Last night‘s re-read got me thinking. For a moment I juxtaposed this children‘s story on our adult reality - the migrants being the Whos and us urbanites/middle-class/elites/authorities/anyone who is safe and sound as the inhabitants of the Jungle of Nool - and found some unsettling issues. Do the people of Whoville need to be thankful to the people ‘bigger than they‘ who‘ve ‘got to protect them‘? That right there is inequality. Contd.👇🏽
AppuNthebooks Sure, Horton goes out of his way to help & pays for it too, but he puts the onus on the people of Whoville to be heard - “Make every Who holler! Make every Who shout! Make every Who scream!” But what about the rest of the denizens in the Jungle of Nool? Why isn‘t the onus on them to listen? Why do the Whos have to prove “they ARE persons, no matter how small.” No one should have to struggle to be acknowledged for #APersonIsAPersonNoMatterHowSmall (edited) 5y
Sace I appreciate what you are saying because we should be past that now. I am not being a Seuss apologist at all, but I'm willing to say that at the time he wrote, that was the conventional wisdom. But I repeat, we really should be WAY past that now and Horton should be a relic. At the same time, for younger people it is good for starting the conversation about being able to LISTEN and being aware. 5y
Sace You've made me see Horton in a whole new way! 5y
AppuNthebooks Same @Sace. I‘ve no issue with the story. I agree with all you said - that it‘s a great way to get kids to cultivate empathy & encourage them to listen. The dynamics of Horton, the animals & Whoville teaches them that. Dr Seuss will remain a favourite. I‘m only talking from the perspective of the current situation where adult, educated, powerful people are calling the shots & they are just not listening. And it‘s easy for it to remain just News. 5y
Sace @AppuNthebooks agree. 5y
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