I am a huge fan of Dr. Seuss. I loved his books as a child, and I love them even more now that I get to read them to my own child. There is just something about the way his stories roll off your tongue (or, in the case of Fox in Sox, twist your tongue). I love the rhymes, the silly made-up words, and, of course, the message behind the story. The message in The Lorax is one of my favorites, because it’s such an important lesson about how much damage we can do to the environment, and what can happen when we’ve wreaked so much havoc that we’re left all alone with no resources or beauty around us.
What is The Lorax?
The Lorax is a creature who speaks for those that cannot speak for themselves. He speaks for the trees (particularly the Truffula Trees) and all the creatures that inhabit the area around them. He tries his hardest to talk some sense into a greedy iinventorr who sullies the land and uses up all the natural resources, but unfortunately greed is more powerful than his message. When the last Truffula falls, the inventor realizes the error of his ways. Sadly, it is too late, and so he remains to tell others his story, so that they may learn from his mistakes.
In Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, the story is updated and altered quite a bit to appeal to today’s young audience, although it is awesome for adults to watch as well. In the movie version, Ted, a 12-year-old boy, really wants to impress a girl by finding a Truffula Tree. During his journey, he learns about the Lorax and the tragedy that wiped out all the beautiful trees. With the voice talents of legends like Betty White (a strong believer in animal rights and saving the environment) and Danny DiVito, plus the popular Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, the movie will inspire younger generations while reminding our generation of the importance of preserving the natural beauty of our planet.
A Different Lorax Than You’re Used To
Yes, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is a bit different than the book that you’re used to. The story from the book is told in flashbacks, and there is a whole new villain to contend with. The Lorax himself is a bit grumpy, but wouldn’t you be too if you watched everything you swore to protect get destroyed by greed? While the story may have been changed, the message still remains. I know this because I asked my son to tell me what he thought the moral of the story was, and he got it right. It’s a great movie to watch as a family to open up new conversation about what we can do to preserve our planet.
Bonus Features
- Deleted Scene
- Three mini movies: two featuring the Bar-ba-loots and one featuring the Lorax trying to scare the Once-ler out of the forest
- Seuss It Up! A fun tutorial on how to draw the different characters.
- A “Let it Grow” sing-along
- plus more
