The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss

“The grass is always greener on the other side” is one thought that comes to mind after reading the book The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. This book is a simple yet a perfect example of the complicated issue of discrimination that so many people face today. In our society, people are judged very often based on physical attributes, race, and religion.  In my opinion, this judgement is unkind, untruthful, and most definitely unnecessary. People should not be judged on the basis of unimportant features that in no way make up who they are.

In the children's book, there are two groups of so-called "Sneetches." There are "Star-bellied Sneetches, the best Sneetches on beaches,"and "Plain-bellied Sneetches, left out cold, in the dark of the beaches." The Star-bellied Sneetches are supposedly the "better" Sneetches, but what really, truly makes them that special?  Does a star on your belly determine everything? What about a red dot in the middle of your forehead? Or a six-pointed star hanging from your neck?

Along with his family, Doctor Seuss was a German immigrant.  This makes me think that he interpreted this book to be about discrimination based on religion, as the jews were when the Nazis invaded Europe. He even used stars to symbolize the difference between the greater and the lesser.  In Europe, jews were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothing to signify that they were jewish, and they should be treated accordingly.  Being a jew myself, it is particularly difficult to look back at that time period and learn about the basis of which people were judged and treated.  But doing so has definitely helped me, and maybe even parts of the world, find closure, move on, and help make a better future.

But lets be honest.  People are judged not only by their physical attributes, their race, and their religion.  Everyday, people are judged based on class, gender, smarts, political views, creed, personality, appearance, skin color, ethnicity, language, schooling, residence, and so on.  How can we fix this? Dr. Seuss' answer, along with mine, is cooperation:

"The day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches

And no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches

That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars

And whether they had one, or not, upon thars."

In order to attain this level of equality, the Sneetches had to cooperate with eachother by accepting eachother's differences.  Now, all Sneetches were Sneetches, the best Sneetches on beaches.