HORTON HEARS A WHO

I love Dr. Seuss. He is my favorite childrens' author and I read many of his books over and over to my kids when they were younger. One thing I love about him is that there is so much more than meets the eye. The metaphors in his writings are amazing. Yertle the Turtle, for example, is a cautionary tale against dictators. The Lorax, my all time favorite childrens' book, contains a strong environmental message. The Sneetches is a plea for racial tolerance. Even the Cat in the Hat's famous red-and-white-striped hat has a political predecessor in the top hat Uncle Sam wears in Dr. Seuss' wartime cartoons. We finally saw Horton Hears a Who this weekend and loved it. There are several theories as to Dr. Seuss's metaphors in this one. One idea is that Horton Hears a Who is a parable about the American Occupation of Japan. Another is that it is about abortion. I think it has many metaphors in it--the one I tend to see the most is faith. This article says it well. It's long, so here is a part that sums it up pretty well:

Horton Hears a Who! is sure to be a zany and delightful romp for children. But it has the added benefit, thanks to Dr. Seuss' deceptive simplicity, of being a conversation starter about deeper topics like the innate value in each and every one of us, the need for persistence in doing the right thing no matter the odds, and, for the Christian parent, a metaphor for faith itself.

Oh, and not to mention, it was just a cute, funny, well animated, well written movie! The kids loved it and definitely got some of the underlying meanings. 2 thumbs up!