Plot Summary 

     Theodore Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, was a writer and cartoonist. He published 44 children’s books which often consisted of imaginative characters, fantasy lands and rhymes. Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  was the last children’s picture book Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated. It was first published by Random House in 1990. The book was a winner of the Mom's Choice Standard Award according to the Random House website. Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a picture book. Like this particular book, picture books are usually 32-page books for children ages 4-8. The plot is simple; there is no sub-plot or complicated twists. There is one main character that embodies the child's emotions, concerns and viewpoint. There are illustrations on every page, and they play a role in telling the story.       

     "Oh the Places You'll Go", is Dr. Seuss's guide to the journey of life. It is an inspirational book that is great for giving to the upcoming graduate, whether it is graduating from kindergarten, high school or college.  The book, which is filled with his unique illustrations and rhyme, is a brief story that reminds us that we can be the things we want to be, with a little bit of work and will power. Without ignoring the basic fact of life that everything does not always go ideally, the book encourages the reader to get out there and make things happen.  The book states that “bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you,” but in the end "kid you'll move mountains"!  Anything is possible for someone who puts forth a little effort.  The worst thing someone can do is wait for something to happen.  Dr. Seuss encourages the reader to to examine all the options and then set out. Success goes, in this tale, goes not to the strong, beautiful, popular ones, but to the one who doesn't just sit around waiting for good things to come to them.  According to the story, doing nothing at all is the worst choice that you can make; for nothing can be gained, if nothing is risked.

Textual Elements

          The book can be identified as an illustrated books since the criteria for a picture book is when "words are left out and the picture says it.  Pictures are left out and the word says it" (Johnson, 77).  The pictures are not necessary in this book however the way the text corresponds with the images allows the story to be easy to identify with and very enjoyable. The setting takes place through the illustrations. It follows what Cullinan and Galda (2002) said, “In this way, visual details about time and place can be portrayed clearly” (pg. 70). When it comes to characterization they mention “the characters have well-developed personalities that often show some evidence of growth and change across the story” (pg. 71). The character in this book is distinct. He is a small boy in yellow pajamas traveling across a fantasy world. Dr. Seuss does not give this boy a name but refers to him simply as “you.” The presence of a main character helps readers to identify with the book. It is written in second person and uses future tense; speaking directly to the reader and allowing them to imagine themselves in this boy’s place. The motif of the book centers on the plot. It begins with the boy starting off on his journey to Great Places, he's "off and away!" He's got brains and feet, and can go in any direction he chooses. He is eager and excited to begin his adventure, and he knows nothing will stop him. The boy can choose whether or not to go down certain streets. He travels through several geometrical landscapes and places, eventually encountering a place called "The Waiting Place,” which is portrayed as being a place where everyone is always waiting for something to happen. It is implied that time does not pass in the Waiting Place. As the character continues to explore, spurred on by the thoughts of places he will visit and things he will discover, the book cheerfully concludes with an open ending.

     The theme of the book is that everyone is going to run into problems; it is the idea that no matter what downfalls you face, you can always pick yourself up and move forward.  Dr. Seuss stresses how smart and capable the boy is, and how we all are, but sometimes we ignore our gut feelings.  However, the way you handle these difficulties is what determines your future outcome; it is all about making good decisions. Cullinan and Galda (2002) state “Style of language is essential to quality in a picture book,” (pg. 74). Dr. Seuss uses interesting words when rhyming his text. He provokes deeper thought when using words others are not familiar with, (Hakken-Kraks howl for example).  In essence, this book explains that each individual is in charge of his or her own destiny, no one else is.  So make the best of even the most insignificant instances in life, for they may be more significant than they seem.

Artistic Elements 

     When evaluating the artistic quality of the picture book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! it helps to view the different elements used in the art. Dr. Seuss is known for the worlds he creates in his stories.   Never once does he use a place in the real world and Oh the Places You’ll Go! is no exception.  There are elements in illustrations that assist in creating this world, and Seuss’s use of line and shape are two of them.  The line of the images in this book pulls the eye towards the main character and assists in explaining the meaning of the book which is that if you decide to choose your own destiny, the new places you will go are endless, unusual and will always be an adventure.  The shape of everything in the book has a definite outline. However, lines in the book that you would imagine to be straight are curved such as the flag poles or houses. The shape of all the images are unique and not what you would imagine in reality.

     The colors in the illustrations as well as the placement of text express the character’s mood and emotions. When the main character is happy and his life is headed in a good direction the colors are bright and cheerful.  The characters on that page are also portrayed with brighter colors and have happy expressions on their faces.  On the contrary, when he is sad or scared the colors are dark and gloomy and the characters look sad as well.  This helps to show if one waits for life to happen, one will be very unhappy.  Instead, one needs to take charge of his or her destiny. The text also is placed according to the illustrations. The location of the

 text changes from page to page; top, middle, or bottom.  For example, the text is high on the page when the character will “join the high fliers who soar to high heights.”  On the next page, you will take the lead, you won’t lag behind the others.  Then on the following page, it states that sometimes you won’t, and from there the text proceeds to get lower on the page.  There are three paragraphs on the page, the first described above being the highest, then the next one says that you will get stuck and is lower on the page, however the paragraph that explains that you will be “left behind in a lurch” is the lowest.  Dr. Seuss cleverly positions his texts to portray the emotions of the character.

Analysis and Critique

     Even though the book has a good moral, it may carry some poor representations of the world. It is interesting how the main character, who faces up to his problems and can succeed, is a white male. What if the character was a female or a different race/ethnicity? How would the story be different? Would he/she still be able to make it through all the obstacles and become a stronger person for it in the future? Would a black girl or boy gain as much success as this white male? The main character is a boy.  There is only one page in the entire book where there is a female.  The interesting thing is that on this page, everyone is in a place called “the waiting place” which is not a pleasant place to be.  There are men there, but they also appear on other pages that are positive.  In “the waiting place,” people are “waiting for the train to go or a bus to come, to the rain to go… Everyone is just waiting.”  It then goes on to the next page where is says the waiting place is not for you.  You will escape and “find bright places where “Boom Bands are playing”.  This is a very good message because it teaches children not to give up if they become lost or confused during life because they will eventually find their way. This page even has other people on it playing instruments!  The problem is that it is only men on this page, playing the instruments.  Once again this also implies that females stay in “the waiting place”, which is undesirable.  Men are the ones that get out.  This could give a child false ideas about gender roles in society.  It may lead to the child even believing that women are inferior to men, and this notion is what causes gender bias in today’s society.  This book positions one to believe that only white males can succeed.

     Another issue in the illustrations is the lack of diversity in the characters.  Where as the animals are all sorts of unrealistic colors, the people in the book are all white.  Dr. Seuss often creates his own characters.  They usually are not your typical human being.  Something I have noticed about the characters in all of his books is that, regardless of the made up character, they always are white.  Schools are now strongly supporting the showing of ethnic and racial diversity in the curriculum.  We are a diverse country, and our academic choices need to reflect that.  Children respond better to academics when their ethnicities and cultures are included.  This may not be a bad book to read to students, however the choices of books could not be just Dr. Seuss.  Books would have to be written by and about people from other cultures and ethnicities.

     Also, although it is true that life can be extremely tough at times but if we carry a positive attitude when facing the challenges we encounter, there are a few unrealistic statements that are made in this book. When Dr. Seuss says, “you’ll soar to high heights and see some great sights, and you'll be at the top of your class,” and that we succeed “98 and ¾ percent of the time guaranteed,” I believe that he is over-generalizing. Although he is being optimistic, he can’t assume this for every child in the world. Realistically, a lot less that “98 and ¾ percent of people will be able to “soar to high heights” and be at the top of their class,” regardless of the decisions they choose to make or how hard they try. There are many more factors that go into success and happiness than making good decisions.Overall I think this is a good book and it gives a pretty fair representation of life. It acknowledges the highs and lows of life; the challenges, the failures, the loneliness, but all the while it encourages readers to press on and not to simply sit around waiting for something to happen to them. Although not every child may have a happy ending, this book is an inspiration read, giving every child hope and optimism.     

Citation 

Cullinan, Bernice & Galda, Lee. Literature and the Child. Canada. Wadsworth, Group 2002.

Johnson, Denise. The joy of children's literature . Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub, 2009.

Seuss, Dr. Oh, the places you’ll go! New York. Random House, 1990.

Teachers at Random: Oh, The Places You’ll Go! 21 June 2008. 2004 Random House Inc. 28 Feb

      2009.http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679805274