All the early college and political cartoons that are pretty clearly definable as racist for their day, and about which hardly anyone knows, were published long ago in "The Seuss, The Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss". Since cancel culture had hardly been invented, the author took the high road and affirmed it was a weakness in Geisel's overall output that disappeared over time. More people are interested in the nudes ("The Seven Lady Godivas" etc.). However, "The Sneetches" is a powerful argument against racism, in a children's story, just as "Yertle the Turtle" is a powerful argument against the deep state.
The deep state loves cancellation. When anyone can be canceled over anything then by the "virtue" of selective enforcement there is no law left except power. Think and speak freely and take refuge under the cross.
True Geiselphiles recognize that the "brat books" as he called them were one part of a vast empire including much politicking during WW2 and heavy advertising for Flit and Esso. This is not about Beginner Books at all, and "The Sneetches" is a very clear call against racism. However, in the political cartoons I found at least four N words. I didn't realize that the one below is actually in context poking a bit of fun at the frequency of the N word when Ted was 25, so it's not as direct as it appears, but it's still pretty far out there:
Swamprangers ftw. I haven't dove deep into Seuss, but what I've read about how he treated his wife is deplorable. I get judging a man on his corpus, but from what I've recently read of their works, I'd take Crockett Johnson, Margaret Wise Brown, Dorothy Kunhardt, and a variety of his contemporaries, over him from a conceptual, and literary, standpoint. Add to that, The Cat in the Hat, if you're looking for pedophilic messaging, is fucking horrific. Not really a fan.
You're right about the divorce. I used to like "Oh Say Can You Say?" until I realized it was dedicated to Audrey before he married her. There are much worse anthropomorphs messing with kids than the mere Cat in the Hat. However I "canceled" Scarry way back so can't relate.
All the early college and political cartoons that are pretty clearly definable as racist for their day, and about which hardly anyone knows, were published long ago in "The Seuss, The Whole Seuss, and Nothing But the Seuss". Since cancel culture had hardly been invented, the author took the high road and affirmed it was a weakness in Geisel's overall output that disappeared over time. More people are interested in the nudes ("The Seven Lady Godivas" etc.). However, "The Sneetches" is a powerful argument against racism, in a children's story, just as "Yertle the Turtle" is a powerful argument against the deep state.
The deep state loves cancellation. When anyone can be canceled over anything then by the "virtue" of selective enforcement there is no law left except power. Think and speak freely and take refuge under the cross.
Can you link one that is racist?
True Geiselphiles recognize that the "brat books" as he called them were one part of a vast empire including much politicking during WW2 and heavy advertising for Flit and Esso. This is not about Beginner Books at all, and "The Sneetches" is a very clear call against racism. However, in the political cartoons I found at least four N words. I didn't realize that the one below is actually in context poking a bit of fun at the frequency of the N word when Ted was 25, so it's not as direct as it appears, but it's still pretty far out there:
https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/28/living/feat-racist-dr-seuss-drawing/index.html
Dr. Seuss should be judged on his whole corpus just like Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad, or Randall Kennedy.
Swamprangers ftw. I haven't dove deep into Seuss, but what I've read about how he treated his wife is deplorable. I get judging a man on his corpus, but from what I've recently read of their works, I'd take Crockett Johnson, Margaret Wise Brown, Dorothy Kunhardt, and a variety of his contemporaries, over him from a conceptual, and literary, standpoint. Add to that, The Cat in the Hat, if you're looking for pedophilic messaging, is fucking horrific. Not really a fan.
But then again I'm a Richard Scarry guy at heart.
You're right about the divorce. I used to like "Oh Say Can You Say?" until I realized it was dedicated to Audrey before he married her. There are much worse anthropomorphs messing with kids than the mere Cat in the Hat. However I "canceled" Scarry way back so can't relate.