AllegoryAllegoryNot just the tip of the Not just the tip of the

icebergiceberg

(or How Dr. Seuss Relates (or How Dr. Seuss Relates

to Dante)to Dante)

Definition of AllegoryDefinition of Allegory

•For a story to be an allegory, For a story to be an allegory,

it must be appreciated on it must be appreciated on

two levels.two levels.–The surface level The surface level

(the story itself)(the story itself)

–The abstract level The abstract level (the underlying meaning)(the underlying meaning)

The Surface StoryThe Surface Story•Must be complete.Must be complete.

•Must be readable on its own as a Must be readable on its own as a story without underlying meaning.story without underlying meaning.

•Must have a beginning, middle, Must have a beginning, middle, and end.and end.

Dr. Seuss on the Dr. Seuss on the SurfaceSurface•The SneetchesThe Sneetches

– Sneetches are a race of odd creatures Sneetches are a race of odd creatures who live on a beach. Some Sneetches who live on a beach. Some Sneetches have a star on their bellies, and in the have a star on their bellies, and in the beginning of the story the presence or beginning of the story the presence or absence of a star is the basis for absence of a star is the basis for discrimination. Sneetches who have discrimination. Sneetches who have stars on their bellies are part of the "in stars on their bellies are part of the "in crowd", while Sneetches without stars crowd", while Sneetches without stars are shunned.are shunned.

Dr. Seuss on the Dr. Seuss on the SurfaceSurface•The Butter Battle BookThe Butter Battle Book

– The Butter Battle Book tells the story of The Butter Battle Book tells the story of a land where two hostile cultures, the a land where two hostile cultures, the Yooks and the Zooks, live on opposite Yooks and the Zooks, live on opposite sides of a long curving wall. The Yooks sides of a long curving wall. The Yooks wear blue clothes; the Zooks wear wear blue clothes; the Zooks wear orange. The main dispute between the orange. The main dispute between the two cultures is that the Yooks eat their two cultures is that the Yooks eat their bread with the butter-side up, while the bread with the butter-side up, while the Zooks eat their bread with the butter-Zooks eat their bread with the butter-side down. The conflict between the two side down. The conflict between the two sides leads to a race to make bigger and sides leads to a race to make bigger and better weapons to outdo the other.better weapons to outdo the other.

Dr. Seuss on the Dr. Seuss on the SurfaceSurface•The LoraxThe Lorax

– When the Once-ler first arrived at this place, it When the Once-ler first arrived at this place, it was a beautiful, sunny forest full of Truffula was a beautiful, sunny forest full of Truffula Trees, colorful woolly trees spread throughout Trees, colorful woolly trees spread throughout the area. The Once-ler built a small shop, where the area. The Once-ler built a small shop, where he chopped down a tree and knitted a Thneed, he chopped down a tree and knitted a Thneed, an odd-looking but versatile garment that he an odd-looking but versatile garment that he insisted "everyone needs." Out of the stump insisted "everyone needs." Out of the stump popped a strange little man called the Lorax, popped a strange little man called the Lorax, who claimed to "speak for the trees." Spurred who claimed to "speak for the trees." Spurred by greed, the Once-ler invited all his relatives to by greed, the Once-ler invited all his relatives to town where they started a huge Thneed-making town where they started a huge Thneed-making business, chopping down Truffula Trees left and business, chopping down Truffula Trees left and right, much to the Lorax's distress. right, much to the Lorax's distress.

The Abstract LevelThe Abstract Level•All characters, events, objects All characters, events, objects

represent something beyond represent something beyond themselves, telling another, themselves, telling another, often more important story.often more important story.

Dr. Seuss Beyond the Dr. Seuss Beyond the TextText

•The SneetchesThe Sneetches– Stars = racism and discriminationStars = racism and discrimination– Teaches the lesson that all people are the Teaches the lesson that all people are the

same on the inside, despite outward same on the inside, despite outward differences.differences.

– Geisel, a perfectionist and sensitive artist, Geisel, a perfectionist and sensitive artist, almost scrapped the manuscript when he almost scrapped the manuscript when he realized the story may wrongfully be taken as realized the story may wrongfully be taken as an allegory for anti-Semitism, and the stars an allegory for anti-Semitism, and the stars on the birds' bellies might be taken as the on the birds' bellies might be taken as the six-cornered stars Jews were forced to wear six-cornered stars Jews were forced to wear in public under Hitler's rule in Nazi Germany. in public under Hitler's rule in Nazi Germany.

Dr. Seuss Beyond the Dr. Seuss Beyond the TextText

•The Butter Battle BookThe Butter Battle Book– Yooks and Zooks = Americans and Soviets in the Yooks and Zooks = Americans and Soviets in the

Cold WarCold War– Von Itch = eastern European nameVon Itch = eastern European name– Slingshots and other weapons = Nuclear arms Slingshots and other weapons = Nuclear arms

racerace– Bitsy Big Boy Boomeroo = Fat Man and Little Bitsy Big Boy Boomeroo = Fat Man and Little

BoyBoy– Moo-kla-moo = plutoniumMoo-kla-moo = plutonium– Yookeries = fall-out sheltersYookeries = fall-out shelters– Glowing egg = radioactivityGlowing egg = radioactivity

Dr. Seuss Beyond the Dr. Seuss Beyond the TextText•The LoraxThe Lorax

– Parallels events in the United States' Pacific Parallels events in the United States' Pacific Northwest at the time of its writing. Northwest at the time of its writing.

– The Lorax = the Northern Spotted Owl, which The Lorax = the Northern Spotted Owl, which inhabits the Douglas Fir and Coast Redwood inhabits the Douglas Fir and Coast Redwood forestsforests

– Brown Barbaloots = the shrews and voles which Brown Barbaloots = the shrews and voles which comprise most of the owl's diet. The vole eats comprise most of the owl's diet. The vole eats mostly truffles which grow only among the roots mostly truffles which grow only among the roots of well-established Douglas Fir and Coast of well-established Douglas Fir and Coast Redwood trees. Redwood trees.

– Research into this food chain was ongoing at the Research into this food chain was ongoing at the time time The LoraxThe Lorax was written. was written.

SettingSetting•Allegory does not become dated Allegory does not become dated

by the passage of years.by the passage of years.

•An allegorical story can be An allegorical story can be applied to different times, applied to different times, people, or situations in the people, or situations in the course of history.course of history.

Apply Dr. Seuss to Apply Dr. Seuss to TodayToday•How can you apply the How can you apply the

allegorical characters and allegorical characters and events in any of Dr. Seuss’ events in any of Dr. Seuss’ stories to current events or stories to current events or people? people?