Let Fire Fall
09-06-2005, 04:50 PM
We were assigned to write a paper describing how we viewed Dr. Suess's "The Lorax". The story is here. (http://www.danks.org/mark/Random/lorax.html)
Here's my paper:
There are many people in the world who believe the environment is only around for us to use the resources it provides. Also, they believe these resources come from an infinite supply and can be used at will. These people value the environment around them very little. This belief is very wrong. The environment is necessary for many more things than providing us with resources, and the resources it does provide are in fact a finite supply and will be gone if overused. These beliefs lead into the area known as Environmental Ethics. This branch of science is a very opinionated area and has lead to many different conflicts concerning what is right and wrong in our use of the environment surrounding us.
The Lorax, written by Dr. Seuss more formally known as Theodor Seuss Geisel, has been seen as a modern environmental parable speaking out for proper treatment of the world that surrounds us. One may ask oneself, “Why choose such an informal piece of work such as a silly children’s book for such an important point?” The answer is simple: the format of a children’s book is much easier to remember rather than a well-produced essay. There are many nursery rhymes that used this same approach. “Jack and Jill” took a political approach with Jack falling down and breaking his crown. Also, the short songs used in advertising are often the songs that will run through your head all day long. This informal method can have a much greater impact on society (Fenkl NPG).
In the story the Lorax, who can be seen as a biocentric, “Speaks for the trees.” He believes that the moral subject status should be extended to the trees and animals that live in the ecosystem. He believes all of these things have an inherent value, because each of them supports the other, even if it is not directly important to us. However, the Once-ler was far different from the Lorax. The Once-ler can be perceived as an anthropocentric, believing that humans come before all other forms of life. He sees the Truffula Trees with only instrumental value; they are only important to him because without them he could not produce his Thneeds. He does not see the harm in chopping down the trees because he is benefiting from it, as seen here, “There’s no call for alarm. I chopped just one tree. I am doing no harm.” (Cunningham 36-38)
After discovering the popularity of his Thneeds, the Once-ler immediately builds himself a factory and proceeds to chopping down the Truffula Trees. The Lorax continues to try to show the Once-ler the inherit value of the Truffula Trees by telling him about the Brown Bar-Ba-Loots that used the Truffula Trees for shelter and food. But, the Once-ler was blinded by his thirst for wealth to see the harm his mass chopping of the Truffula Trees was doing to the environment. He says, “Business is business and business must grow regardless of crummies in tummies, you know.” He was more focused on making his factories larger and producing more Thneeds to gain more profit than the environment around him which he was destroying.
A modern day story similar to The Lorax occurred in 1969 when the Sierra club sued Disney to prevent Disney to build a ski resort and to protect Mineral King Valley. The Sierra Club, much like the Lorax, believed it was speaking for the Valley, just like the Lorax spoke for the Truffula Trees. However, the Disney Corporation, who can be viewed as the Once-ler, was only interested in business and saw the Valley as a good area for a ski resort, the Truffula Trees were perfect for creating Thneeds. The Sierra Club “spoke for the trees” all the way to Supreme Court, but Disney eventually lost interest in the ski resort (Cunningham 36).
The Once-ler viewed his huge factory as a wonderful thing. He was overjoyed by the production and sales of Thneeds. He did not believe he was doing anything wrong. He was benefiting from this, so wasn’t it good for all? The Lorax had a point of view much to the opposite. He saw the factories and the pollution they produce as horrifying things. He was disheartened by the effect it had on the entire ecosystem, such as the Humming-Fish. The Humming-Fish could no longer live in the pond they once called home because of the Gluppity-Glupp and Schloppity-Schlopp that was poured into the pond by the Once-ler’s factories. The Lorax took one last argument to the Once-ler, trying to get him to take care of the Truffula Trees and everything they supported.
The Lorax took his plea for the Truffula Trees to the Once-ler, but the Once-ler only replied with, “And then I got mad. I got terribly mad. I yelled at the Lorax, "Now listen here, Dad! All you do is yap-yap and say 'Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!" Well, I have my rights, sir, and I’m telling you I intend to go on doing just what I do! And, for your information, you Lorax, I'm figgering on biggering, and Biggering and BIGGERING and BIGGERING, turning MORE Truffula Trees into Thneeds which everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE needs!" The Once-ler stating that he, “has his right” is an example of his belief in anthropocentrism. He believes he has the right to chop down the Truffula Trees if they are benefiting him. Another instance of anthropocentrism in his outrage is his use of everyone. The term everyone is only implied to humans, so by saying “Everyone needs a Thneed,” the Once-ler is saying the humans’ need for Thneeds outweighs the importance of the Truffula Trees (Cunningham 38).
The instrumental value of the trees disappears upon the chopping down of the last Truffula Tree. The trees are no longer of any value to the Once-ler and his business disappears. The Truffula Trees no longer hold the instrumental value they once did because they do not have any value to the Once-ler once they are gone. Also, the Once-ler’s business has disappeared along with the Truffula Trees because without a source to make his Thneeds, his factories are useless (Adler NPG). As soon as the Once-ler is no longer blinded by his strive for profit he notices what his factories have done to the environment. Unfortunately, it is too late; the Lorax has already left the once beautiful land (Cunningham 36).
The story ends with the Once-ler giving the one last Truffula seed to a boy and endowing in him the stewardship to do his best to bring back the Truffula Trees. He has placed the responsibility of returning the area to its former beauty, and maybe even allowing the Lorax to return (Cunningham 38).
The Lorax is a great story that explains the importance of Environmental Ethics. Even though it is presented in a light-hearted way, it has a very important message behind it. If taken in the right context, this book can be an amazing push for the correct treatment of the environment and good conservation practice. If only the Once-ler had conserved the Truffula Trees and used them in a reasonable manner, maybe the result would not have been so devastating. Environmental issues are very important and should be taken seriously; without the many products that come from our surroundings we could not survive.
[Edited on 9-7-2005 by Let Fire Fall]
Here's my paper:
There are many people in the world who believe the environment is only around for us to use the resources it provides. Also, they believe these resources come from an infinite supply and can be used at will. These people value the environment around them very little. This belief is very wrong. The environment is necessary for many more things than providing us with resources, and the resources it does provide are in fact a finite supply and will be gone if overused. These beliefs lead into the area known as Environmental Ethics. This branch of science is a very opinionated area and has lead to many different conflicts concerning what is right and wrong in our use of the environment surrounding us.
The Lorax, written by Dr. Seuss more formally known as Theodor Seuss Geisel, has been seen as a modern environmental parable speaking out for proper treatment of the world that surrounds us. One may ask oneself, “Why choose such an informal piece of work such as a silly children’s book for such an important point?” The answer is simple: the format of a children’s book is much easier to remember rather than a well-produced essay. There are many nursery rhymes that used this same approach. “Jack and Jill” took a political approach with Jack falling down and breaking his crown. Also, the short songs used in advertising are often the songs that will run through your head all day long. This informal method can have a much greater impact on society (Fenkl NPG).
In the story the Lorax, who can be seen as a biocentric, “Speaks for the trees.” He believes that the moral subject status should be extended to the trees and animals that live in the ecosystem. He believes all of these things have an inherent value, because each of them supports the other, even if it is not directly important to us. However, the Once-ler was far different from the Lorax. The Once-ler can be perceived as an anthropocentric, believing that humans come before all other forms of life. He sees the Truffula Trees with only instrumental value; they are only important to him because without them he could not produce his Thneeds. He does not see the harm in chopping down the trees because he is benefiting from it, as seen here, “There’s no call for alarm. I chopped just one tree. I am doing no harm.” (Cunningham 36-38)
After discovering the popularity of his Thneeds, the Once-ler immediately builds himself a factory and proceeds to chopping down the Truffula Trees. The Lorax continues to try to show the Once-ler the inherit value of the Truffula Trees by telling him about the Brown Bar-Ba-Loots that used the Truffula Trees for shelter and food. But, the Once-ler was blinded by his thirst for wealth to see the harm his mass chopping of the Truffula Trees was doing to the environment. He says, “Business is business and business must grow regardless of crummies in tummies, you know.” He was more focused on making his factories larger and producing more Thneeds to gain more profit than the environment around him which he was destroying.
A modern day story similar to The Lorax occurred in 1969 when the Sierra club sued Disney to prevent Disney to build a ski resort and to protect Mineral King Valley. The Sierra Club, much like the Lorax, believed it was speaking for the Valley, just like the Lorax spoke for the Truffula Trees. However, the Disney Corporation, who can be viewed as the Once-ler, was only interested in business and saw the Valley as a good area for a ski resort, the Truffula Trees were perfect for creating Thneeds. The Sierra Club “spoke for the trees” all the way to Supreme Court, but Disney eventually lost interest in the ski resort (Cunningham 36).
The Once-ler viewed his huge factory as a wonderful thing. He was overjoyed by the production and sales of Thneeds. He did not believe he was doing anything wrong. He was benefiting from this, so wasn’t it good for all? The Lorax had a point of view much to the opposite. He saw the factories and the pollution they produce as horrifying things. He was disheartened by the effect it had on the entire ecosystem, such as the Humming-Fish. The Humming-Fish could no longer live in the pond they once called home because of the Gluppity-Glupp and Schloppity-Schlopp that was poured into the pond by the Once-ler’s factories. The Lorax took one last argument to the Once-ler, trying to get him to take care of the Truffula Trees and everything they supported.
The Lorax took his plea for the Truffula Trees to the Once-ler, but the Once-ler only replied with, “And then I got mad. I got terribly mad. I yelled at the Lorax, "Now listen here, Dad! All you do is yap-yap and say 'Bad! Bad! Bad! Bad!" Well, I have my rights, sir, and I’m telling you I intend to go on doing just what I do! And, for your information, you Lorax, I'm figgering on biggering, and Biggering and BIGGERING and BIGGERING, turning MORE Truffula Trees into Thneeds which everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE needs!" The Once-ler stating that he, “has his right” is an example of his belief in anthropocentrism. He believes he has the right to chop down the Truffula Trees if they are benefiting him. Another instance of anthropocentrism in his outrage is his use of everyone. The term everyone is only implied to humans, so by saying “Everyone needs a Thneed,” the Once-ler is saying the humans’ need for Thneeds outweighs the importance of the Truffula Trees (Cunningham 38).
The instrumental value of the trees disappears upon the chopping down of the last Truffula Tree. The trees are no longer of any value to the Once-ler and his business disappears. The Truffula Trees no longer hold the instrumental value they once did because they do not have any value to the Once-ler once they are gone. Also, the Once-ler’s business has disappeared along with the Truffula Trees because without a source to make his Thneeds, his factories are useless (Adler NPG). As soon as the Once-ler is no longer blinded by his strive for profit he notices what his factories have done to the environment. Unfortunately, it is too late; the Lorax has already left the once beautiful land (Cunningham 36).
The story ends with the Once-ler giving the one last Truffula seed to a boy and endowing in him the stewardship to do his best to bring back the Truffula Trees. He has placed the responsibility of returning the area to its former beauty, and maybe even allowing the Lorax to return (Cunningham 38).
The Lorax is a great story that explains the importance of Environmental Ethics. Even though it is presented in a light-hearted way, it has a very important message behind it. If taken in the right context, this book can be an amazing push for the correct treatment of the environment and good conservation practice. If only the Once-ler had conserved the Truffula Trees and used them in a reasonable manner, maybe the result would not have been so devastating. Environmental issues are very important and should be taken seriously; without the many products that come from our surroundings we could not survive.
[Edited on 9-7-2005 by Let Fire Fall]