To commemorate the 114th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ birth on Saturday, my kids are honoring him at school all week. Dr. Seuss has aptly been described as “a central character in the American literary mythology.” But why should we leave it up to the kids to remember him? The controversial yet brilliant artist and writer, known primarily for his children’s literature, Theodor Seuss Geisel can inspire even those of us who are just children at heart working the adult grind.
Don’t let famous people, even politicians, deter you
Gisel was 14 years old when World War I ended. Raised in a German-American family, the town Geisel grew up in, Springfield, Mass., was a top seller of war bonds. As a Boy Scout, Geisel was to receive recognition for this honor before an audience of thousands, and from former President Theodore Roosevelt, no less. History Channel reports, “The president, however, was only given nine medals, and when he reached Geisel, Roosevelt gruffly bellowed, ‘What’s this little boy doing here?’ Honor quickly turned to humiliation as the flustered scoutmaster whisked Ted off the stage.”
Apparently that moment bothered Geisel so much that he hated public appearances from then on. Even so, he later handled his fame well. What’s more, he didn’t give up trying to make his dream come true even after a brush with a famous politician incited fear of embarrassment.
Persevere with a little help from your friends and family
Like many of us, Geisel’s parents were his biggest fan. His biography, Secrets of the Deep, the Lost, Forgotten, and Hidden Works of Theodor Seuss Geisel, reports “As a result, Ted grew into a devoted son and a faithful friend, coveting only a close circle of lifelong relationships — people with whom he felt comfortable. His friends saw him as a treasured compatriot with whom to lightheartedly walk through life.”
Geisel’s mother saw his talent and encouraged him to illustrate anywhere he could, even on the walls. He later said she inspired his incredible rhythm, which hadn’t really existed before, at least in children’s works. The Cat in the Hat is written from a list of beginner words, which young readers would recognize, and anapestic tetrameter, a rhythm children love.
Still, Geisel endured a career in advertising before getting published as a children’s book author. He wrote to a friend, “I have tramped all over this bloody town and been tossed out of Boni & Liveright, Harcourt Brace, Paramount Pictures, Metro Goldwyn, three advertising agencies, Life, Judge and three public conveniences.” He was rejected by 27 publishers before he bumped into an old friend from Dartmouth who “that very morning had started a job as an editor in the Vanguard Press children’s section.” That day, the men signed an agreement and it launched Geisel’s career. If he had quit on his 26th rejection, we wouldn’t have heard, “A person’s a person no matter how small.”
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss. He was an imperfect but delightful human, who has influenced the lives of children and adults alike with his wit and wisdom in his art and literature.
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
