Joshua Hooten
Cramer
college comp Pd.3
4/30/13
The Lorax
Chronicles of the mustache man
CRACK! Another axe, another tree. Why can’t the Oncler see, that every hack on every tree takes a breath from you and me.
The theme of the Lorax is split into two main topics, choices and re-growth. There are two protagonists in the story, the Onceler who doubles as the antagonist, and teddy, who makes the coming back of truffula trees possible. The Onceler was a young guy who just wanted to be known as someone, instead of being called a no one. He made some bad choices, but his family finally was proud of him he didn’t want to lose that connection. His greed, want for power and the urge to become greater causes him to destroy all of the truffula trees. When the last tree falls he realizes what he has done, his family leaves him, and he becomes a hermit, living in the once beautiful forest with the last seed, waiting for someone who cares enough to take care of it.
The Onceler’s parents had no faith in him, so he left to prove them wrong with his revolutionary product, the Thneed. Truffula trees were the perfect material for his creation, so once he got his business started he called his family over to prove them wrong. They were happy for him and cared, but only because he was making a lot of money. His family convinced him to increase production so much that deforestation was kicking in big time. The air quality dropped and the streams became polluted from the factory smog, but the Onceler did not care. The animals were forced to leave, and over time the trees could not recover and when the last one was felled, production stopped. The Onceler’s family, who were only interested in money, left him alone in the desolate wasteland he had created. There he stayed for many years, wallowing in self pity and regret until Ted showed up.
Teddy is the second protagonist. Ted starts out only wanting to know about trees so he can get one for the girl he likes, but doesn’t really care about their regrowth. Having heard the story from his grandma, Ted is able to find the Onceler , and asks him about trees .As the Onceler tells him the story of trees near extinction, Ted cares more and more about them. He comes back multiple times to hear more even when the richest, most powerful person in town threatens him, warning him not to go outside the walls of Thneedvile. This persistence shows the Onceler that Ted is worthy to plant the seed, and by the end of the story he is doing everything he can to bring them back. Ted plants the last truffula seed in the middle of town to make everyone understand the impact it will have. This pertains to the essence of the narratives theme because; Ted must make a choice on weather or not to take the risks necessary to save the truffula tree population. The Onceler must also choose to trust the last seed to a teenage guy, whose only reason for looking for the seed was to impress a girl. This underlying theme of choices also runs through other parts of the story.
The story is satirical because it’s projects the extremes of what could happen to the Earth in the future. Along with that is the underlying message. “Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better.” This is telling us, if we don’t take the initiative to do things ourselves or help others accomplish things, our world will fall apart and leave us nothing but a wasteland. But we can stop that, if only we put fourth the effort to prevent it. It is also telling us that large bushy mustaches equal power knowledge and awesomeness.
In the End the Onceler sees, and gives up the final seed. We can all see what we need, its fresh air, and not a Thneed.
Cramer
college comp Pd.3
4/30/13
The Lorax
Chronicles of the mustache man
CRACK! Another axe, another tree. Why can’t the Oncler see, that every hack on every tree takes a breath from you and me.
The theme of the Lorax is split into two main topics, choices and re-growth. There are two protagonists in the story, the Onceler who doubles as the antagonist, and teddy, who makes the coming back of truffula trees possible. The Onceler was a young guy who just wanted to be known as someone, instead of being called a no one. He made some bad choices, but his family finally was proud of him he didn’t want to lose that connection. His greed, want for power and the urge to become greater causes him to destroy all of the truffula trees. When the last tree falls he realizes what he has done, his family leaves him, and he becomes a hermit, living in the once beautiful forest with the last seed, waiting for someone who cares enough to take care of it.
The Onceler’s parents had no faith in him, so he left to prove them wrong with his revolutionary product, the Thneed. Truffula trees were the perfect material for his creation, so once he got his business started he called his family over to prove them wrong. They were happy for him and cared, but only because he was making a lot of money. His family convinced him to increase production so much that deforestation was kicking in big time. The air quality dropped and the streams became polluted from the factory smog, but the Onceler did not care. The animals were forced to leave, and over time the trees could not recover and when the last one was felled, production stopped. The Onceler’s family, who were only interested in money, left him alone in the desolate wasteland he had created. There he stayed for many years, wallowing in self pity and regret until Ted showed up.
Teddy is the second protagonist. Ted starts out only wanting to know about trees so he can get one for the girl he likes, but doesn’t really care about their regrowth. Having heard the story from his grandma, Ted is able to find the Onceler , and asks him about trees .As the Onceler tells him the story of trees near extinction, Ted cares more and more about them. He comes back multiple times to hear more even when the richest, most powerful person in town threatens him, warning him not to go outside the walls of Thneedvile. This persistence shows the Onceler that Ted is worthy to plant the seed, and by the end of the story he is doing everything he can to bring them back. Ted plants the last truffula seed in the middle of town to make everyone understand the impact it will have. This pertains to the essence of the narratives theme because; Ted must make a choice on weather or not to take the risks necessary to save the truffula tree population. The Onceler must also choose to trust the last seed to a teenage guy, whose only reason for looking for the seed was to impress a girl. This underlying theme of choices also runs through other parts of the story.
The story is satirical because it’s projects the extremes of what could happen to the Earth in the future. Along with that is the underlying message. “Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better.” This is telling us, if we don’t take the initiative to do things ourselves or help others accomplish things, our world will fall apart and leave us nothing but a wasteland. But we can stop that, if only we put fourth the effort to prevent it. It is also telling us that large bushy mustaches equal power knowledge and awesomeness.
In the End the Onceler sees, and gives up the final seed. We can all see what we need, its fresh air, and not a Thneed.