Dr Seuss

            Hearing whos! and holding triple sling jiggers Dr. Seuss has captured the interest and hearts of countless children. But today, since your kindergarten years, have you read the books that entertained and taught you as a child? If so there is probably a little confusion. Not in the simple lyrical composure of his books, but in the themes. Some of these themes are not child oriented as you would think. Throughout Seuss's 48 books, you find cynical and critical opinion of society and its progress. Dr. Seuss incorporates political, environmental, and cultural ideals into several stories that are passed as childhood easy readers to little children from parents. Such a thing could be thought as a form of childhood brain washing.
             Divine Right and Monarchy take an insult in the 1950 story "Yertle the Turtle". Where a power crazed turtle who oversees the pond in Sala-ma-Sond wants his throne higher (Seuss, 2). So that he may see the entire world. Turtle upon turtle climbed each other's back to raise the throne above the pond and high as the trees. As his throne becomes higher on the backs of his loyal turtle subjects he views the whole world and surroundings. But the flaw is that the turtle on the bottom is under so much pressure, and due to over extension, when this little turtle burps, the entire tower falls. The king who was the highest, falls the furthest, and into the mud. From that day forth he was considered the king of mud (Seuss, 1-28). On the point of over extension and power hungry rulers who must see everything and have it under their control, we view the monarchies and dictatorships of today and past. Governments where vanity and power disregard the needs of the people. In the pursuit of self beautification peoples" needs are ignored and power lust is the disease eating the empire. An empire once strong, now hurting for the sake of a king whom is not worried about those who support the kingdom.