Many of Doctor Seuss's stories have meaning behind them then just children stories. Some argue that they even use propaganda, or swaying the public's opinion on a subject. I have read "The Sneetches", where yellow bird like animals called Sneetches. They are split up to two groups, the popular and wanted star bellied Sneetches, and the outcast non-starred Sneetches. The un-starred Sneetches want to join the starred Sneetches, but cannot because they are frowned and look down upon.
While I was reading this story, I thought it was just a lesson on accepting someone for who they are, and not how they are. However, as I finished the story (and a little help from a teacher) the story can relate to the problem of racism. The two 'different' Sneetches do not get along with each other because they are different. Seuss used the star on their stomach instead of the color of their skin or ethnic background. He does this to teach children this dilemma yet still bring the issue of racism. Doctor Seuss also did this with many if not all of his stories, making it very popular to point out hidden messages and true meanings of the story. However, the Sneetches does stand out the most because of the two types of Sneetches disliking the other type.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
The Metamorphosis
One bright morning, Josh awoke to the horrific sight. Overnight, he had mysteriously transformed into a giant mosquito. He was laying on his back with his legs folded up above him. His wings were out stretched on either side of his bed. It was truly a sight to behold.
Still maintaining his original height of 6 feet, he felt lighter, for his weight had decreased dramatically. It had felt that gravity had not such an impact on him anymore. As he tried to get up, each wing buzzed horrendously, which help create some lift. Before he had time to comprehend what had happened, Josh buzzed and was hovering over his bed. The tips of his wings were brushing on the ceiling of his confined room. "What is all the ruckus about?" yelled his mom from downstairs. Josh wanted to say "nothing, everything is fine", but instead thanks to his new needle like snout, came out as a long dying whistle. That became his first problem, though he was plagued by several other impairments. He could not use hands, for he had none and can only land and stand in a current position. Josh also could not walk, so every time he wanted to change positions he had to hover with his wings.
Josh had also notice that he had worked up quite an appetite while discovering his new transformation. He looked around the room, but there was not a single ounce of food or drop of water. He looked outside the window. A cow was grazing on the grasses just next door to his house, for his neighbor was a cattle man. Josh buzzed and slammed against the window. Acting like he didn't notice hitting the glass with tremendous force, he kept bouncing off the plain. It wasn't until the thirty-fifth time that he decided that an "invisible force" was keeping him from escaping outside, not remembering that in fact there was a solid window in front of him.
Just then a knock on his door sent Josh buzzing to the ceiling in almost a panic. It had been his mother, for it was nearly one hour after he would usually wake up and head downstairs for breakfast. "Josh, are you awake? Its time to wake up!" she yelled outside the door. In almost slow motion, the door handle slowly turned, following by the creaking of the door as it opened.
The scream echoed over the hills of Josh's community. It was so loud, that Josh's tiny ears burst. His mom collapsed cold on the floor from total shock. Josh buzzed suspended in air, not knowing how to react to the situation he was in. Then he noticed the door was open, so he flew to it and using his head pushed it open until he was able to squeeze through. Josh and his mom did not own the largest house, so flying through the halls and into different rooms was quite a challenge. He was constantly bouncing and bumping of the sides of the walls. Passing by the kitchen window, he saw a glance of the cow that had been grazing earlier before. He fly to the window and pressed his whole body against it. The weight of his body pressing against the window shattered it, and Josh burst into the air like a freed bird.
Josh had his attention locked onto the cow that was standing right in an open field. He soared as fast as a jet, until he was right on top of the cow as he lightly touched down on it's backside. Then, he jousted he's 3 foot long needle into the cow's body. The cow didn't react, but let out a sigh as it continued feeding on grass. Josh sucked until he could taste the irony blood. He withdrew a large amount of blood in the five minutes he fed. As he plucked he's needle out, a visible difference can be seen of how much weight the cow lost. It looked as if it hadn't eaten for several weeks.
As Josh began to buzz toward the sky again, he heard a click of metal behind him. He didn't have enough time to turn around to see where the noise had come from when several shots of a buck round ripped through his wing and back. Blood shot out in all directions, some of his and some of the blood of the cow. He spiraled to the ground, with a thud indicating that he had made contact to the dirt below. His face was looking at the sky and couldn't move any part of his body. As his eyes began to shut, and the world around him became darker and darker, a glimpse of his neighbor stood over him, his shotgun pointing right towards him. "What in God's name are you, son?" said the farmer, as he heard another click as he pumped another shot in the barrel. Before he pulled the trigger, Josh thought to himself that he'd be better off like this, instead of living as a hideous monster. Then it became blank.
Still maintaining his original height of 6 feet, he felt lighter, for his weight had decreased dramatically. It had felt that gravity had not such an impact on him anymore. As he tried to get up, each wing buzzed horrendously, which help create some lift. Before he had time to comprehend what had happened, Josh buzzed and was hovering over his bed. The tips of his wings were brushing on the ceiling of his confined room. "What is all the ruckus about?" yelled his mom from downstairs. Josh wanted to say "nothing, everything is fine", but instead thanks to his new needle like snout, came out as a long dying whistle. That became his first problem, though he was plagued by several other impairments. He could not use hands, for he had none and can only land and stand in a current position. Josh also could not walk, so every time he wanted to change positions he had to hover with his wings.
Josh had also notice that he had worked up quite an appetite while discovering his new transformation. He looked around the room, but there was not a single ounce of food or drop of water. He looked outside the window. A cow was grazing on the grasses just next door to his house, for his neighbor was a cattle man. Josh buzzed and slammed against the window. Acting like he didn't notice hitting the glass with tremendous force, he kept bouncing off the plain. It wasn't until the thirty-fifth time that he decided that an "invisible force" was keeping him from escaping outside, not remembering that in fact there was a solid window in front of him.
Just then a knock on his door sent Josh buzzing to the ceiling in almost a panic. It had been his mother, for it was nearly one hour after he would usually wake up and head downstairs for breakfast. "Josh, are you awake? Its time to wake up!" she yelled outside the door. In almost slow motion, the door handle slowly turned, following by the creaking of the door as it opened.
The scream echoed over the hills of Josh's community. It was so loud, that Josh's tiny ears burst. His mom collapsed cold on the floor from total shock. Josh buzzed suspended in air, not knowing how to react to the situation he was in. Then he noticed the door was open, so he flew to it and using his head pushed it open until he was able to squeeze through. Josh and his mom did not own the largest house, so flying through the halls and into different rooms was quite a challenge. He was constantly bouncing and bumping of the sides of the walls. Passing by the kitchen window, he saw a glance of the cow that had been grazing earlier before. He fly to the window and pressed his whole body against it. The weight of his body pressing against the window shattered it, and Josh burst into the air like a freed bird.
Josh had his attention locked onto the cow that was standing right in an open field. He soared as fast as a jet, until he was right on top of the cow as he lightly touched down on it's backside. Then, he jousted he's 3 foot long needle into the cow's body. The cow didn't react, but let out a sigh as it continued feeding on grass. Josh sucked until he could taste the irony blood. He withdrew a large amount of blood in the five minutes he fed. As he plucked he's needle out, a visible difference can be seen of how much weight the cow lost. It looked as if it hadn't eaten for several weeks.
As Josh began to buzz toward the sky again, he heard a click of metal behind him. He didn't have enough time to turn around to see where the noise had come from when several shots of a buck round ripped through his wing and back. Blood shot out in all directions, some of his and some of the blood of the cow. He spiraled to the ground, with a thud indicating that he had made contact to the dirt below. His face was looking at the sky and couldn't move any part of his body. As his eyes began to shut, and the world around him became darker and darker, a glimpse of his neighbor stood over him, his shotgun pointing right towards him. "What in God's name are you, son?" said the farmer, as he heard another click as he pumped another shot in the barrel. Before he pulled the trigger, Josh thought to himself that he'd be better off like this, instead of living as a hideous monster. Then it became blank.
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