SPRING 2017
PAGE 17
Rhymes in Disguise There ' s More to Seuss than Green Eggs and Ham
Ailey Riddick ‘ 20 Contributor
Theodor Seuss Geisel , otherwise known as Dr . Seuss , is a trickster when it comes to words . Most people look at his books as just an easy and fun way for children to learn to read , but he portrayed a deeper meaning in between the lines of his rhymes .
For many years ( he died in 1991 at age 87 ), Dr . Seuss has maintained a strong influence on how children learn to read using rhyme and other forms of figurative language . However , he also included profound thoughts that are probably unfathomable to the children who read them for entertainment and educational purposes .
For example , in his book “ The Lorax ” Seuss examines the harsh environmental issues that the world goes through , and how they will eventually advance to the point where most of nature is gone .
In his article “ The Environmental Message Behind the Lorax ,” ( CBS New York 2012 ) Kyle Ayers writes that “ The Lorax ” represents environmental groups that “ sound the warning ,” but are ignored until it ’ s too late to fix the problem .
This story highlights issues we face in
" Horton Hears a Who ?" Book Cover ( Fair Use )
today ’ s world , such as global warming and the removal of wildlife . Seuss ’ s message seems to be that we need to change the way we treat the earth , so we can preserve the parts of the world that have not been destroyed by our machines and trash .
“ Horton Hears a Who ” is another work by Seuss that some think portrays an unexpected meaning . The well-known line “ a person ’ s a person no matter how small ” has become controversial . Pro-life groups think it is an obvious anti-abortion stance , but others aren ’ t quite so sure .
Marcus Baram , in his article “ Horton ’ s Who – The Unborn ” ( ABC News , 2008 ), quotes Seuss biographer Phil Nel as saying he “ is not aware of Geisel ever publicly expressing his opinion on abortion .” And , Karl Zobell , the longtime attorney for Dr . Seuss Enterprises was quoted in a story for NPR (“ In
‘ Horton ’ Movie ’ Abortion Foes Hear an Ally , 2008 ) as saying , “ The Geisels never wanted Dr . Seuss characters used to advance any political purpose . So , perhaps this quote is more universal , and the message is that we should treat everyone equally no matter what they look like , or how they differ from you .
In “ Oh the Places You ’ ll Go ,” one of Geisel ’ s earlier works , he explains life having its ups and downs . When seen from a reading expert ’ s perspective , the story says to stop waiting , and to act . Personally , this story has inspired me to push my limits , and continue in the direction I want to go . I will have rough days , which can be hard to drive through , but when I do , I can better appreciate the great things that happen along the journey of life .
So , although they may not realize it , all of Geisel ’ s stories continue to educate young readers , as well as young adults , to better understand words and life itself by teaching them life lessons from perseverance to appreciation . Having this awareness of the deeper meanings behind Seuss ’ s stories will allow them to more closely understand all works of literature , and will help them advance to seeing a deeper meaning in all things throughout their lives .
“ Geisel ’ s stories continue to educate young readers .”
Ailey Riddick ‘ 20
Opinion : The Textalyzer Will Help Reduce Distracted Driving
|
Katelyn Nelligan ‘ 20 Contributor
Recently the increase in technology has had a fatal effect on our roads . Distractions on the roads such as mobile devices , texting and social media have been a major cause for the largest increase in traffic fatalities in the last 50 years . According to the Upfront magazine article " Driven to Distraction ," the number of drivers in the United States using cellphones right now is 660,000 . The article also says that the average number of seconds our eyes are off the road while sending a text is five . That may not seem like a long time , but if you are going 55 mph , it takes five seconds to travel the
|
|
|
|
length of a football field . Safe driving requires all of your attention , and even those few seconds can put many people ’ s safety at risk .
Although 46 states have banned texting and driving , the problem keeps getting worse because it is difficult to enforce these laws . Upfront talks about the Textalyzer , which is " a device that would let police determine at the scene of an accident if a driver was using a phone ." In 90 seconds an officer will be notified " whether anyone has activated a keyboard , or swiped the screen of the device . As an additional privacy protection , the officer doesn ' t even need to touch the phone and can use the device
|
on close proximity to it . If a driver refuses to submit to this test , it could lead to a suspended license . This is a great idea and could be very beneficial . Texting and driving is a serious crime that most people overlook even though it could cost you or someone else their life . Since it is hard to prove whether or not someone was on their phone , people rarely receive the proper punishment for their actions . However , the Textalyzer could change that . Hopefully , this proposed device can become a possible solution to the distracted driving crisis , making drivers look at the issue more seriously . |
Thomas R Machnitzki ( thomas @ machnitzki . com ) |