I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees. There are a few books from my
childhood that I can really say helped to form the person I am today.
The Lorax is one of the big ones. Told in the charming style that only
Dr. Suess could master, this book conquers one of the biggest topics of
it’s time and is still important today. Taking care of the earth we
live on. Follow the path to the Once-ler, who will tell you his tale
from high up in his tower, at the far end of town where the
grickle-grass once grew - now a destitute, dark and dreary place. Pay
what he asks and you will hear his story of how it use to be and how it
was ruined.
When the Once-ler first came up on the place where all was bright and
happy and clean, he learned of the Truffula Trees. And out of these
trees, he knitted a Thneed. A thneed is a thing that everyone needs. So
they cut down more and more of the trees. The Lorax appears and speaks
for the trees, since they have no voice of their own. The Lorax warns
of the dangers of raping the land for the Truffula Trees, but the
Once-ler is so greedy, he pays him no heed. As you can guess, the land
soon dies, and all that is left is destruction and pollution. The Lorax
sadly flies off, never to be seen there again. But, as it should be,
the story ends with hope. He entrusts to you a seed, the very last
seed, to start again for the Truffula Trees.
Now this book was written in 1971 as an outcry against all the
pollution and horrors that industrialization was visiting upon the
environment. Told in such a way that children
could understand how important it was to take care of the earth.
However, many companies were infuriated and it was largely due to their
outcries that the book The Lorax was banned in many places. Saying it
cast too poor of a light on industry and was completely unfair.
However, The Lorax survived and to this day, speaks for the trees to
kids everywhere.
With colorful characters, a beautiful, flowing rhyme
of Suess and a very simple message, it is timeless.
I remember reading this story myself as a child and being outraged at
the destruction and uselessness of it all. I rushed out and tried to
save trees throughout my neighborhood. I remember at age 7 tying myself
to a pine tree in my front yard because the county wanted to tear it
down to make a sidewalk. It took everything my mother had to get me off
that tree so the crew could finish their job. I was destroyed. I became
the tree-hugger that I am today. My co-workers are always amazed when I
yell at them for wasting the paper around the work place. Every time
they throw away a piece of paper for no reason at all, I tell them that
they just killed another tree. I, still to this day, will go out and
walk among the trees, touching them and feeling them. I wanted to be
the Lorax when I grew up, I wanted to speak for the trees that had no
voice of their own except the beautiful sound of the wind passing
through their branches. And in some ways I am. And you can be too.
Speak for the trees, take care of the earth. Teach the children the
importance of planting and caring for the trees. They give us so much
and ask so little. Shouldn’t we show them the love and respect they
deserve? They were here long before we were. They will stand long after
we are gone, when men are just fairy tales and books written by rabbits. I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees. Won’t you hear my voice?