I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues. - The Lorax
Children's writer/illustrator Theodor Seuss Geisel, most known by his pen name Dr. Seuss, created an imaginary cast of characters in his book The Lorax. It was written in 1971 on the heels of forest industry bad press on environmental issues unfolding in the United States' Pacific Northwest dealing with the Northern spotted owl and the health of coastal redwoods and Douglas firs.
Possibly Dr. Seuss' most controversial work, The Lorax has become a popular metaphor for those concerned about the human impact on the environment. The children's book consists of an argument between two creatures, the tree-loving Lorax and the money-loving Once-ler who makes Thneeds from truffula trees.
Several timber industry groups sponsored the creation of a book called The Truax in rebuttal to the Geisel book. The Lorax was actually banned in some schools and libraries in regions with timber economies for its anti-forest industry content.
Cover Illustration - Random House
Comments
Anyone who thinksT he Lorax has anti-forest industry content is a modern day Know Nothing. The Lorax is about uncontrolled greed as the Once-ler destroys the environment in his making of Thneeds. Furthermore the Lorax tries to point that is takes a long time for a Truffula Tree to germinate (10 years) and just as long for it mature, and pet another 10 years before something else happens (like when it produces seeds)
Thanks Steve.
Just was viewing that one this morning when I found it there. Can you believe I never heard of the book before, or the term, and I work with trees? I heard that researcher Van Pelt was called The Lorax, and googled to see what was up with the name. For amusement today, I’ve been googling ‘Lorax” with other keywords to see what different kinds of sites and topics pop up.
Cheers,
MDV / Oregon