Text-In-Context Preface
As I child, Dr. Seuss’s silly rhymes, fantastical characters, and vibrant colors enthralled me; as a college student, his stories and poems often provide inspiration. His poem, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is one of these stories. This piece encourages readers to reach for their dreams, but to also expect things will not always go your way. This piece also was greatly influenced by the historical events happening while it was written as well as by Dr. Seuss’s childhood. I hope you enjoy this analysis and perhaps find a little inspiration in this poem as well.
Reaching for the Stars
(workshopped)
Introduction
“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” These are the closing lines to Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”. From a child’s perspective, these lines contain simply nonsensical words and the pages are full of bright colors and silly looking animals that you can’t help but enjoy. From a high-school senior, and college freshman’s, point of view however, this poem holds a whole new meaning. It tells how in life you may not always be on top, but it also provides encouragement when tasks seem daunting and tells the reader’s they can achieve their dreams and the world is at their fingertips.
Dr. Seuss was one of the greatest children’s authors and poets of all time; his stories brought joy to many, regardless of age, gender, or nationality. His stories contained fantastical words, brightly colored characters, encouragement, and lessons from which all could learn. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is only one of these such masterpieces. However, this poem was not simply a story created from the midst of Dr. Seuss’s brilliant imagination. Throughout the years surrounding 1990 –the year this poem was published– many dreams and accomplishments were being realized worldwide, perhaps influencing the theme of chasing one’s dream found within the lines of this piece. The inspiration for this poem seems to have started much earlier than this however, in Dr. Seuss’s childhood. The environment he grew up in closely mirrors the bubbling streams, tall trees, and bright blue sky often found within his works. Built upon the influences of both historical and personal events, Dr. Seuss’s, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” encourages its readers to make this world his/her own, despite the discouragements it sometimes contains. This piece was indeed one of Seuss’s finest and only through taking a deeper look at its context does one truly appreciated its wonders.
Author Section
Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, was one of the most famous authors and poets of all time. His stories brought laughter and joy to many children and provided fascinating books for those just learning to read. These stories were also enjoyed by adults however; their brightly colored characters and fantastical words were thrilling and the plot within the books often held moral or political points understood by an older audience. One of his pieces, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” tells of how one should start living his or her life, work towards their dreams, yet not be too discouraged if he or she does not always finish on top.
Dr. Seuss’s childhood greatly influenced his writing. He gives much of the credit for his work to his mother, who chanted silly rhymes to him as a child. Perhaps it was due to this he developed a natural ability to write peculiar poems and children’s books. The atmosphere he lived in as a child inspired many of the settings for his stories. From the flowing streams, to the wildflowers, to the whispering breezes, these aspects of nature became staples in many of his stories. Seuss lived a comfortable, but not luxurious, life as a child, and grew up in an average family. He worked hard for his goals and eventually accomplished them; in doing so, he practiced the advice he gives to his readers in “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
As a college student, Theodor Seuss Geisel worked on his university’s magazine, creating cartoons and comics. It was during this time he began using the name Dr. Seuss; Seuss being his middle name and mother’s maiden name. (Dr. Seuss, National Memorial, 2002-2004) Throughout college, his doodles started to become a much larger aspect of his life, until he eventually decided to become an artist. He worked mostly with advertising and magazines until his first children’s book, And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street, was finally published. From there, his career took off with other books and poems such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and “Oh, the Place You’ll Go”. (2002-2004) Dr. Seuss quickly became a beloved children’s author and his stories and characters brought delight to many.
Historical Context
From the mid-1980’s thru 1990, great accomplishments were occurring throughout the world. Over this time span, the scientific community was quite literally “reaching for the stars” in its endeavors. In 1988 the Discovery was launched, being the first space shuttle to be launched after the 1986 Challenger catastrophe; in 1990, the space telescope Hubble was launched (Villard 2010). Space exploration was an extremely prevalent aspect of the scientific community’s undertakings and discoveries during this time period. Sending individuals and telescopes into the unknown environment of outer space truly is an incredible accomplishment and a prime example of achieving dreams and goals.
Throughout these years, many important events were occurring that affected individuals on a more personal level as well. One of the greatest events to take place during this time period was the fall of the Berlin Wall. One of U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s most famous quotes, “Tear down this wall!” was stated during a speech in which he pleaded for the wall to be destroyed. (Ratnesar 2007) On November 9, 1989, his desire became fulfilled. The wall that had for years separated families, friends, and neighbors was finally demolished and freedom surrounding this structure was finally found. Not only did this affect most Germans, but also individuals across the world.
On an even more individual level, public icons were also achieving incredible goals. Hulk Hogan, a well-known wrestler, rose to fame during this time period, becoming almost a celebrity. Not only did he accomplish several goals despite whatever trials he encountered, but he also became a role model for many. Also during this period, the first Nintendo was created. Although it seems slightly trivial, this achievement greatly changed the advancement of technology, specifically in gaming systems. This creation was felt throughout many households and individuals of all ages were affected by this invention. From a worldwide scale, to individual athletes/cultural icons, to everyday households, this period of time contained many examples of dreams being realized and mountains being conquered.
These accomplishments are only a few of the incredible tasks and goals being attained during this time period. These moments in history truly provide inspiration for the theme of reaching one’s dreams and making the world your own. However, great trials and difficulties also came with the realization of these dreams. Each person involved in these endeavors surely sacrificed copious amounts of time and effort. This is part of the message Dr. Seuss tried to convey in his poem “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”; great accomplishments cannot be obtained without difficulties. In his poem he writes, “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.” Whether it was overcoming the crash of the Challenger, the literal obstacle of the Berlin Wall, or losing a wrestling match, each of these events contained trials and difficulties. However, it is through these trials that individuals become strengthened and make the realizations of one’s dreams that much more satisfying.
Analysis of Text
Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”, holds many messages for its readers. Throughout the poem, one will find words of encouragement and inspiration for reaching one’s goals. Even within the opening stanza, this can be found when Dr. Seuss states, “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” However, this poem does not give the reader a sense of infallibility. It also explains that one might not always finish first, or on top, but it is okay. In the lines, “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you” the realities of life can be found. Across the stanzas of this poem, the reader gains confidence to be himself or herself, and to reach for the dreams they dream. One also learns to anticipate trials and fumbles as plans do not also work out as expected.
The placement of the stanzas plays a major role in this text. Dr. Seuss writes a few stanzas of encouragement and optimism, and then a few containing a more realist tone. This prevents the reader from obtaining an unrealistic view of life, while still showing them they can achieve their goals and conquer trials. However, Dr. Seuss both opens and closes the poem with encouraging stanzas. This is to introduce the idea that dreams can come true, and to end the poem on an optimistic tone, leaving the reader with a feeling of determination and excitement for the possibilities of the future.
“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is a poem individuals of all age have enjoyed and found inspiration from. Many times, life’s events and trials can weigh one down; Dr. Seuss provides an answer for times such as these within this poem. The lines “And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too” provide encouragement to simply “go with the flow”. These lines also suggest that it is these trials and events shape individuals and help them to grow and develop. Whereas these lines are most likely to be better understood by an older audience, there are many lines and aspects of this poem that can be focused on a younger reader as well. Dr. Seuss, with lines such as “You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!” excites his younger readers for the future by using nonsensical words and sensory words. As a whole, this poem can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages, from kindergarteners, to their grandparents.
The style of writing applied within “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” adds greatly to its content, overall meaning, and how it reaches its audience. The use of extremely vivid words, such as “prickle-ly” and “flip-flapping”, draws the reader in and makes him or her feel as if they are actually in one of Seuss’s extraordinary cities. The fantastical words within the lines of this poem also provide a fantasy or fairytale-like feeling and make the reader feel as if anything is possible. For among the land of Dr. Seuss, one can accomplish anything he or she sets her mind on. Although there is not set rhyming pattern used in the poem, many of the words rhyme which makes the poem almost into a playful song. Overall, the writing style used by Dr. Seuss here adds greatly to the meaning of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go; the versatility of the words, interpretations, and “pictures” within this poem draw in many readers.
Conclusion
“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!” The closing words to “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” summarize the main theme of this poem quite well. Today can become whatever one wants it to be, and life is waiting so it should be lived to the fullest every second. The idea that one should seize the day and reach for his or her dreams is the main idea Dr. Seuss conveys in this poem. Through the use of rhymes and eccentric words, he draws his readers in and excites them for the possibilities of the future. This excitement is extremely contagious regardless of the age of the reader, as one is never too old to starting living his or her dreams.
The analysis of this text through a study of the historical events surrounding the publication of this poem as well as Dr. Seuss’s childhood has truly provided valuable insight into this poem. It can truly be seen that both of these aspects influenced the content and message within this great piece. However, there is still much more that can be learned from further study of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”. Future studies of this poem should be sure to take into account how Dr. Seuss’s education and any writing classes/experiences he had influenced the style in which this poem, as well as the rest of his pieces, were written. Through this, it would become more evident as to why he chose to write with such vibrant and fantastical words; this would only further its reader’s understanding of this piece.
Dr. Seuss’s childhood influenced this piece remarkably, from the settings and vibrant images, to the rhymes that mirror the chants his mother recited to him as a child. This only adds to the story as it adds a personal level to the words and the reader almost has a connection to Dr. Seuss. However, his childhood was not the only influence for this piece; many of the world events during the time of its publication were real-life examples of the theme of this story. From the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the launching of space shuttles and telescopes, to even Hulk Hogan’s rise to fame, dreams were being achieved worldwide. This is proof that Dr. Seuss’s words and advice rings true and should be taken. So, in the words of the great Dr. Seuss, “Your Mountain is waiting. So get on your way!” (Seuss 1990)
Works Cited
Dr. Seuss, National Memorial. Dr. Seuss Enterprises. 2002-2004. Web. 5 March 2011
Ratnesar, Romesh. “20 Years After ‘Tear Down This Wall’”. TIME. Time Inc. 11 June 2007. Web. 4 March 2011
Villar, Ray. “Hubble’s 20 Year Odyssey”. Discovery News. 23 April 2010. Web. 4 March 2011
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