clothing material. He has no regard for the other residents of this area
the Swomee-Swans, the Brown Bar-ba-loots, or the Humming Fishand instead
sees only the money he can make from the Truffula Trees. He and his relatives
begin chopping the trees down in large quantities, leading to mass-production of
the Thneeds, which are
a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need!
Its a shirt. Its a sock. Its a glove. Its a hat.
But it has other uses. Yes, far beyond that (Seuss).
Mass production leads to mass waste, which the Once-ler and his family do not
think about. This leads to extreme pollution, which drives out all of the creatures

in the area, ultimately ending with the Lorax leaving once the last Truffula Tree
has been chopped down. The Lorax is a cautionary tale that warns of the
environmental dangers of industrialization. This is an important message for
young readers, and The Lorax delivers it in a whimsically colorful story that is
entertaining for all.