Lessons from Dr Seuss

Seuss kept re-inventing himself. He used his talents and creativity to survive, to carve out a good life and a legacy

During the Great Depression, he earned a living drawing cartoons for advertisements. In World War II, Theodor Seuss Geisel became commander of the Animation Department of the US Army Air Forces. His job was to create war propaganda cartoons and write promotional films for the troops and American citizens at home. His ‘Private Snafu’ bumbling soldier later inspired the 'Looney Tunes.' 

Fun was a vital ingredient of his work and success

The story of Yertle the power-hungry turtle, based on Hitler, became controversial because of the burp a turtle lets out at the end. That had never happened in a children’s book before...

Seuss set on-going goals and challenges

‘The Cat in the Hat’ resulted from a theory Seuss had that the 'Dick and Jane' children’s books were so boring, reading levels were down in schools because kids refused to read them. To fix this, a publisher sent Seuss a list of 350 words children should know and then challenged him to write a book children couldn’t put down, using only 250 of those words. In the end, the book uses 220 of the words most used by children. In 1960, Seuss’ editor bet he couldn’t write a book using only 50 words. The resulting story was ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ which uses exactly 50 words. 

Seuss’ passion was rewarded

Seuss was a Pulitzer-prize winning author, who won two Academy Awards. He won his first Oscar for writing an animated short called ‘Gerald McBoing-Boing’. His most popular book, ‘Oh the Places You’ll Go’, was written to encourage children to start reading early. It has become a best-seller because so many people still give it as a graduation gift!

in Corona times, Dr Seuss can guide us

• Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
• Be who you are and say what you feel - because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.
• Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered by.
• Why fit in when you were born to stand out?
• Think left and think right, think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if you only try.
• You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself, any direction you choose.
• Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is none alive who is Youer than You.