Children's Book in Feature Film 2: How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss is a masterful storyteller, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of his masterpieces. The movie and the book share the same themes, but many adaptations had to be made to make a movie length version of the book. The movie provides background information for how the Grinch comes to hate Christmas so badly. He had a childhood sweetheart named Martha who he made an ornament for and shaved his face, cutting it in several places, and instead of achieving the desired effect, he was laughed at by the entire class, even the teacher.

Cindy Lou Hoo plays a bigger role in the movie, and gets the Grinch to come to a town gathering where he is again humiliated by the mayor who gives him an electric razor as a gift. This is when he decides to ruin Christmas.

In both the book and the movie, the Grinch dresses up as Santa in order to rob the town of all the Christmas presents. And the Whos realize that Christmas is not just about presents and a feast. They celebrate Christmas anyway, which warms the heart of the Grinch, who gives the presents back and is finally welcomed by the Whos.

In Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the theme is clear. Christmas should exist in one’s heart and not in the feast or the presents. I liked this about the book.

This book reminds me of all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas and commercialization of it. This is why I like this book. I also feel as if Christmas has turned into something that it never should have become.

This book is similar to other Dr. Seuss books in the manner of which they are written. One can clearly name a book as a Dr. Seuss book as soon as they hear the first few words. He has a different style and rhythm than any other. His books are both aesthetically and didactically pleasing. He also always teaches children a moral lesson that they sometimes need.

There is always a new outlet for teaching lessons to children, but nobody, in my opinion, is better at accomplishing this feat than Dr. Seuss. For example, The Lorax teaches children to take only what they need from the environment and not to exaggerate their needs. All Dr. Seuss books are classics for a reason. They are all special in their own way, and they will be used to teach our children for years to come. Parents and children who know Dr. Seuss are blessed.

References

Howard, R. (Director/Producer), & Grazer, B. (Producer). (2000). The Grinch [Motion Picture]. United States: Universal Studios.

Seuss, Dr. (1957). How the Grinch stole Christmas. New York: Random House.